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Author Archives: Brad Brain
Don’t Believe Everything You See on the Internet
Smart Money By Brad Brain, CFP, R.F.P., CLU, CH.F.C., FCSI Don’t believe everything you see on the internet I have had a few people ask me what I thought about Warren Buffett profiteering from the obstruction of the Keystone XL pipeline. This stems from an internet hoax that went viral which claims that the Buffett…
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Doing the Things That You Want to Do
I am writing this column 400 kilometres into a 3300 kilometre road trip by motorcycle. I’m on my way to Banff to meet an old rugby buddy, and then we are off to Regina to see the Saskatchewan Roughriders play the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in the Labour Day Classic. Perhaps it’s because you have plenty…
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Real Advice Doesn’t Come From a Magazine
I was looking through an old magazine from 2010 the other day and I came across an article that prescribed seven specific stocks to buy. What a load of malarkey. I’m not saying these stock picks were bad investments. I actually have no idea what their past performance has been. What I’m saying is that…
Posted in All Columns, Investment Management
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A Lousy Use of a Great Opportunity
With the Tax Free Savings Account you will pay less tax. I’m a big fan. Who doesn’t want to pay less tax? I just think that a lot of people aren’t using TFSAs as effectively as they could. Here’s how it works: With a TFSA you invest your money as appropriate to your objectives. There…
Posted in All Columns, Income Tax Planning
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It’s not a question of “if”
One of the realities of my profession is that I ask people what they would like to happen when they die. That’s a question that some people don’t give a lot of thought to. Not me. I think about my own death all the time. I’m not morose about it. I just think it’s…
Posted in All Columns, Estate Planning
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Hey Parents, Wake Up!
One thing that I just do not understand is why more people don’t have Registered Education Savings Plans established for their kids and grandkids. Think about it for a moment. Nowadays how many careers are there that a person can walk into right out of high school? Not jobs, mind you. Most times a person…
Posted in All Columns, Education Funding
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The Probate Fee Boogeyman
Recently a good friend confided to me that her Dad had just added her as a signing authority on his bank account. The reason that he did this was because someone at the bank had told Dad that he would be subject to a bunch of taxes if he were to pass away. This…
Posted in All Columns, Estate Planning
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The Stock Market is like Riding a Motorcycle.
Two of my favourite things are investments and motorcycles. The other day I realized that the stock market and riding a motorcycle have something in common. In order to turn a corner at speed on a motorcycle you need to counter-steer. Counter-steering is a pretty weird idea when a person is learning how to ride…
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The Great Goals in Life
Financial Planning is a process that can have a magnificent, meaningful impact on your quality of life. Some people equate financial planning with getting an adequate rate of return on your RRSP. That’s fine as far as it goes, but it’s and inadequate definition of financial planning. Financial Planning is a six step process that…
Posted in All Columns, Money Management, Retirement Planning
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Underestimating the Severity of Your Own Situation
I think that is human nature to underestimate the severity of your own situation. In my own life I started putting on some weight in my thirties. It was no big deal, I thought. And I did nothing about it. I still ate everything that I wanted, and I wanted a lot. But my metabolism…
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