Most people never cross paths with a copy of the Canadian Income Tax Act and rarely give it much thought outside of tax season, so it’s not surprising that do-it-yourselfers miss a lot of savings opportunities. The Mackenzie Financial Great Canadian Tax Test, released today, found that only 1% of survey respondents were able to […]
(October 24, 2005) The policy and advocacy arm of the CFA Institute is calling on public companies, investors and those involved in setting standards in capital markets to embrace a set of 12 recommendations to ensure financial statements are relevant, clear, accurate and complete. The CFA Centre for Financial Market Integrity today issued a research […]
The House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance is currently holding public hearings and pre-budget consultations. IFIC is among the list of contributors who responded to the Committee’s call for submissions in July. Past recommendations by industry members led to the government eliminating foreign content restrictions on registered savings plans earlier this year. After thanking […]
The difference between an average performer and a high performer in the financial services industry is dramatic. A review of how top advisors spend their time, and the amount of revenue they generate in turn, leads to a very solid conclusion: If you want to outperform, you need to get out of administration, and get […]
(October 17, 2005) Canadians were buying mutual funds and moving out of money market investments in September. Canadian bond funds reported the highest change in net sales during the month, while Canadian equity funds, despite relatively strong market activity during the year, suffered with the highest number of redemptions. Overall, IFIC says net sales for […]
(October 11, 2005) Many critical details related to an advisor’s practice — providing adequate planning and service, creating a credible liability defence in case it is ever needed, and ultimately transitioning the business when the time comes to retire — all depend on good habits and high quality record keeping. Advice for advisors about setting […]
(September 2005) Ever wonder what your underwriter might be thinking? Although many companies are working to adopt, cultivate and encourage a more cooperative approach between advisors and underwriters in an effort to put business on the books, the two groups have very different objectives to consider when processing a client’s application. Compared to the old […]
(October 7, 2005) Jamie Golombek says advisors should be aware of a number of court cases that will affect future tax planning. The tax expert was speaking on Thursday at AIM Trimark’s annual road show in Toronto. Two cases, Eugene Kaulius, et al. V. Her Majesty the Queen, and Her Majesty the Queen v. Canada […]
(October 5, 2005) Productivity is an issue likely to be on government agendas in the coming year. The Canadian economy has been one of the best industrial world performers in recent memory, but the country’s “remarkably bad” showing in the productivity arena will threaten the standard of living here if it is allowed to continue. […]
(October 4, 2005) A huge chunk of the Canadian workforce — nearly one million people — would like to start their own business. A recent RBC survey also shows that many aspiring entrepreneurs have expectations that are not necessarily in line with the reality of self-employment. It could be useful to arm yourself with the […]