Coaching family prosperity --

  Professionally, diligently, tirelessly. . . .

Official brochure This the official government brochure resulting from the 2008 budget. Well worth the ink to print it off TFSA Questions & Answers From Canada Revenue Agency, an excellent job of answering any lingering concerns one may have. The official calculator From the Department of Finance, an effort to illustrate what might be saved in taxes over time. But note the assumptions. The calculator defaults to investment parameters, rather than high-interest savings; it assumes interest makes up 40% of the investment return, rather than 100%. And it is interest, more than any other investment return, we do want shielded from tax. BACK TO CATEGORIES

Canada Revenue Agency Revenue Canada in a new costume. . . . a year or so after having hidden out as the Canada Customs and Revenue Agency. Your tax dollars at work! repainting signage and reprinting stationary. Still, the CRA's site is well designed and easy to stroll. A menu in the centre of the home page cuts right to the chase. Quick links include full versions of the current tax package, and all necessary forms can be downloaded directly from the site. Income Tax Rates A crisp table of all brackets applying to British Columbians, courtesy of Nanaimo accountants Church Pickard & Co. 2007 Summary of Federal Tax Savings A one pager, printable, courtesy of Advisor.ca. Internal Revenue Service The United States version, for all the dual citizens among us. Government of British Columbia Canadian Taxpayers Federation A federally incorporated, non-profit, non-partisan, organization which considers itself the watchdog on government spending and taxation. Founded in Saskatchewan in 1991. Not much inclined toward social democracy, occasionally strident, messianic and demogogic, interesting, but far from as informative as the next entry. BACK TO CATEGORIES

Morningstar.ca Mutual fund news, reviews, and a rating service listing every one of the more than 5,000 mutual funds available in Canada. Though a "create portfolio" option is available, it gets tricky. Look to "My Watchlist", where you can quickly build a list of funds whose performance can then be readily monitored over time. Globefund More news, reviews, advertising and all-around clutter compared to the previous site. Plus an effort to sell their GlobeInvestorGOLD service. But a portfolio is much simpler to create, can include stocks and other assets. And more than one portfolio can be maintained. The Fund Library From the site's FAQs: Do I have to pay for these services? The Fund Library is free to users. The site is made possible by the support of its member companies and advertising revenue. So, once again, more clutter, more ads. The rating service is rather foolish, crunching everyone else's ratings into one number. Does provide ability to build and maintain a number of portfolios and lists. BACK TO CATEGORIES

RRSP STUFF A regular feature of this website, updated for every RRSP "season". (What a sad concept, driven by greedy bankers.) RetireWeb Was once a useful Canadian site with several useful tools -- but lately hijacked by Jim Yih to promote himself. Ignore for now. Government Pension Plans Everything you ever wanted to know about the Canada Pension Plan, Old Age Security and the Guaranteed Income Supplement. Well-designed, user friendly site; your tax dollars at work. Financing Government Pensions The nuts and bolts for the engineers among us eager to investigate how their our pension funds are managed. BACK TO CATEGORIES

Canadian Executive Services Organization Opportunities for retirees to volunteer in developing countries, Eastern Europe, and in Canadian aboriginal and non-aboriginal communities. All expenses paid. Volunteerism in Canada A massive site, overwhelming amounts of data (sometimes difficult to navigate), with a database of volunteer opportunities. Government of Canada. Canada Business Services Centres Retirement is often recareerment, and for some the opportunity to shed the shackles of employment to invoke the dream of their very own business. This Industry Canada site may well help get them started. Includes an entertaining little on-line interactive business planner. workinfonet.ca More recareerment possibilities. Canada's Web portal to job opportunities, career, occupational, learning and labour market information. Sponsored by Human Resources Development Canada. Canadian Association of Retired Persons CARP is right, and whine and bitch and moan, and promote products from which they get kick-backs. Despite this, do provide a wide expanse of information of interest to retirees. 2young2retire A self-promoting commercial yewall site, but direct, light-hearted and punchy. Quit whining, take control. BACK TO CATEGORIES

Frauds, scams, and scantly clad mutual funds sales ladies excusing themselves as merely bank employees. . . .

In an effort to provide Canadian web surfers an objective source of financial information, the Ontario Securities Commission maintains this site. Thoroughly covers the issues. Provides a kid zone and resources for teachers, something for everyone.

REPORTING ECONOMIC CRIME ONLINE From identity theft to the famed Nigerian business letter, an initiative partnering international, federal, and provincial law enforcement. Provides information and means to report financial crime, as well as a fraud alert section that highlights the most commonly reported scams. PROTECTING YOUR FINANCES: How to avoid investment frauds and scams Oriented toward the vulnerability of seniors, a worthy overview of the more common scans, this 8 page brochure from the Canadian Securities Administrators can be readily printed on-line, forwarded to your loved ones. B.C. SECURITIES COMMISSION Not as interactive or as flashy as other similar sites, but a source for determining if that scantily clad saleslady is registered to push product within the province. And what's your investment profile? Does Nortel fit it? Did Bre-X? Or are you better off letting your money sit in a bank. . . . where it will earn consistently less than inflation? Take the tests. The Industrial Alliance Pacific Life on line version is an impressive little tool. It considers John "daring", but just barely. (Anne refuses to comment.) They suggest 5% Nortel . . . if that's what they mean by "superior growth." The investorED.ca tools page offers a number of risk and investor profile self tests, none quite as slick. But certainly helpful. This Investment Planning Worksheet can be readily downloaded, printed off. From Canadian Securities Administrators, a tool for organizing one's thoughts, concerns, and assets into a coherent investment strategy. ING Funds, BMO, Investments Canada, Royal Mutual Funds, Mackenzie Financial, all asked for confidential information, and promised to make contact with an exclusive asset allocation program designed to John's specific investor profile. John refused to play. TD Mutual Funds' offering is sluggish, foolish -- unable to separate profile from portfolio. Like many, it rates "risk" in terms of what it has for sale today. Money Sense, and others, have confused "investment profile" with "How much do I need to retire?" (There are more of those calculators on the internet than there are starlings in Victoria, banana slugs on Quadra. INVESTOPEDIA: deciphering jargon Though a US site, and heavy on the advertising, Investopedia provides particular value in deciphering jargon. Look to the "Dictionary" tab on the top header. (Know the old 3-6-3 rule? This describes how bankers would give 3% interest on depositors' accounts, lend the depositors money at 6% interest and then be playing golf at 3pm.) BACK TO CATEGORIES

Stockhouse Canada Headquartered in Vancouver, loaded with financial data and news releases. The main page provides an overview of market indices and most active stocks, along with those quickly rising or falling, breaking news and a company search function. Also provides quick links to US and Australia Stockhouse versions. The Investing Site Two Edmontonians put together this well organized collection of links of interest to investors of every level. Saves one the trouble of bookmarking sites. . . and for John to add any more to this list. BACK TO CATEGORIES

Canadian Association of Pre-Retirement Planners CAPP is the primary source in Canada for networking and subsequent sharing of information among professionals in various fields of retirement planning. Members are professionals who work in personnel, training, pensions, as independent consultants, adult education and finance. Financial Planners Standards Council of Canada Incorporated on November 10, 1995, as a not-for-profit organization to benefit the public and the financial planning profession by establishing and enforcing uniform professional standards for financial planners who choose to earn the internationally recognized CFP™ designation. Planned Lifetime Advocacy Network A Vancouver-based society of families with disabilities dedicated to assuring a meaningful existence to all. Considerable planning organized around the fact that children with disabilities will now often outlive their parents. Family Caregivers Network Society A family caregiver is anyone who provides care and support for adult family members or friends who may be chronically ill, or frail and elderly, or have a disability. Based in Victoria, the FCN promotes the significance of the family caregiver's role and contribution in the health care system, and advocates on the issues of concern. Canadian Association of Gift Planners The Association creates awareness, provides education and is an advocate of charitable giving. BACK TO CATEGORIES

The Public Guardian and Trustee of British Columbia Operates under provincial law to protect the legal rights and financial interests of children, to provide assistance to adults who need support for financial and personal decision making, and to administer the estates of deceased and missing persons where there is no one else able to do so. Takes charge when one is so foolish to ignore a will. Be scared. The People's Law School The People’s Law School is a non-profit society whose purpose is to provide British Columbians with reliable information about your rights and responsibilities under the law. Among their direct and downloadable publications are Choosing an Executor, being an executor and a Power of Attorney booklet. The Representation Agreement Resource Centre A non-government charitable society, volunteer driven, supported by the organizations and individuals who have been involved for up to 10 years in bringing about reform of adult guardianship legislation. Site provides valuable and easily understood information on Representation Agreements, and how to build them. BACK TO CATEGORIES

Educating Youth Information and resources to help youth aged 6-29 from The Financial Planning Standards Council, the folks responsible for the CFP designation. The costs of raising a child. . . or two. The Manitoba Department of Agriculture and Food had been providing an annually updated study, long considered the Canadian standard. Absolutely horrifying. But, sadly, no longer available on line. What's been saved here is a copy of their last available table, from 2004, along with 1998 commentary from the Vanier Institute for the Family. Build a Brighter Future for Your Child From Human Resources Canada, background on Registered Education Savings Plans. (Check out the "frequently asked questions" link for further data.) BACK TO CATEGORIES

CanLearn, eh? This government of Canada site features information on ways to save, plan, and pay for a post-secondary education. Includes scholarship search, an education savings calculator, student loan estimator, and more. Apply for an Award The Association of Universities and Colleges Canada provides a lists of scholarships, eligibility, and online applications. It also lists company scholarships available to children of employees. Canadian Millennium Schoarship Foundation Millennium bursaries of $1,000 to $4,500 are awarded each year to post-secondary students who face the greatest financial challenges. Students are automatically considered for the program when they apply for post-secondary financial assistance in their home province or territory. Millennium bursaries do not have to be repaid. canadian-universities.net Includes profiles of universities, colleges and career colleges/trade schools in Canada along with their various certificate, diploma, undergraduate and graduate programs of study. An advantage of this site is the uniformity of navigation and presentation -- rather than needing to learn the unique (and occasionally bizarre) website organization of each individual school. A disadvantage, easily ignored, is its ad clutter. studentawards.com A free scholarship search service that finds information on scholarships, bursaries, grants and other forms of financial assistance. Tries to match the individual to what might be out there. BACK TO CATEGORIES

Canadian Health Network This network of health information providers includes Health Canada and national and provincial/territorial non-profit organizations, as well as universities, hospitals, libraries and community organizations. CHN's mission is to support Canadians in making informed choices about their health, by providing access to multiple sources of credible and practical e-health information. Health Canada More the current news: the latest on West Nile, Mad Cow, SARS, and the newest hazardous toy. Canada's Physical Activity Website Health Canada, with help from the Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology. All sorts of stuff on building physical activity into daily life. Dieticians of Canada Tools, quizzes, and that ever popular quiz show, "Let's Make a Meal!" BACK TO CATEGORIES

Canadian Economy Online From deep within the bowels of Statistics Canada comes a continually updated snapshot of the economy. Along with answers to those perennially nagging questions: How is the prime rate set? and what's the difference between GDP and GNP? At the bottom of the homepage is an interactive historical graph. Click on an historical period and be introduced to economic crises and crashes, and the thrills of taxation history. CanuckLinks "Net content for Canadians, without clutter," it says. Expansive, but comfortably designed. Hundreds of links to business and finance, news, health, law, travel, real estate, games and hobbies. Need an ATM locator? BACK TO CATEGORIES

The above links to information and resources we've stumbled across, spent tedious hours tracking down, or have cavilerly copied from other sites without proper reference. As with information obtained from any source, it must be used with caution, for there is no control over the posting of incorrect or inaccurate material on the Internet. Not all sites will be clear as to the source of information, so be wary and do not accept information as "fact" just because it appears on your computer screen. John does not endorse these sites nor warrant in any way that the information you may find is precise, accurate, nor in any way appropriate to any specific set of circumstances. In particular, financial calculation and/or projection worksheets may appear now or in the future on some sites and may vary greatly in their input and output, and must be used with caution. Given the usual distortion of trust and truth expected from the United States, efforts have been made to exclude US based calculators and sites from these collection of links. BACK TO CATEGORIES