Blog and Articles

With recent headlines touting hidden bond risks, you may be wondering if you should be concerned about your bond holdings. In this piece we’ll take a look at why Cardinal Point views bonds as a means to provide stability in client portfolios and not an area of dramatic long-term risk.

Whether you’re planning your own retirement or helping an older relative with his or her later-life decisions, a continuing care retirement community may be a good housing option. In this blog post, we’ll take a look at the definition of continuing care, the various levels available, and other considerations to make when evaluating facilities.

Would you like to align your investments with your personal views? If so, ESG investing—also known as socially responsible investing or impact investing—may be for you. In this blog post, we’ll take a brief look at recent growth in this investing model as well as the various factors evaluated within it.

At present, only Canadian citizens or permanent residents of Canada are permitted to enter the country. If you’re planning to move to Canada during this pandemic, you’ll need dual citizenship or to travel as the immediate or extended family member of a Canadian citizen. You’ll also have to follow specific protocols before and after entry into the country

Scott and Marie McFarland lived and worked in Canada for many years as well as in the U.S. for a time. They eventually retired to the United States, choosing the Sun Belt as their home. The McFarlands are not wealthy. However, they will gladly tell you that they feel rich.

Canada Non-Resident Planning: A Guide to Unlocking Your Retirement Account
Are you a former Canadian resident with a Canada-based retirement account or pension? If so, and you’ve permanently departed the country, you may be able to unlock these retirement savings. In this blog post, we’ll explore the various provincial rules surrounding this opportunity.

What You Need to Know About the Canada and U.S. Tax Treaty
Are you considered a taxpayer in both the U.S. and Canada? If so, a better understanding of the two countries’ income tax treaty—established in 1980—may help you minimize your tax burden. In this blog post, we dissect several examples of residency and the treaty’s implications.

From insurance policies to checking and saving accounts, loan payments, and other monthly bills, who will handle your assets and obligations should you die unexpectedly? If 2020 has taught us anything it’s that unpleasant surprises are always possible. Meeting annually with your spouse, significant other, or a trusted family member or friend to go over your financial and personal wishes can give you peace of mind in an otherwise uncertain world. Learn more about the details you should review in this article.

Do you have assets in two or more countries? If so, you’ll want to read this blog post about managing the different currencies in your portfolio. In it, you’ll learn more about Cardinal Point’s philosophy on currency hedging including considering your future income needs.

If you’re a Canadian living in the U.S. or elsewhere in Canada and planning a return to your home province of Quebec, there are a number of factors you’ll need to consider including the ramifications of such a move on your current estate plan. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at differences between Common Law and Civil Law and how they relate to estate planning.

There are notable instances where having a non-U.S. citizen spouse results in complications when it comes to tax and estate planning.  For example, there is no estate tax marital deduction when the donee spouse is not a U.S. citizen unless a QDOT, a form of qualified domestic trust, is used.  This QDOT structure is not an ideal planning structure in many situations.

It is estimated that over $11 trillion USD is indexed or benchmarked to the S&P 500 index, or what many investors consider ‘the market.’ However, while that index does capture a good chunk of the public stock market capitalization in the U.S., it omits the rest of the globe. The criteria by which companies are included—which involve a secret selection committee and very general guidelines—are also somewhat murky.

Matt Carvalho, CIO, was recently interviewed by ETF.com and discussed an ETF addition to our core broad market allocation. As a new year approaches, it’s a natural time to review your investments and make any necessary changes. If you think this may include adding additional ETFs to your portfolio, this article on the picks of […]

As a result of COVID-19 and numerous other economic factors, the fiscal climate going into 2021 is relatively uncertain. Canada and the U.S., along with essentially every other country in the world, have significant government deficits to repay. There has been much talk about how this will be accomplished, and an increase to capital gain tax rates is a commonly referenced possible solution. The below outlines the current tax treatment of capital gains in Canada and the U.S., the appetite for change in each country, and a few questions to ask your financial planner about realizing capital gains before December 31, 2020.

BNN Bloomberg recently featured the expertise of Cardinal Point’s Partner and Director of Cross Border Wealth Services, Terry Ritchie, in an article on the costs and conveniences of sending money between the U.S. and Canada. Regularly splitting his time between Calgary and Phoenix, Arizona, Terry has decades of first-hand experience in cross border transfers. Topics [...]

529 plans are a popular U.S. higher education savings option. However, if you have any intention to move back to Canada in the future or think your child might choose to attend a college or university outside the U.S., you should consider the possible tax implications before investing in a 529 plan. Learn more about how these plans work and cross-border tax considerations in this article.

The senior population—defined as those age 65 and older—is exploding in both the U.S. and Canada. If you’re planning a move across the border for work or retirement, it’s likely you have an aging family member or two to consider. In this article, we’ll explore the documents you need to have in order as well as other steps to take before you relocate away from the senior citizens you love.