Use My Seminars – Financial Literacy, Saving and Investing, Tax and Others
November 2016
Designed for Lunch and Learn Events, Employee Presentations, Not-for-Profit Presentations
Time – Each seminar is designed for a 1 hour presentation, but seminars are designed to flow from one to another and can be combined. Timing can be adjusted by changing content to fit your needs.
Cost – Seminars are priced with each individual customer, with not-for-profit events usually being offered for free. Hosts are expected to provide the meeting room, any specific needs such as sound systems if there is a large group, and to arrange for refreshments if desired.
Presenter – All presentations are provided by Blair Corkum, BComm, CA, CPA, R.F.P., CFP, CFDS, CLU, CHS
Audience participation – Questions and interaction is encouraged throughout the presentation, and, when time is limited, questions are welcomed at the end of (or after) the presentation.
Experience – Blair has presented numerous seminars on tax, financial planning and business topics since the mid-1980s, and enjoys doing so. His experience as a financial planner, business advisor and financial divorce counsellor is available under the appropriate tabs at www.corkumfinancial.ca. These are education seminars, not sales pitches. Blair sells no investment, insurance or other product, and receives no sales commissions or referral fees.
Description of Seminars
Financial Planning Essentials – Planning for Life
Your needs (and wants) change during various stages of life – being single and carefree; being married with young children; being empty nesters and still working; being retired; and various stages within each. Wills, Powers of Attorney, Health Care Directives and insurance are the focus of this presentation – and I acknowledge these are topics from which most people hide.
Protecting what you have at each stage of life and planning for tomorrow is critical. I deal with the reasons why every adult should have a Will, Power of Attorney and Health Care Directive. I cover the basics of each, and provide some tax and financial comments in that respect. The scary things that can happen without proper planning will be highlighted to convince you to take action.
Do you need life insurance? How much? Should you buy a term policy or a permanent policy? What about other types of insurance – disability, accidental death and dismemberment, health, travel, fire, liability, etc. There seems to be insurance for everything these days. I cover the purpose and financial concerns you should consider of common insurance products, and give you my comments on managing the cost.
Saving and Investing – Understanding the Basics
What is the difference between saving and investing? I explain the various saving and investment products, as well as the types of tax preferred accounts, such as RRSPs and TFSAs. In particular, I explain the risks of each and how to know what is appropriate for personal situations. This course is a natural course to follow up with my course titled, Appropriate Investing Techniques for Protecting and Growing your Net Worth. Sample topics covered include:
- What is the best way to save for your future?
- How do savings accounts differ from stock market products<
- What are bonds? Mutual funds? Stocks? Exchange Traded Funds, Segregated Funds?
- What are the risks of each?
- RRSP versus TFSA versus paying off your mortgage.
- When should you look at using each type of product?
Appropriate Investing Techniques for Protecting and Growing your Net Worth
I will discuss methods of making more money, and the risks involved. What type of savings or investing plan is appropriate for particular individual situations – I call this “financial planning 101” Many Canadians have a low level of knowledge about investing. My goal is to give you enough information so you can ask the right questions of your advisor, understand the risks you are taking, and know whether you are making any money. Sample topics covered include:
- What is the best way to save for retirement?
- When you should invest in safe versus higher risk products?
- Choosing the right investment advisor and understanding their fees.
- Measuring the success of your investment portfolio.
- What is a “good” return on your money, and what should you expect?
- Knowing when to get a second opinion.
Individual Income Tax Tips and Traps
This seminar is useful for individuals doing their own tax returns, but also to ensure you are giving your hired tax preparer the right information. I review both the most important and also some of the lesser known tax deductions for individuals. I put particular focus on deductions I have seen missed by many individuals and other tax advisors in my 35+ years of tax preparation and planning.
Business Tax Tips and Traps
This seminar is useful for business owners or their bookkeepers to ensure you are paying no more income tax and HST than necessary. I review both the most important and also some of the lesser known tax deductions for small businesses. I put particular focus on deductions, or costly errors that can lead to taxes and penalties, that I have seen missed by many business owners and other tax advisors in my 35+ years of tax preparation and planning.
Financial Concerns for Seniors, and Estate Planning
Seniors have many unique concerns, not the least of which are questions about matters that will face them in the near future. This presentation is often requested by organizations involved with seniors, and presented to children and caregivers of seniors, as well as seniors themselves.
- How will the cost of long-term care and nursing homes affect me?
- What is the process to wrap up my estate upon my death?
- What special tax deductions are there for seniors, caregivers?
- Who pays taxes, and on what, upon death?
- When should joint ownership and beneficiary designations be used?
- Should I preplan / prepay my funeral?
- A brief overview of Wills, Powers of Attorney and Health Care Directives
Custom Seminars
I have provided many other seminars on financial topics, and I am prepared to provide customized presentations. Past topics have included financial issues for caregivers (of seniors); financial issues for separation and divorce; common tax return errors; answers to common financial planning questions; and a variety of business topics, such as understanding financial statements; business bookkeeping tips; tax tips and traps for the self-employed, etc.
Blair Corkum, CPA, CA, R.F.P., CFP, CFDS, CLU, CHS holds his Chartered Professional Accountant, Chartered Accountant, Registered Financial Planner, Chartered Financial Divorce Specialist as well as several other financial planning related designations. Blair offers hourly based fee-only personal financial planning, holds no investment or insurance licenses, and receives no commissions or referral fees. This publication should not be construed as legal or investment advice. It is neither a definitive analysis of the law nor a substitute for professional advice which you should obtain before acting on information in this article. Information may change as a result of legislation or regulations issued after this article was written.©Blair Corkum