Category: Bookkeeping
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Codify Your Legacy
Your financial legacy will be mostly measured by how successful your heirs steward your wealth, after you’re gone. That’s why you should work diligently during your lifetime to prepare them for success. This post describes three ways to codify your legacy to better prepare the next generation for the responsibility of wealth management. Documentation Matters…
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Keeping your Holding Company in good standing
Managing a holding company (“holdco”) successfully includes keeping accurate records and performing administrative tasks. Missing some details might mean your holdco fails to comply with tax laws. But also, failure to administer your holdco properly could mean you waste time in the future cleaning up messes or wasting time searching for information. This post describes…
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Am I exposed to US estate taxes? (2025 Update)
Many Canadians own property or investments in the United States. Whether it’s a vacation home in Florida, shares in a U.S. company, or cash held in a U.S. brokerage account, these assets can create exposure to U.S. estate taxes when you pass away. The rules are somewhat complicated, but understanding them is essential for proper…
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Foreign Currency Cost Base Reporting
Unsurprisingly, the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) demands taxes be paid in Canadian dollars. This is simple enough when you earn income in Canada, since you were likely paid in Canadian dollars anyway. Your Canadian based investments are also likely quoted in Canadian dollars, which makes reporting your investment income based in Canada simple as well.…
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Your Wealth Management Process
The wealth management industry has become increasingly sophisticated when selling us financial services. They come up with “holistic solutions” to our financial “problems” and tap into our emotions in an effort convince us to pay them. The truth is, like most important things in life, there is no “quick fix” to managing our finances and…
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Getting the Best from Your Accountants
Accountants can be valuable members of your financial team, but wealthy investors often get frustrated by their accountants or don’t use them to their full potential. This post offers some ideas about how to work with your accountants so they can become more valuable to your financial life. Accountants are Busy The first thing to…