Blog

When Should I Take CPP? The Big Payoff if You Wait to Age 70

Posted on: April 21, 2021

By Noel D’Souza, P.Eng, CFP®

When should I take CPP? The big payoff if you wait to age 70The Fear Of Missing Out (FOMO) is alive and well in Canada. It’s why we check our phones for emails and texts every minute, sign up for store sale notifications, and pile into speculative investments, driving them to baffling heights. And if there’s one thing we know, it’s that decisions made out of fear are rarely good decisions.

But perhaps the most widespread and surprising example of FOMO is the age at which Canadians choose to start receiving retirement payments from the Canada Pension Plan (CPP). Continue reading →

Posted in Retirement savings


A Better Way to Stay On Track with Your Money

Posted on: April 7, 2021

By Noel D’Souza, P.Eng, CFP®

Do you feel like your money is just trickling out of a hole in your pocket, and you are not really sure where it’s all going or why there is nothing left at the end of each month? You’re in the right place!

If there is anything that we have taken to heart over the past year it is that our world can be turned upside down when we least expect it and in ways we could not have imagined.

We need to be financially prepared, and mindful spending and intentional saving are paramount.  Continue reading →

Posted in Budgeting and Cash Flow, Relationship to money




How Should You Invest Your Extra Cash, is DIY Investing Right for You, What is the Best Investing Strategy for Retirement, and More

Posted on: February 17, 2021

Karin Mizgala, CEO of Money Coaches Canada, and Daniel Evans, Advice-Only Financial Planner and Investment Coach, sat down recently to talk about choosing between the various investment options, investing strategies for retirement, and the impact from COVID-19.

In addition to how we live and work, the pandemic has had profound implications on how we manage our money and the financial decisions we make today. Karin and Daniel discuss the most common questions and concerns they hear from clients about investing right now. This is an excerpt from their conversation.

Continue reading →

Posted in Investing, Money Coaching, Retirement savings


Strategies for How to Budget for the New Normal

Posted on: January 20, 2021

By Sheila Walkington, Co-Founder and CFO of Money Coaches Canada 

Set clear life and financial goals, live within your means and save a percentage of your income for the future. While these budgeting and planning principles still apply, the financial landscape has changed – perhaps forever. COVID-19 has rocked our world and changed how we live, spend, and save. 

Strategies for how to budget in the new normalJanuary is typically a time to set goals and intentions for the coming year. Given the past year we have had, I am particularly excited to set my new year goals. It is something I do annually with both my husband and girlfriends.

This year, the annual “Girlfriends and Goals” event was via Zoom. Not ideal, but an unexpected bonus because girlfriends from afar could join in. This year, my friend from Bowen Island and my sister in Toronto were able to participate!

Although many of us are happy to see the end of 2020, the pandemic isn’t over. 2021 is still filled with uncertainty politically, economically and socially, which makes formulating a financial plan a little more challenging. 

Continue reading →

Posted in Budgeting and Cash Flow


I’m Working Really Hard, But Not Getting Ahead. Five Misconceptions Keeping You Stuck

Posted on: January 6, 2021

By Alison Stafford, CFP®

How often have you thought—I could get out of debt and save more for retirement, if only I made more money. It appears to make sense; that more money would be the answer to your financial worries. So it may surprise you, that debt often increases with higher income levels.

Stats Canada reported that households earning at least $100,000 had an average debt of $172,400. Compare that to households earning between $50,000 and $100,000, which had an average debt of $95,400. More income, more debt.

More recent data shows that in the second quarter of 2020, household credit market debt as a proportion of household disposable income fell from 175.4% to 158.2%, as household disposable income increased 10.8% and the stock of credit market debt remained relatively unchanged. In other words, there was $1.58 in credit market debt for every dollar of household disposable income.

Continue reading →

Posted in Budgeting and Cash Flow, Debt, Relationship to money


Our Top Tips for Navigating the New Financial Planning Reality

Posted on: December 16, 2020

By Karin Mizgala, Co-Founder and CEO of Money Coaches Canada

Navigating Financial Planning

Navigating Financial Planning Realities. Family video calls have become the norm.

As we inch towards the end of the year, our team at Money Coaches Canada has been reflecting on the most talked about topics and conversations we’ve been having with our clients. The subject of a new reality when it comes to financial planning tipped the scales.

The ups and downs of our health and wellness, coupled with an economic rollercoaster, made this year a challenge in many unfamiliar ways. That said, we’re impressed by how so many of our clients and coaches were able to pivot, adjust, and adapt to the new circumstances and to use the last few months as a time of reflection and re-evaluation.

Continue reading →

Posted in Financial Planning


Why Financial Literacy Isn’t Enough 

Posted on: November 18, 2020

By Karin Mizgala, Co-Founder and CEO of Money Coaches Canada

November is financial literacy month, and this year is its 10th anniversary. Interesting timing with COVID-19 raging in our midst and financial well-being feels more precarious than ever before. 

There are some bright spots – many Canadians are spending less and saving more, interest rates are low, the stock market has been remarkably resilient, and there’s an opportunity to reflect and re-evaluate our goals and priorities.  

As we navigate all the changes that we are experiencing, it is a good time to check in on our individual and collective financial well-being. What’s working, what isn’t? 

Continue reading →

Posted in Financial Literacy, Relationship to money


Our Founders’ Story

Posted on: October 21, 2020

A lot has happened over the past decade since we launched Money Coaches Canada in 2010. When Sheila and I started working together our initial desire was a simple one. We wanted to offer our clients truly independent and meaningful financial advice so they could use their money to fulfill their financial needs and to live their lives to the fullest. We were part of a wave crying out for more transparency and accountability in the financial-services industry, and we are so proud to be part of the solution.

As we celebrate our 10th anniversary, we give heartfelt thanks to all of our supporters and champions – especially our amazing team of Money Coaches who share our vision and our commitment to always putting our clients first. But most of all, we have to thank our clients who have placed their trust in us over the years, and invited us into their lives to help bring more ease, even some joy, into their financial world.

Our Founders’ Story Continue reading →

Posted in Meet Our Money Coaches


The Joy of Giving Back

Posted on: September 23, 2020

By Karin Mizgala, co-founder and CEO Money Coaches Canada

I think it’s safe to say that 2020 is a year none of us will forget. And even though we are optimistically making our way forward, the uncomfortable truth has settled in. Recovery from this pandemic—medically, economically and emotionally—is going to be a longer road than we had hoped

And as we travel this road, many Canadians are in need of support in a myriad of ways. But the charities and organizations that usually provide a lot of that support, are suffering also.

The Canadian research and educational institution Cardus reported in July that 69 percent of charities have experienced a significant decrease in revenues, down 30 percent on average, since the pandemic began. Continue reading →

Posted in Money Coaching, Will & Estate Planning


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