TORONTO, ONTARIO — (Marketwire) — 02/19/12 — As the February 29th deadline approaches to make a contribution to a Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP) and as part of its ongoing commitment to improving financial literacy, BMO Financial Group will be providing daily retirement tips during the month of February from BMO Retirement Institute Head Tina Di Vito-s new book .
Tip Number 37:
Take Advantage of tax gifts such as the Tax Free Savings Account
When the Tax Free Savings Account (TFSA) was introduced in 2009, it changed the way Canadians approached savings and investing. While tax-efficient vehicles such as RRSPs or registered pension plans allow Canadians to defer or postpone tax on investments earned, payments out of these accounts are fully taxable as ordinary income. With a TFSA, withdrawals are completely tax free, regardless of whether they are drawn from cash or returns on different investment vehicles held within it. TFSAs provide a big tax saving opportunity that Canadians should use by doing the following:
Tip Number 38:
If you own U.S. property, account for estate taxes as part of your succession plan
While there is no estate tax in Canada, many countries impose estate tax on succession duties, including our neighbour south of the border. Canadians who own U.S. property may have to pay U.S. estate tax at the time of death. This applies to real property, such as vacation homes, furniture or vehicles, and stocks or options to acquire stocks issued by a U.S. corporation. Without proper planning ahead of time, this substantial tax could significantly hamper your succession plan.
To minimize U.S. estate taxes, consider the following:
For more information on retirement: .
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