Kay Crawford | Crawford • Ashwood Financial

2018 was one of very few time periods in investing when investors experienced a one/two hit. You likely received a year-end investment statement reflecting that you experienced some negative returns in your investments over the past year. If you have a non-registered investment account, you may also get a tax slip with a large capital gain showing, which means you may owe more taxes. So why, if your investments lost money over the year, are you having to claim and pay tax on capital gains? First, let me explain how capital gains and losses within a mutual fund work. The…

We are moving into a period of uncertainty with mounting tensions over trade wars, and continued surprises via Tweets from the U.S. President. I thought this a good time to share what the effects may be on your investments. 2017 was the year of calm, with little volatility in the markets; surprising – given the almost constant flow of tweets and government chaos south of the border. In fact, business enjoyed lower taxes and improved earnings in the U.S. throughout the year. This was reflected in their stock market. Lesson: the noise and silliness from Trump has largely been ignored…

As loving parents, we teach our children the important life skills that we hope will give them a happy & productive life. Money Management is a skill that needs to be learned and it is our job to give them a good foundation on which to build their futures. I have observed two very interesting realities interacting with several generations of families while coaching them about money management. One is that there does seem to be a personality type (or as we laughingly call it a money gene) that will give children a tendency to be good with money, or…

Anyone who is an employee, and many people who are self-employed are part of the Canada Pension Plan (CPP). But how much do you really know about this foundation of your retirement plan? Both you and your employer contribute to this pension. The contributions will depend on what you earn, up to a maximum that can be contributed each calendar year. If you are a lower income earner, you will not be contributing the maximum, thereby saving less. The result will be that your income from the CPP when you retire will also be less. You can check what your…

Sometimes it is time to go back to basics. I have been working with families for over twenty five years now and deal with some complicated planning issues. Reflecting on what the key components are to clients’ success in achieving their financial goals, I find that some very basic principles apply. I’d like to share those with the readers of our blog. Lifestyle Choices You might think that my largest and most successful clients have fancy jobs and high incomes. Some do, that is certain. But whether they are high or mid income earners, one of the key components in…

No matter the circumstances, losing a spouse through divorce can be an emotionally devastating experience. It is also a time when many financial matters require your immediate attention. To help avoid making emotionally driven – and potentially harmful – financial decisions, it’s important to get advice and organize yourself. Here are six important action steps that can help protect your personal finances. 1. Update your financial accounts When you are starting your new life as a single, you will need to change the registrations on any financial accounts that are owned jointly. Such ownership changes typically require certain documentation. It’s…

Marriage is arguably one of the biggest and happiest events in many people’s lives. Those rose coloured glasses are in full effect when we are in love and joining our lives with another. There are a few simple things you can do financially to keep the bloom on that rose. Number one is communication. It is extremely important, from the get go, to be brutally honest about your past and current financial life, and what you ultimately want your financial lives to look like together. If you are coming into a marriage with debt, then you need to disclose that,…

Happy New Year to everyone, let’s hope it’s a good one. I start off this post with an excerpt from an article written by Jason Gibbs BAcc., CPA, CA, CFA, Vice President & Portfolio Manager, 1832 Asset Management L.P. “This is the time of the year when investors feel the need to make short-term forecasts. Save your energy because most of these predictions will turn out to be wrong. The key lesson from 2016 is to never try to time the markets and stop listening to those who profess they can. As Peter Lynch has said: ‘Far more money has…

Continuing our Life Events series, today we delve into some planning thoughts when you leave a job. Although we would all like to think that we can choose when to change our job or when we retire, the reality is that sometimes the choice is made by our employers. When you lose your job, there are many important decisions that have to be made in a short time. Severance/Retiring Allowance There are minimum severances and retiring allowances that employers must pay, set by the provincial government. These are based on your years of service. However, there are conditions where additional…

I should probably have called this article The Trump/Clinton Non-Effect. There is plenty of discussion about what the repercussions would be on business and the markets if either of these candidates become President. I have been talking to various money managers and market analysts to get their take on what to expect. I thought you might be interested in some of their insights. First of all, I have to disclose that I prefer to place my own and my client’s money with portfolio managers who tend to have concentrated portfolios of companies that they know extremely well. Whether we own…

Author Archives: Kay Crawford

Capital Gains on Investments

Trade Wars and the Tweet Effect

Teaching Our Children Money Skills

Canada Pension Plan Primer

Creating Wealth

Divorce

Money & Marriage

The Value of Advice

Leaving a Job

The Trump/Clinton Effect