Margaret Janecki, Your Financial Doctor
3045 Southcreek, Suite 27 L4X 2X6 Mississauga, ON, Canada

These are the final three ways we can protect ourselves from Identity Theft. 7. Shred all unneeded documents: Unneeded records, receipts, statements, pre-approved credit offers or other papers that have your personal or financial information should all be shredded. 8. Monitor Your Accounts: Review your bank and credit card statements carefully. Confirm that your bank or credit card issuer will offer you free alerts if they note suspicious activity.... 9. Watch your credit: Check your credit report at local credit bureaus, such as TransUnion or Equifax. There is a new online company called Credit Karma where you can access your credit report. Source; March 2017 Issue of The Pulse is an e-memo for all EPC members, and is produced by the Canadian Initiative for Elder Planning Studies. http://yourfinancialdoctor.ca/contact/

Last week, I covered the first three of nine ways that Seniors can protect themselves from Identity Theft. Here are the next three! 4. Be wary of unknown emails: Don’t click on any links in emails from strangers or those that claim they are from the CRA, other government agencies, your Bank or Credit Card Company. By clicking on these links, you could be installing malware that will steal your personal information from your computer. Install antivirus and anti-malware softw...are on your computer, and scan daily. 5. Secure your mail: Empty your mailbox daily, or buy a locked mailbox. 6. Get safer credit cards: Get chip credit cards; they are more difficult to hack than magnet strips. Next Tuesday, I will cover the final three ways to avoid Identity Theft. Have a great weekend everyone! Source; March 2017 Issue of The Pulse is an e-memo for all EPC members, and is produced by the Canadian Initiative for Elder Planning Studies. http://yourfinancialdoctor.ca/contact/

Last month, I shared with you some helpful tips from 6 Simple Ways for Older People to Deal with Chronic Pain, an article that appeared in The Pulse, which is produced by the Canadian Initiative for Elder Planning Studies. Today, I would like to talk about some information which appeared in The Pulse’s second article, called 9 Ways Seniors Can Avoid Identify Theft. Sadly, each year people fall victim to identity theft. The following are some great ways to avoid this from ha...ppening to you. 1. Guard Your Personal Information: Never give out your Social Insurance Number, Credit Card Number, Bank Account or other identifying information, unless you initiated the contact. Don’t carry your OHIP or Social Insurance Number in your wallet. 2. Get Off Mailing Lists: Put a stop to preapproved credit card offers. If you do receive them, SHRED THESE OFFERS, don’t just throw them in the recycle bin or garbage! 3. Use Strong Passwords: To safeguard your personal data on your smartphone or tablet don’t use a password that is easy to hack. Use computer passwords that are more than 8 characters long, using upper and lowercase letters, numbers and symbols. And never tell anyone your password! Next week, I will cover the next three ways to avoid Identity Theft. Source; March 2017 Issue of The Pulse is an e-memo for all EPC members, and is produced by the Canadian Initiative for Elder Planning Studies.

The Federal Government Eliminate the Canada Savings Bonds Program One of the items tabled on the Federal Budget this past March 22nd, was the discontinuation of the Canada Savings Bonds program. Implemented in 1946, the CBS program was designed to provide the federal government with a source of funds, while offering Canadians a safe and easily accessible investment.... This program has been in decline since the late 1980s, mainly due to its low interest rate yield, and that many Canadians are choosing other higher yielding retail investment instruments. If you have been investing in CSBs, call me today to discuss suitable investment opportunities. https://yourfinancialdoctor.ca/contact/ To learn more - see my video! https://www.facebook.com/yourfinancialdoctor.ca/videos/665064206976696/

There has been a lot of news lately about bank employees saying they are forced by management to meet unrealistic sales and marketing targets. Sadly, this also extends to the investment field, where deceptive bank employee titles lead clients to think qualifications are greater than they really might be. In many cases, the focus is on selling investment vehicles to clients, not based on their needs, or stage in life, but on what will profit the bank most. According to a repo...rt by the Small Investor Protection Association, there are 121,000 people registered as financial professionals in Canada, with most registered as dealing representatives; salespeople licensed to sell financial investments. Only about 4,000 of these registered financial professionals have a fiduciary duty, which is a legal obligation to act in the client's best interest. I am sharing an interesting link which discusses the experiences of Mike Black, a former investment client with the RBC. "All they are doing is selling what the bank wants them to sell," said Black. http://www.cbc.ca//bank-s-deceptive-titles-put-investments https://yourfinancialdoctor.ca/contact/

As an EPC (Elder Planning Counsellor), I read with interest the changes to rules with respect to the Caregiver tax credits and the Disability tax credit. The Canada Caregiver Credit will be replacing three different tax credits; the infirm dependent tax credit, the caregiver tax credit and the family caregiver tax credit. There will be a new 15% non-refundable Canada caregiver credit for 2017 and subsequent years. This change is meant to make it easier for caregivers to claim... this credit, and is expect have not bottom line impact. In order to claim the Disability tax credit, a person must be certified by a medical practitioner. The budget has added Nurse practitioners to the list of medical practitioners allowed to certify eligibility for the 15% non-refundable disability tax credit. This applies to disability tax credit certifications made on or after March 22, 2017. To learn more about how I can help you or a family member with Elder Planning, read my article: https://yourfinancialdoctor.ca//the-sandwich-generation-c/ Call me today, I can help... https://yourfinancialdoctor.ca/contact/

The Federal Budget. On March 22nd the Liberal Government tabled the Federal Budget. My next few posts will be discussing some of the changes that might impact you and your family. ... For today’s post, the following are just a few of the highlights. Tax evasion crackdown Over the next 5 years, $523.9 million has been allocated to prevent tax evasion, improve tax compliance with more auditors and investigators to be hired. Increases on employment insurance premiums EI’s now $1.68 per every $100 of insurable earnings, up from $1.63. This is the maximum allowable increase under the Employment Insurance Act. Higher taxes for smokers and drinkers The excise duty rate on cigarettes goes up to $21.56 per carton of smokes, from $21.03, while the rates on alcohol are going up $2. Both will be adjusted every April 1 starting next year, based on the consumer price index. Public transit tax credit Say goodbye to deducting the cost of transit passes, effective July 1. Home relocation loan deduction Effective 2018, relocating employees can no longer deduct these loans. Tuition tax credit occupational skills courses not available at the post-secondary level now may be eligible. Caregiver tax credits The infirm dependant tax credit, the caregiver tax credit and the family caregiver tax credit will be replaced with a new 15% non-refundable Canada caregiver credit for 2017 and subsequent years. Funding has been put aside for daycare, parental leave and maternity benefits, with extended parental leave, allowing expectant mothers to claim maternity benefits 12 weeks before their due date. More allocation of funds is being made to student loans, skills development, youth employment and training and jobs. Many of these changes, however, won't be implemented until 2018/2019. Call us today to make an appointment to determine how the 2017 Federal Budget will affect your bottom line. https://yourfinancialdoctor.ca/contact/ To read more:http://www.advisor.ca//federal-budget-whats-in-and-whats-o

On Tuesday I mentioned how TENS Therapy and Chiropractic Care and Massage Therapy can help seniors manage chronic pain. Today I will cover the last two of six ways to reduce pain; Assisted Living and Reducing Stress. 5. Assisted Living or Group Homes: Sadly, chronic pain can progress to the point that basic self-care becomes difficult, or impossible. Nutrition and hygiene are key to slowing down the aging process. Having a live-in caretaker or living in a group home is a good... way to ensure that basic needs are filled. Maintaining a social life is challenging for shut-ins, due to chronic pain, so living in a group environment will address not only their physical needs, but also help with better mental health. 6. Reduce Stress: Stress is a by-product for those people suffering from chronic pain. Stress resulting from chronic pain, affects your body with increased blood pressure and muscle tensions. Try simple things like sitting in the sun, visiting friends and loved ones; even one simple phone call to a friend can minimize the stress, so that the body can relax. Source; March 2017 Issue of The Pulse is an e-memo for all EPC members, and is produced by the Canadian Initiative for Elder Planning Studies. https://yourfinancialdoctor.ca/contact/

Last week I addressed the first two of six ways that older people can deal with chronic pain. Today, I will talk about TENS Therapy and Chiropractic Care and Ma...ssage Therapy. 3. TENS Therapy: Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS), is a popular treatment for muscular chronic. A TENS unit is a small electrical device that passes a low voltage current through the skin and into the muscle tissue, creating current impulses that stimulate the nerves, reducing the pain to a manageable level. Since there are no side effects, TENS is an excellent alternative to addictive medications. 4. Chiropractic Care and Massage Therapy: Over time, bones can shift. Chiropractors can manually reposition bones into their correct position, which helps alleviate chronic pain. Massage Therapists force tense or imbalance muscles to relax. Treatments such as this, may be only temporary, so for the treatment of chronic pain, visits to your massage therapist should be made regularly. Source; March 2017 Issue of The Pulse is an e-memo for all EPC members, and is produced by the Canadian Initiative for Elder Planning Studies. This Friday, I will cover the last two ways seniors can use to manage chronic pain; Assisted Living and Reducing Stress. http://yourfinancialdoctor.ca/contact/