by Rona Birenbaum BAS CFP®, CHFS | Mar 6, 2011 | Risk Management
This is often the response when I tell clients what it would cost to replace their company group health insurance if they become self-employed or find new employment with a company that does not offer as generous a group health insurance program. The vast majority of...
by Rona Birenbaum BAS CFP®, CHFS | Feb 6, 2011 | All About Investing
Mortgages are more often sold than bought. Evidence of this truth is best illustrated by the number of Canadians choosing to buy into the TD Collateral Mortgage structure. Now, TD isn’t the only bank offering Collateral Mortgages, they just seem to be the most...
by Rona Birenbaum BAS CFP®, CHFS | Jan 23, 2011 | Risk Management
A few Money Insights readers that read the most recent blog regarding searching for unclaimed bank balances asked if there was a similar search service for missing life insurance policies. There is. It is free, and is offered by the OmbudServices for Life and Health...
by Rona Birenbaum BAS CFP®, CHFS | Jan 9, 2011 | Cash Flow Concerns
At the end of 2009, there were over one million unclaimed bank account balances worth $395 million dollars in Canada. An “unclaimed balance” is a Canadian-dollar deposit or negotiable instrument, issued or held by a federally regulated bank or trust...
by YWD Inc. | Dec 11, 2010 | All About Investing, All About Tax, Retirement
If you have been a member of a pension plan for a number of years, the benefits you have accumulated in the plan could be an important (possibly your primary) source of income in retirement. When you leave your employment, voluntarily or not, you may have to decide...
by Rona Birenbaum BAS CFP®, CHFS | Nov 4, 2010 | Risk Management
Did you know that most insurance companies use the Internet as an underwriting tool? A recent article written by Manulife Financial advises that for insurance companies, the internet is a valuable research tool. Depending on the face amount and purpose of the policy,...
by Rona Birenbaum BAS CFP®, CHFS | Sep 19, 2010 | All About Tax, Cash Flow Concerns, Risk Management
Caring for an ill parent brings many challenges; emotional, logistical, physical and financial. On the financial front, in spite of our government funded health care system, caring for an ill parent does result in costs that are not covered by provincial health care...
by Rona Birenbaum BAS CFP®, CHFS | Aug 17, 2010 | Cash Flow Concerns, Retirement
Fighting about money is one of the most common reasons for divorce in North America. Many couples face an overwhelming task when creating and managing the household income. These couples find themselves frustrated when it comes to combining their financial styles,...
by Rona Birenbaum BAS CFP®, CHFS | Aug 8, 2010 | All About Investing, Musings, Risk Management
I took my daughter to Great Wolf Lodge recently, which is a family resort built around an indoor water park. The park highlights are the water slides. They range from the kiddie slides to the high intensity Vortex. Now, if you really must know, if I could get away...
by Rona Birenbaum BAS CFP®, CHFS | Jul 19, 2010 | Risk Management
It is a well known fact in the insurance industry that bank mortgage life insurance is underwritten at the time of claim. It is not as well known by the borrowing public. In fact, the majority of mortgage customers are not familiar with the difference between...
