We are excited to introduce our new company name, iA Private Wealth. The new name is designed to better reflect the essence of what our advisors do – provide holistic wealth management solutions tailored to the unique needs and goals of investors across Canada.
Please take a few moments to browse our newly redesigned and updated website to learn about the many benefits of working with an iA Private Wealth Investment Advisor.
*Refers solely to the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada licensed advisors within HollisWealth.
We believe comprehensive personal wealth planning, supported by unbiased advice, collaboration and transparency, is the key to meeting your needs and helping you achieve your goals. Our advisors focus on six main priorities to create a plan that’s tailored to you:
A proven wealth management philosophy is one that takes emotion out of the equation and relies on a disciplined, long-term approach. Your objectives, risk tolerance, return expectations and time horizon will be the key factors your Investment Advisor takes into account in designing a plan that can help meet your retirement and other goals.
Your Investment Advisor will help you set and achieve saving goals aligned with your needs and objectives, and develop a borrowing and debt management strategy for your unique circumstances.
Whether you’re looking to fund a child’s education or returning to school to upgrade your credentials, your Investment Advisor can help you understand your options and maximize the value of a Registered Education Savings Plan (RESP).
Your Investment Advisor will conduct a thorough assessment of your circumstances to determine the most tax-efficient way of building your portfolio.
Your Investment Advisor will develop a risk management plan that addresses the full range of factors that could affect your financial well‑being.
To plan for the preservation and transfer of your assets, your Investment Advisor can help you keep an eye on the horizon by understanding your situation and wishes, including tax-efficient legacy planning.
Video duration 16:25
By iA Private Wealth, March 17th, 2023
Tune in weekly for insight and perspective on the macro and market landscape with iA Investment Management chief strategist and senior economist Sébastien Mc Mahon.
Watch Sébastien’s previous weekly updates on YouTube.
10 min read
By iA Private Wealth, March 16, 2023
James Gauthier and his research team walk through the highlights of last month’s market and economic data.
read
By iA Private Wealth, March 15, 2023
It’s no secret the housing market in Canada has been overheating for years. With real estate prices remaining stubbornly high, many prospective first-time homebuyers are feeling squeezed out of the market.
While there are no instant fixes for the challenges created by insufficient affordable housing, the Canadian government introduced a measure in its 2022 Federal Budget that aims to help first-timers save money to purchase a home. The government is working with financial institutions on finalizing details of the Tax-Free First Home Savings Account (FHSA), with expectations for an April 2023 rollout.
The FHSA is a registered account for Canadians 18 years of age or older who have never owned a home or haven’t owned one in the past four calendar years. While the account is a bit of a misnomer since you technically don’t need to be a first-time homebuyer, nonetheless the FHSA allows eligible Canadians to contribute up to a lifetime limit of $40,000.
The annual contribution limit is $8,000 and unused room can be carried forward to a future year. For example, if you contribute $3,000 in 2023 your limit for 2024 will be $13,000 instead of $8,000.
The FHSA provides two notable tax benefits:
Like most other registered accounts, you can hold a wide range of investments in your FHSA, from stocks and bonds to mutual funds, ETFs and more. Keep in mind, however, that your FHSA can only stay open for up to 15 years. If you invest in risky securities prone to dramatic price movements, you might not have enough time to recover from significant losses – especially if the securities decline sharply closer to the 15-year mark. The best course is to consult with an Investment Advisor for guidance on the investments that best suit your specific timeline and capacity for risk.
If you don’t use your FHSA to buy a home within 15 years, you must close the account. You can move the assets to an RRSP or RRIF tax free or simply withdraw the funds, but in the latter case the amount will be fully taxable as income.
The FHSA is not the only option the government has provided for first time home buyers. The Home Buyers’ Plan (HBP) allows you to withdraw up to $35,000 from your RRSP on a tax-free basis to purchase your first home. You’re given 15 years to repay that amount to your RRSP, based on a prescribed schedule that includes a minimum annual repayment (you’re permitted to repay a larger amount in a given year, or the entire amount any time before the 15-year period ends). If you don’t repay the full amount within 15 years, the outstanding balance is considered taxable income.
Whether you should choose the FHSA, the HBP, or both will depend on your personal circumstances. Many people start contributing to an RRSP before they’re ready to buy a home, so the HBP lets you tap into money you’ve already saved. If you don’t have much cash available, it’s not feasible to open an FHSA; but if you can contribute a meaningful amount, the FHSA might serve you better than the HBP since you have no obligation to repay any withdrawals. The FHSA is also useful if you’ve maxed out annual contributions to other registered accounts and want another tax-efficient way to save for a home.
Get in touch with one of our Investment Advisors today for personalized guidance that can help you achieve your dream of homeownership.
Looking for a rewarding career in financial services? We have a wide range of opportunities for talented, committed professionals, and offer attractive compensation and benefits.
View available positionsMore and more advisors are looking to iA Private Wealth as the partner of choice for building and growing an independently owned and operated business with an unwavering focus on client success.
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