Holiday commercials, greeting cards and even television sitcoms set the scene and the expectation: perfectly wrapped presents exchanged in the office or by a crackling fire. Not only does everyone receive a gift, but it is the perfect gift - just what they wanted. However, things are not always as they seem. For many, finances and schedules are turned upside down during the holidays, which can...

The announcement by the federal Finance Minister that distributions from income trusts created after October 31, 2006 would be subject to taxation at the same rate as corporate dividends was somewhat of a surprise. Since completely unexpected, it has been the primary reason for the current volatility in the Canadian stock market. What are the new rules? The government is proposing a new tax...

In today's media-rich and highly politicized environment, truly assessing the merits of new legislative decisions becomes difficult at best. Should you then consider the emotional confusion that financial considerations bring, a clear vision for discerning advantages from disadvantages begins to approach a description somewhere close to "bleak"? While the timing and motivation behind Jim Flaherty...