Federal budget attempts to balance many priorities
Canada is at a critical stage of our evolution. The federal budget highlighted some of the challenges we face as a nation, writes Peter Watson. The goal of a federal budget is to outline the income and expenses and how the government navigates between different priorities. I cannot remember a time where there have been […]
Financial Stress for First Time Homeowners
Two financial concerns for first-time homeowners are rising interest rates and declining house prices, writes Peter Watson. We can learn a lot about the possible negative emotional side effects of the real estate market by connecting the dots between real estate and personal finances. Many are new to homeownership. The same way some investors are […]
Inflation Over Time is a Significant Personal Risk
Inflation is a hot topic these days, writes Peter Watson. People are concerned about the increased cost of groceries and higher price of gasoline for their cars. There is always the risk that when homeowners renegotiate their mortgage at the end of its term, interest rates will be higher. Inflation decreases the purchasing power of […]
Financial Planning More Difficult for Women
Financial planning for women must account for gender inequality, writes Peter Watson. Women face financial obstacles to being financially secure. In a perfect world there would be no difference to the financial challenge between men and women. That is not the case. Women are more often underpaid when compared to equally qualified men. Earning less […]
Residential Rentals Putting a Strain on Personal Finances
Increasing residential rental rates are getting too expensive for many Canadians, writes Peter Watson. The increasingly tight residential rental market could put a strain on individuals’ personal finance. When we think of real estate our focus tends to be on homeownership and escalating prices due to supply and demand realities. More people want to buy […]
Languishing can be Damaging to Your Personal Finances
Languishing after COVID-19 could be harmful to earning an income. That can be detrimental to your ability to be financially self-sufficient, writes Peter Watson. Your financial success has a new potential obstacle to overcome. This obstacle was discussed in a New York Times article earlier this year on languishing. Early research suggests that languishing could […]
Stocks and Bonds: What to Expect
Let’s talk investments. Specifically, how the volatility of stocks and the returns of stocks are related. Many investors dislike volatility. A stock can be worth $10 a share, increase to $15, decreased to $8, and then back up to $11. Most would prefer a $10 a share price to increase gradually to $11. Perfect. A […]
Scams and fraud are a real threat
Canadians need to re-think how we combat scams and other attempts of theft, writes Peter Watson Scams and frauds are part of everyday life. Policing is difficult because most cases are not reported. The Canadian Anti-Fraud website is a useful source of information. Protect yourself by anticipating fraud attempts will occur against you. As an […]
Flexibility Should be Built into Your Retirement Planning
Retirement is not always the way you imagine. Ipsos conducted a poll on behalf of RBC. The 1,800 Canadians surveyed were 55 years and older and had retirement assets of at least $100,000. Over half of people surveyed anticipated knowing their retirement date one year in advance. The reality was just under 40 per cent […]
Curb overspending with good financial habits
There is a tug of war going on with your money and the temptation to overspend. Unfortunately, consumers are losing. Overspending is epidemic. In 2017, research by the credit report bureau Equifax revealed the average Canadian had over $22,000 of debt from credit cards and credit lines. I’m not just talking about money, I’m talking […]
