Articles

Plain-English guides to Canadian mortgages, credit, investing and financial planning.

  1. InvestmentsYour TFSA Isn't Fully Tax-Free: The US Is Quietly Taking 15% of Your DividendsUS dividends paid into a TFSA lose 15% before they reach you, and you cannot claim it back. What it costs, why an RRSP is treated differently, and when it is worth rearranging.
  2. InvestmentsDay Trading in Your TFSA? The CRA Could Tax Every Dollar You MadeA Vancouver adviser grew a TFSA to $617,371 and the CRA taxed most of it as business income. What the Income Tax Act actually says, how the CRA decides, and what to do if you trade often.
  3. Credit CardsPay $1 Less Than Your Full Balance and You Could Lose Your Interest-Free DaysYour credit card gives you at least 21 interest-free days, on one condition: pay the full statement balance. Pay a dollar less and many banks charge interest back to the day of each purchase. How the grace period works, and six habits that keep it.
  4. InvestmentsTwo Accounts, One Winning StrategyThe complete RRSP vs. TFSA decision playbook: how to choose the right account for every goal, paycheque and life stage, with a 65-scenario decision library and five worksheets.
  5. Credit Cards5 Credit Card Rights Most Canadians Don't Know They HaveCanadian law caps your liability for card fraud at $50, stops your bank raising your limit without asking, and gives you an independent referee when a complaint goes unresolved. Five rights, what each means in practice, and where it comes from.
  6. Financial PlanningThat RRSP Withdrawal Could Cost You Twice: Why the Tax Your Bank Takes Isn't the Final BillYour bank withholds 10% to 30% on an RRSP withdrawal, but that is a down payment, not the bill. Why working Canadians usually owe more in April, and what it costs beyond the tax.
  7. Financial PlanningBuilding an emergency fund that actually worksThe number matters less than where it is kept. A fund you cannot reach in two days during the exact week you need it is not an emergency fund.
  8. InvestmentsTFSA or RRSP first? The question is your tax rateThe comparison is not about which account grows faster. Mathematically they are identical at the same tax rate — so the answer depends entirely on how your rate changes.
  9. Credit CardsHow your Canadian credit score is actually calculatedTwo bureaus, several scores, and a handful of factors that actually move the number. Most credit advice targets the ones that barely matter.
  10. MortgagesThe FHSA: how the first home savings account worksThe FHSA is the only registered account that is deductible going in and tax-free coming out. That combination is why it usually beats the alternatives for a first home.
  11. MortgagesThe Canadian mortgage stress test, explainedYou do not qualify at the rate you will pay. You qualify at a higher one — and understanding which one tells you what you can actually borrow.
  12. Financial PlanningFinancial Compatibility CalculatorWork out which account structure fits a couple (joint, separate or a mix) and what each arrangement gives up.