There are many definitions and meanings for the term 'wealth'. It is often said that it is easier to build wealth over time than it is to keep it! Some confuse high incomes with wealth while others point to assets owned as an indicator of wealth. And, many people use the terms 'assets' and 'wealth' interchangeably assuming they mean the same thing.
According to the Minister of National Revenue, the average tax refund is over $1,500 for the 2011 tax year. Surprisingly, many Canadians are thrilled about getting a big refund. While certain situations can lead to an unusual tax refund, far too many Canadians lend large sums of money to the government at 0% interest year after year. Two things you can do to make your refunds smaller are:
While we can talk about concepts such as inflation and purchasing power the struggle for many people today is earning enough income on their savings to meet their lifestyle needs. Interest rates and the earnings from capital through dividends, bonds and real estate rental income have dropped dramatically in the past few years.
A new baby in the family brings many hopes, dreams and expectations. This can often include thoughts about how their lives can be better than that of their parents. And that often includes hopes about careers and the education that goes with them. It is also the time to start planning how to finance the education needed to fulfill those hopes and dreams.
Making the right choices for protecting you and your loved ones in the case of a premature death comes down to understanding some basic principles and rules of thumb. The first is that the name is all wrong; life insurance does not help you, it helps to protect the standard of living and lifestyle of those you leave behind. So more accurately it should be called something like: loved one's lifestyle assurance plan?.
To truly appreciate the role that inflation plays in your ability to build assets and achieve financial freedom one has to consider the role of its dance partner: purchasing power. You can't have one without the other!
