For many years, I've been having conversations with clients about planning for the rest of their life, no matter what age. This isn't to sell products, although I do sell an e-Book/fillable forms to facilitate the process

See my shopping cart for the book/e-book, fillable forms, etc. titled How to walk in someone else's shoes...without wallowing in their shoe box

I facilitate conversation about planning and tax consequences. Sometimes we find one of the spouses/partners has very different expectations about retirement... that's always fun! 

If such a session interests you contact me at 604-943-7414

We can meet in person or online through GoToMeeting 

Click here for PDF of PowerPoint presentation to Vancouver CGA Computer User Group at Hycroft House April 14, 2025

Canadians had a chance to have their say to a Task Force on financial literacy during 2010 ...

Click here:  Financial Literacy in Canada

Below are links to websites offering information, education and tools to aid in financial literacy. 

 Notice that each of these groups have a vested interest in their own profitability and it may be at the expense of yours... 

Government Financial Consumer Agency of Canada The Money Belt Financial Literacy - Federal Budget 2009 Canadian Consumer Handbook Get a GRIP on your Cellphone costs Spending Smarter Online Tools & Calculators - Trusted Resources Financial Institutions Commission (BC) PayDay Lenders new regulations March 2009 (BC) Business Credit Availability Program Non Profit Organizations SEDI Social and Enterprise Development Innovations Canadian Center for Financial Literacy (SEDI) Financial Literacy&Persons with Disabilities(SEDI) Business Practices&Consumer Protection (BC) MCC More-with-Less Cookbook Other Countries AICPA Advising Clients AICPA Credit Crisis AICPA Financial Literacy Tool Elder Abuse Australian Teacher Resources Credit Unions BC Central Credit Union Credit Union Deposit Insurance Coast Capital Envision Credit Union VanCity Ontario Credit Unions Banks Canadian Deposit Insurance Corporation Bank of Canada Bank of Montreal CIBC ING PayPal Royal Bank TD Canada Trust Insurance Companies Retirement Planning ToolKit - Standard Life Sun Life Canada Brokers TD Waterhouse Canadian Investor Protection Fund CIPF does NOT protect you from poor investment choices.  It only protects you if your broker becomes insolvent and is there to return your assets to you, such as they are. Industry Associations that represent their members Joint Forum - Financial Market Regulators Joint Forum is a mechanism through which pension, securities and insurance regulators coordinate, harmonize and streamline the regulation of financial products and services in Canada. Canadian Conference on Financial Literacy CCIR Cdn Council of Insurance Regulators CCIR - List of Members Insurance Bureau of Canada CAPSA (Pension Supervisory Authorities) CAPSA Plan for 2008-2011 Canadian Securities Administrators BC Securities Commission Ontario Securities Commission Mutual Fund Dealers Association Canadian Bar Association - Debt Collection Info NEW - Canadian Secured Credit Facility More industry & financial institution regulators Treasury Management Associaiton of Canada FraserInstitute PersonalTax Freedom Day Calculator Entrepreneurial Sites Practical Money Skills - Visa website Rich Dad Education / Free Training Suze Orman Money Really Matters - Coach Sheila Walkington Feed The Pig Ontario GST/HST: Financial plan for 13% sales tax One teacher makes a difference Complaints & OmbudServices Complaint Courier Financial Services OmbudsNetwork Ombudsman for Banking Services & Investments General Insurance OmbudService Canadian Life & Health Insurance OmbudService Books - check your local library or used bookstore Wikipedia - Napoleon Hill Success Magazine story of Napoleon Hill Buy the original 1937 version $4.59 US The Wealthy Barber - David Chilton (a Canadian) The Science of Getting Rich The Energy of Money by Maria Nemeth Ph.D. Rich Dad - Myth or ? Be careful what you believe About.com Financial Planning Book List - top 10 Get Rich Slowly-Personal Finance Library - 25 Best List of Best Selling Books Modern Cash Management by S. Sarpkaya (CCH) Canadian Treasury Management by Jeffrey D. Sherman GT News - Free News Service Financial Software Quicken personal finance software QuickBooks accounting software Mint.com Employee Stock Options & Share Purchase Plans Employee Stock Options: Proposed Budget 2010 Capital Gains: Shares, funds & other units Employee security options Financial Benefits IT 113 Stock Option Benefits IT 460 - Dispositions - Absence of Consideration S. 248(1) definition of 'disposition' See (b)  http://laws.justice.gc.ca/en/I-3.3/section-248.html It's not looking good for deferral of stock option benefits if the company no longer exists.   A bit of history on how we got to 2010... KPMG explanation from 2001 CFET: Canadians for Fair and Equitable Taxation The Issues and What can be Done? April 2008 Protest unfair tax treatment and favoritism... Backgrounder - 17 pages CAITI Blogspot - Flaherty's position

My ten tips for financial health

1. Evaluate your spending habits for a month, list all of your regular commitments or contracts that are annual or monthly, your debt service payments, interest rates on debts and essentials like groceries and gas or medical. How much is left over and who is entitled to spend the remainder? Is it split 50/50 or 80/20 between you and your spouse or partner? Is that fair?       
2. Know what you have, how many accounts, what assets you own, what debts you owe, what you insure and what's valuable, and where it's stored, check your will, power of attorney and representation agreements are current, review beneficiaries on insurance, RSP or RIF contracts  ....This is where my book comes in handy  
3. Evaluate financial contracts to determine if they are necessary and cancel any that are not (cell phone, internet, phone, cable, debt, mortgage, credit, bank & investment accounts, organic grocery delivery, lawn, building, sprinkler, spa or pool maintenance, gym memberships, insurance plans)
4. Develop a plan to manage your paperwork, and this is most people's biggest stress
5.  is where my book comes in handy      Create a budget and a plan to live within that budget. Sort your cash out into five major categories with sub-categories. The five major categories are annual, monthly, essential, debt service and remainder.         
6. Refinance debt at a lower rate of interest, investigate lines of credit with credit cards attached instead of credit cards
7. Make a long term plan (cash flow till you die requires date of death prediction)
8. Prepare some 'what-if' I scenarios, like what if we sold the house and rented, experienced a decline in health , what if we cashed in the GIC's and paid off the credit cards?
9. Evaluate what you are invested in, and if it's not growing, get out,consider debt repayment versus savings in tax deferred accounts and definitely consider TFSA's
10.  Shift your attitude about consumption of everything from water, your footprint on the earth, your food and other consumables from sources within 100 miles, living even more green and within your means

Disclaimer: Eileen Reppenhagen CGA does not research or endorse any product or service appearing in ads posted on this site.  Please do NOT rely on or use the information on this website as a basis for a course of action without obtaining appropriate professional advice .