Why Canadian retirees are better off than Americans

Another interesting article about estate planning and retirement planning from the Globe and Mail, centred on our medical system. Click here to read the article.

Most think retirement planning should start before 35 but 40% haven't planned at all

Interesting story from the Financial Post. Click here to read the article.

When the folks give you the business

This story in the Wall Street Journal talks about parents who buy their children a business because they see it as a better bet for the kids' future than a graduate degree. Click here to read the article.

(Attached photo by Dero Sanford for the Wall Street Journal is from that article as well).

How an estate freeze can help you minimize tax

Here is a good article from the Financial Post about small business owners and estate freeze. This is a really popular form of tax planning that many business owners find to be exactly what they need. Click here to read the article.

(Attached photo by Caroline Blumberg is also from that article).

Selling a company is like a tennis tournament

Click here to read this Globe and Mail article about selling a business.

Advice for opening an RESP

Some good advice from the Globe and Mail about RESPs. Click here to have a look. To add to the advice offered here, I suggest that you also ask what happens to your RESP if you should pass away before your child has used the funds.

(attached photo also taken from that article)

Looking a gift horse in the mouth

This is a really good article in the Wall Street Journal about dealing with collectibles, art and other household objects. Click here to read the story.

(Attached photo by Jemal Countess/Getty Images is also taken from that story)

Will I have to manage my parents' finances?

Ted Rechtshaffen discusses steps you can take now to ease the transition into looking after your aging parent's finances, particularly when the one who handled the finances has passed away. Click here to read this article in today's Globe and Mail.

A family business succession plan success story

This is an upbeat (not all estate planning articles are gloomy!) article about a family business successfully passed on to the next generation, with some thoughts about how to achieve that goal. Click here to read this story in the National Post.

Careful estate planning can stave off legal battles

Great article from the Globe and Mail, mostly discussing high net worth individuals. It's definitely worth a read. Click here to read the article.

Health bill opens doors to Canadians seeking U.S. retirement

The US government has made legislative changes that will allow Canadians to more easily get health care coverage in the US, according to this article in today's Globe and Mail. Definitely food for thought, but my own addition to this article would be to make sure you get expert tax advice to know how these provisions will affect you.

Seniors should focus on estate planning

There was an excellent article recently in the Toronto Sun about preventing elder financial abuse that both seniors and their children absolutely must read. It's horrifying to find out how frequently and how deeply children are hurting their own parents financially, but maybe by being aware of financial abuse, seniors can prevent it. To read the article, click here.

Long-term care insurance. Who needs it?

This is a really good article from the Globe and Mail that talks about the need (or not) for long-term care insurance, and gives some guidance on whether you need it or not. Also includes a link to an insurance checklist. To read the article, click here.

Why you shouldn't retire early

There is a recent article in the Globe and Mail (not brand new but worth revisiting) about why we shouldn't retire early. Click here to read the article.

Enlisting doctors to screen for financial fraud

Sadly, elder financial abuse is nothing short of an epidemic these days. According to today's Wall Street Journal, it's gotten to the point in the USA that they have been setting up pilot projects since 2008 to bring in doctors with some experience with dementia patients. The results are frightening really. Read the article here.

It's an incredibly delicate balance for lawyers who work with elderly people to ensure that a person's wishes are carried out, but to spot situations in which someone else is forcing something on the elderly person that's not really their wishes.

Retirement: don't let the numbers fool you

More good planning info from the Globe & Mail. This article talks about "the mistakes we make when trying to figure out how much we need for retirement". Click here to read the story.

Ignore Generic Financial Advice (Except This Post)

The link below will take you to a recent article from Carl Richards of the New York Times. In it he talks about making sure that when you read general financial information in blogs or newspapers, you have to figure out whether it applies to your own situation before acting on it. I totally agree with Mr. Richards, except that of course I'm concerned with general legal information. Check it out here.

Funeral fraud case in court

You know, I've heard of people targeting seniors with scams, but this guy really takes the cake. I'm glad he's been busted. Click here to read the story.

How to give Fido the mansion after you die

Some really great stuff in the Globe & Mail about pets and Wills! They really do a wonderful job of covering estate planning topics. Click here to read this story.

(The photo is also from the Globe & Mail story).

When it's time for in-home care

There's a very good article in today's Wall Street Journal about choosing options for care for an aging parent. To read the article, click here.