Wealth

Majority Of Canadians Plan To Rely On CPP For Part Of Retirement Funds

Half of non-retired Canadians say they plan to retire by age 65 and expect Canada Pension Plan (CPP) to fund part of their retirement, according to a recent Leger Marketing survey for H&R Block
Canada. But less than one-third actually know how much to expect from CPP every month.

The same group of Canadians listed Canada Pension Plan, Registered
Retirement Savings Plans (RRSPs) and Old Age Security (OAS) as the top three
ways they planned to fund their retirements.

“Canadians who are not retired yet may be relying too much on CPP or Old Age
Security benefits as part of their retirement plan,” explains Cleo Hamel,
senior tax analyst at H&R Block Canada. “And with the recent changes to OAS,
you will not be able to access that benefit until age 67 if you were born on
or after February 1962.”

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January 14, 2013
General

5 Common Home Inspection Issues That Can Prevent The Sale Of Your Home

home inspection tipsAre you preparing to put your house on the market? If so, it will take a lot more than a good house cleaning and coat of paint to make it appealing to potential buyers. As a matter of fact, it’s a good idea to do a thorough inspection of your home so that you can take care of whatever could keep you from making a sale. So, what are some common home inspection issues that can prevent the sale of your home from transpiring? We have five main things for you to look out for below:

Check the roof and the floor. Replacing a roof on a house is somewhat of an expensive project and so if people notice that it’s time to get a new one or that the gutters are weak, that can definitely deter them from wanting to place an offer on your house. Also, if there is border damage along the foundation of your home, signs of insect infestation or rotting wood, those can be deterrents too.

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January 14, 2013
Investing

Flipping Real Estate – The Dos And Do Nots

If you’re someone who has an interest in real estate and also in making money, then you’ve probably thought about getting into the business of flipping houses. After all, to purchase a home and then turn around and sell it for a profit can definitely be an attractive endeavor to get involved in.

However, nothing in life is as simple as A-B-C or 1-2-3. Virtually all things have fine print and stipulations to consider before taking on a particular task, including flipping homes. So, before you start to really put some time, effort and resources into it, we’ve provided you with a few do’s and don’ts to think about first:

Do know the guidelines. While there are some real estate rules that apply across the board, there are others that are relevant only to your state or province. You don’t want to take on a project like a home and sell it only to realize that you broke some of the laws surrounding house flipping where you live. Therefore, you need to do your research first.

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January 13, 2013
General

Should You Consider Buying Insurance For Your Smartphone?

smartphone insuranceThese days the vast majority of Americans leave the house with a smartphone in their pocket. These incredible devices can complete a phone call from the majority of locations around the earth, but that’s only the beginning of their application. Gone are the days when sending a text message was looked at as high technology. People now use their smartphones to deposit checks and transfer money from accounts all across the world. Smartphones are our navigators and GPS locators in the wilds. They’re an endless supply of apps, from video games to recipe guides. Smartphones are our cameras and our social networking portals. People spend huge chunks of their days with their eyes on those tiny screens, and really who can blame them? Smartphones are incredibly powerful computing devices, yet so simple that even small children can use them. With so much riding on your smartphone working when you need it to it’s natural to want to protect it from all possible issues. Should you consider buying insurance for your smartphone?

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January 12, 2013
Travel & Entertainment

Inexpensive Options For Your Next Family Vacation

This may not be the ideal time to plan your next family vacation, with the massive spending of the holiday season still burning holes through your credit cards. But taking time away from the hustle and bustle of life to reconnect with the people you care about is one of the most important things you can do. It’s why you work so hard the rest of the year, and a great family vacation is worth more than all of the presents and elaborate meals money can buy. Luckily, even when your finances are at their tightest it is possible to enjoy a relaxing trip with the family. Here are just a couple of inexpensive options to help you plan your next family vacation.

First of all, consider alternate forms of transportation. You’ll never tire of first class airfare, but if that’s what stands in the way of affording the trip it’s time to get creative. Consider a closer destination you can drive to. With a full car of family members the car ride will always be cheaper than the flight, and significantly greener as well. You can cut costs further by taking a bus or a train to your vacation destination. They may not be glamorous forms of transportation, but they’ll save you the stress of driving in traffic and navigating through unknown territory. And you’ll have plenty left over in your budget to enjoy the trip itself.

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January 11, 2013