One of the most important documents you should have as part of your estate plan is an up to date power of attorney, otherwise known as a protection mandate in Quebec. This is a document that gives someone else the power to make financial decisions on your behalf if you are unable to. Needless to say, you need to give special consideration to whom you appoint as attorney or mandatary.

A core component of your retirement plan is the CPP retirement benefit (or Québec Pension Plan for Québec residents, which mirrors many aspects of the CPP). CPP offers flexibility as to when payments can begin, which affects how much you could receive. Familiarizing yourself with CPP provisions can help you decide when to start payments and optimize the benefit throughout your retirement.

With the end of the year fast approaching, Canadian taxpayers will want to consider all the tax planning opportunities available to them. Which year-end planning strategies apply to you will depend upon your specific circumstances and objectives. The IG Wealth Management Year-end Tax Planning Checklist can help you understand what opportunities are most suited to you.