by Rona Birenbaum BAS CFP®, CHFS | Aug 25, 2017 | All About Investing, Risk Management
The Ombudsman for Banking Services and Investments (OBSI) is responsible for managing conflicts and complaints between Canadian banks and their customers and banks. Following a recent rash of customer complaints, the OBSI has commenced a formal review of banking sales...
by Rona Birenbaum BAS CFP®, CHFS | Aug 15, 2017 | All About Investing, Retirement, Risk Management
Is your magic number one million dollars, two million dollars, or five hundred thousand dollars? It really depends on six primary factors. These six factors, depending on how they relate to you, will either mean you have to save more or less to be comfortable in...
by Rona Birenbaum BAS CFP®, CHFS | Aug 8, 2017 | All About Investing, Retirement, Risk Management
Clients will occasionally ask: Why isn’t my investment doing well? Then I ask which one they’re concerned about, and what they’re basing that determination on. They say: Well, that’s what the statement says. That’s what I’m looking at! But statements can be...
by Rona Birenbaum BAS CFP®, CHFS | Jul 25, 2017 | All About Investing, Cash Flow Concerns, For Business Owners
The investigation began in 2014. It concluded, with remarkable speed and efficiency, in 2016. As a result, major Canadian banks and investment institutions repaid hundreds of millions to customers across the country. Based on years of overcharging. The OSC (Ontario...
by Rona Birenbaum BAS CFP®, CHFS | May 4, 2017 | All About Investing, Risk Management
Typically, severance packages do not include a continuation of disability insurance. This, despite the courts having made clear* that an employer is obligated to continue all benefits during the common law notice period, in the absence of a contract stating otherwise!...
by Rona Birenbaum BAS CFP®, CHFS | Apr 5, 2017 | All About Investing, All About Tax, Risk Management
Interest rates are still low. As a result, we are increasingly asked if it makes more sense to invest extra cash rather than pay down debt. The same question comes up when we recommend using non-registered investments to pay down debt. You might be thinking: “If my...