Susan Barrett
365 North Front Street K8P 5A5 Belleville, ON, Canada

http://www.ci.com/makingsense/

Happy to see at least some changes to allow people receiving benefits to have more control over their financial situation.

Thought this was worth sharing. A survey conducted by LowestRates.ca says We found that many Canadians don’t understand how common financial products work. And this survey really hammers home that a large part of that is because Canadians can’t be bothered. We need to make comparing financial products as common as comparing flights or hotels. Let me add we need to make the time to 'understand' how the products work, not just 'compare'. Otherwise how do we know what we are comparing.

Yes it is getting to be that time of year again. Back to school preparation. Here are 5 tips to help your college or university bound students become financially responsible. Courtesy of Lexington Wealth Management. 1. Help your college student set up necessary accounts. College students likely will need at least checking and savings accounts.[3] Start teaching them good habits now and ask them to research banking institutions that would be convenient for them to get to from... campus or their residence. 2. Establish clear financial responsibilities. Determine who will be responsible for which expenses. If you are planning to take care of bills such as auto and health insurance, or cell service, be clear with your student that he or she is responsible for living expenses including rent, utilities, groceries, and other household costs.[4] 3. Wean them off your bank accounts. It might be tempting to continue paying your child's, grandchild's, niece's or nephew's expenses to help them get a strong start, but that does not teach them to be self-sufficient; it is likely to make them more dependent on you.[5] 4. Decide whether a credit card is appropriate. Credit cards often give college students the most trouble. Credit cards are an effective way to establish early credit history, but it is common for students to run up balances without fully understanding how credit cards work. If your student gets a credit card, be sure they understand how credit cards work and how important it is to pay off the balance every month.[6] 5. Will your college-bound student work during college? Holding down a part-time job while going to school has plenty of advantages. It helps cover living expenses or it gives them a chunk of money to save each month. It also makes it easier for them to manage money and gain valuable work experience. And finally, it looks great on their resume after they graduate and go looking for a job in their field. It is never too late to sit down with your college-bound child, grandchild, niece or nephew and talk frankly with them about the importance of being financially responsible.

http://news.nationalpost.com/features/bankrupt-by-cancer It can be a challenge to try to explain the potential financial impact to clients and how important it is to plan ahead to keep financially healthy even when everything goes wrong. There are options to keep your family financially afloat during the worst of storms.