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It looks like the HST will be in effect in Ontario on **July 1st, 2010**.
As to whether it will replace GST with HST for all services, it looks like some sectors *may* get special treatment: [Ontario may exempt mutual funds from HST (National Post)][1]. But it doesn't look final yet.
However, I would suggest t... |
While I certainly agree with the principle of paying down debt, there is some value in having a **healthy** cash cushion. If an emergency expense were to come up, and your credit has been **cut-off** or reduced to the point where you have no excess credit, then having real cash on hand is critical.
I would perform ... |
I have not got a raise at work for some time - almost two years - and I think I am due. I did not ask during the crisis because other companies were laying off, etc. Mine didn't lay off, we actually came through OK. Anyway, how can I figure out what is a fair amount to ask for? I have been working for five years since ... |
How much would be a fair raise to ask for at work? |
I've been looking at some online ad revenue providers. The US-based sites seem to want me to complete a W-8 form. What is the w-8 form and how should I go about completing it?
|
What is a W-8 form, and how should I fill it in? |
I'm 24 years old and have $10k in my retirement accounts after about a year with a real job. I'm considering withdrawing the entire balance to support myself for a few months while I launch a tech startup.
1. is this even possible? how long does the withdrawal process take?
2. very roughly, what percent cash can ... |
I'm 24 years old and have $10k in my retirement accounts (Roth IRA) after about a year with a real job. I'm considering withdrawing the entire balance to support myself for a few months while I launch a tech startup.
1. is this even possible? how long does the withdrawal process take?
2. very roughly, what percen... |
I'm 24 years old and have $10k in my retirement accounts (Roth IRA) after about a year with a real job. I'm considering withdrawing the entire balance to support myself for a few months while I launch a tech startup.
1. Is this even possible? How long does the withdrawal process take?
2. Very roughly, what percen... |
Can I withdraw from my Roth IRA retirement account to fund a startup? |
I've been looking at some online ad revenue providers. The US-based sites seem to want me to complete a W-8 form. What is the W-8 form and how should I go about completing it?
|
The [IRS W-8BEN form (PDF link)][1], titled "Certificate of Foreign Status of Beneficial Owner for United States Tax Withholding", certifies that you are not an American for tax purposes, so they won't withhold tax on your U.S. income.
You're also to use W-8BEN to identify your country of residence and corresponding... |
What are some of the easy or not-so-easy ways to save money on car insurance? |
How can I save money on car insurance? |
What are some of the easy or not-so-easy ways to save money on home insurance? |
How can I save money on home insurance? |
What is a FICO score and how is it related to a credit report? |
What is a FICO score and how is it related to a credit report? |
How does a 529 plan help me save for my kid's college education? Who offers 529 plans? Are there any special restrictions or conditions on these plans that I should know about?
|
How does a 529 plan help me save for my kid's college education? |
How can a 529 plan help me save for my kid's college education? Who offers 529 plans? Are there any special restrictions or conditions on these plans that I should know about?
|
How can a 529 plan help me save for my kid's college education? |
Here are some ways my family saves money on our home insurance:
- We shopped around, then ended up purchasing our insurance through a group affinity program offered by our university alumni association.
- We combined our home and car insurance with that same insurer. They gave us a special combination discount.
... |
I'm using Quicken 2008, I'm pondering upgrading to the 2010 edition, but...I'm having some problems as my online balance says I have like 3,000 some dollars and my Ending Balance says that I have like 600 dollars.
I'm totally confused by this. My thought is that the online balance is what the bank believes you ha... |
Quicken 2008 Online Balance vs. Ending Balance? |
I'm using Quicken 2008, I'm pondering upgrading to the 2010 edition, but...I'm having some problems; the online balance says I have like 3,000 some dollars and my Ending Balance says that I have like 600 dollars.
I'm totally confused by this. My thought is that the online balance is what the bank believes I have in ... |
On the news a couple of years ago, in BC, they said that if you are NOT an financial institution, it was illegal to charge interest on any money that you have lent out. Now I live in Alberta. And apparently this is ok in Alberta. Is this true? Would this law not be federal instead of provincial? And is it ok to charge ... |
Can I charge interest on money that I have lent out, even tho I am not a Financial Institution? |
I have website that I have set up a sponsorship scheme for (see my profile if you're interested). With this scheme, some individual or company can choose to sponsor X or Y amount and that gives them an advertising block on my website for Z months.
I have had an inquiry for sponsorship of the site, which is nice. How... |
What are the tax liabilities for an international transaction? |
After a bit of rooting around the HMRC sites, I found [this page][1] which says this:
> One key difference is that digitised products are classed as electronically-supplied services for VAT and customs duties. These services are:
> * downloaded software
* downloaded images, text or information
* electr... |
This is the second time in the last couple of weeks that I'm seeing the following error from PayPal. (Note: I've deliberately hidden the name of the merchant at the top.)
![PayPal error image: "You cannot use a credit card for this transaction. Please use another funding source."][1]
> "You cannot use this credi... |
Why won't PayPal let me use a credit card to complete a transaction? It's asking for a bank account instead. Why? |
This is the second time in the last couple of weeks that I'm seeing the following error from [PayPal][1]. (Note: I've deliberately hidden the name of the merchant at the top.)
![PayPal error image: "You cannot use a credit card for this transaction. Please use another funding source."][2]
> "You cannot use this ... |
Have you checked to make sure that your card isn't at the limit, or at risk of expiring soon? Maybe PayPal has a policy to reject credit cards with expiry dates that fall within their buyer/seller protection periods?
But to answer your question, no, I've never had this happen to me before. |
You can think of it like this: the credit report is the raw data, and the FICO score is the quick-and-dirty number that sums up for creditors how risky you are. Your FICO score determines whether or not you're given a credit card or a loan, as well as what interest rate you'll pay, and can even influence a decision a... |
My husband and I live simply but we're content. I'm an avid budgeter and love finding ways to be frugal. My dilemma right now is that we've been able to keep our living expenses below what we make, but I don't know what our focus should be for using the extra.
We've got $100K in student loans (ug), with rates rang... |
Will our hefty student loans affect our chances of getting a mortgage? |
[Salary.com][1] can give you a salary range for your position in your area. If you feel you're above average, aim for the high end.
If you have a close enough relationship with any of your coworkers, they may be willing to tell you what they're making, but of course that can be an awkward conversation, so don't be ... |
My Question.
What do I deposit now, today, to pay myself $300.00 per week,i.e. $15,600.00 annually at 5% interest for 10 years? What kind of or type of financial institution do I deposit the
in? A few names for example please.
Thank you for your time and great service. |
Also, on a side question; what does "Financially Literate" even mean? |
How does one become "Financially Literate"? |
How does one become "Financially Literate"? Also, on a side question; what does "Financially Literate" even mean? |
What is "financial literacy" and how does one become "financially literate"? |
How and where can I deposit money to generate future payments / income? |
If I'm buying household items that get used up (e.g; furnace filters, soap, etc.) is it still worthwhile sometimes to buy a bunch, even if there is no volume discount, or am I wasting money?
p.s. could somebody please retag with "volume" or "volume-discount"? I can't create new tags. |
If there's no volume discount, does buying in bulk still make sense? |
I don't want to have the hassle of dealing with credit card or direct payments directly on my website, the volume and amount of transactions don't justify the effort.
I've set up Paypal on the site to allow for payments, but I'm not entirely happy with the experience.
Are there any viable alternatives to Paypal f... |
Are there any viable alternatives to Paypal for a small site? |
Is there a right number of credit cards to hold? (Please don't say zero :) What would be the excessive number of credit cards, or how else would you judge enough is enough? If I have some cards I do not use just stuck in a drawer somewhere, is it a problem? |
How many credit cards is it reasonable to have? |
I found out about [Google checkout][1] today, it looks like it may meet my needs, but I'd still be interested to find out about other options.
[1]: https://checkout.google.com/seller/what.html?hl=en&gl=GB |
How many days do I have to hold a stock before it is considered a capital gain by the CRA? |
**You don't have to wait.** If you sell your shares now, your gain can be considered a **capital gain** for income tax purposes.
Unlike in the United States, Canada does **not** distinguish between *short-term* vs. *long-term* gains where you'd pay different rates on each type of gain. Whether you buy and sell a s... |
Radio and print ads make it look easy to get cash for gold jewellery. But, really, is it worth it to sell jewellery for its melt value or is there a better alternative? Do places that offer to buy gold for cash even come close to its market value? |
If I have some old gold jewellery, is it worth it to sell it for its melt value? |
TV, radio, and print ads make it look easy to get cash for gold jewellery. But, really, is it worth it to sell jewellery for its melt value or is there a better alternative? Do places that offer to buy gold for cash even come close to its market value? |
Most of my friends have their own places, either rented or mortgage.
Should I be concerned that I still live at home?
I bring home around £1300 after tax, £400 of that goes on car finance+tax, £200 on rent then the rest goes towards other monthly bills / petrol etc
My car costs me £300 a month, over 5 years an... |
Are quarterly earnings released first via a press release on the investor website, via conference call, or does it vary by company? |
I'm only suggesting this because I know you do it on a regular basis - have you checked your credit score from one of the independent providers recently (like Equifax - [link text][1]) ? Maybe that will offer a clue what PayPal is doing.
[1]: http://www.equifax.com/home/en_ca |
I wouldn't be too concerned, *yet*. You're young. Many young people are living longer in the family home. See this Guardian article: [Young adults delay leaving family home][1]. You're in good company. Yet, there will come a time when you ought to get your own place, either for your own sanity or your parents' san... |
I'm 23, living at home, and still can't afford my own property. What could I do? |
I have **five** credit cards. I confess: two are in a drawer and don't ever get used!
I do find the other three useful:
1. A [Visa][1] card with no annual fee and a 1% cash-back privilege. I use this card a lot.
2. A [MasterCard][2] card with no annual fee and travel points. I only use it when Visa isn't ... |
Companies typically release their earnings **before the market opens**, and then later host an analyst/investor conference call to discuss the results.
Here's a link to an interesting article abstract on the subject: [Disclosure Rules For Earnings Releases And Calls | Bowne Digest][3]. Excerpt:
> In the afterma... |
Are quarterly earnings released first via a press release on the investor website, via conference call, or does it vary by company? |
While a seemingly simple question, next year may be different. Interestingly, the 2010 contribution limits for 401(k) and IRA plans is tied to the **rate of inflation**. PF blogger [fivecentnickel.com][1] posted the following article, [401(k) Limits to Decrease in 2010?][2], which mentioned:
> Inflation has been ... |
While a seemingly simple question, next year may be different. Interestingly, the 2010 contribution limits for 401(k) and IRA plans is tied to the **rate of inflation**. PF blogger [fivecentnickel.com][1] posted the following article, [401(k) Limits to Decrease in 2010?][2], which mentioned:
> Inflation has been ... |
I'm a little confused on the use of the property today. Is this place going to be a personal residence for you for now and become a rental later (after the mortgage is paid off)? It does make a difference.
If you can buy the house and a 100% LTV loan would cost less than 125% of comparable rent ... then buy the ho... |
We get receipts from our child care provider. Can we still claim a tax benefit even though they're not licensed?
*[**Note:** This is my paraphrased version of a [similar question][1] I answered at [moms4mom.com][2].]*
[1]: http://moms4mom.com/questions/2441/daycare-tax-question
[2]: http://moms4mom.com |
We get receipts from our child care provider. Can we still claim a tax benefit even though they're not licensed? |
Can I charge interest on money that I have lent out, even though I am not a financial institution? |
As others have said, doing a monthly budget is a great idea. I tried the tracking expenses method for years and it got me nowhere, I think for these reasons:
1. Tracking expenses post-spending is actually, kind of hard. I think it takes more time than doing a monthly budget.
2. If you spend a lot (or at least... |
Regarding investing in mutual funds: How much does it cost to buy mutual funds? Where can I find about about the charges? |
How much does it cost to buy mutual funds? Where can I find about about the charges? |
Once I've got my finances straight I'd like to think about getting my own place, but what sort of money am I looking at to have under my belt before I can begin thinking?
Is it right that the UK mortgage market still requires a 20% deposit? Most places round here are round the 100k mark so getting 20k might be a lit... |
Getting on the property ladder? [UK] |
I'm looking at e-Series funds offered by TD. They have low MERs and seem to offer a good low cost alternative to traditional mutual funds. What do you guys think? Am I better off with ETFs? Why would one choose one over the other given that my investment portfolio is not that large. |
I think a lot of people would respond with something like "you use bank machines and online banking, don't you?" That is the same reason I hear people supporting voting machines and even online voting, but the problem is that there are significant differences.
Take a service like mint.com compared with your bank fo... |
What are the advantages and disadvantages of leasing out a property or part of a property (such as basement apartment)? |
What are the advantages and disadvantages of leasing out a property ? |
If I purchase a property in an underage dependent's name (son or daughter), and then sell it before they reach the age of majority, do I need to claim the capital gains (losses) on income tax if I already have a principle residence? |
If I buy a property in an underage dependent's name am I exempt from capital gains (losses) on my income tax? |
Are TD e-Series Funds worthwhile, or am I better off with ETFs? Why or why not? |
What does an optimal TFSA portfolio look like? What type of investments should be in it given its tax-free growth and withdrawal benefits? |
I recently had a baby and am thinking about opening an RESP to save for his education. Is this the best way to invest my money? Is there a chance of losing money this way? |
Is an RESP the best investment option for my child? |
I don't know how much I should put into an RESP for my son. I have $1000 to start and plan to put $100 / month into it. Will this be enough to pay for university when he turns 18? |
How much is University projected to cost in 18 yrs? |
I am a teacher and automatically contribute into the Teacher's Pension Plan every paycheque. This pension plan is considered to be one of the best in the country. Do I need to have an RRSP as well? Should I be putting extra money away every month for retirement? |
Should I have an RRSP on top of a pension? |
How much is university projected to cost in Canadda in 18 years? |
For online applications such as Mint and Quicken (online), to automatically update your accounts, they'll always ask you to enter your login info to your banking and/or investment accounts.
Do you trust giving out these types of personal information, how do you know you can trust them?
<hr />
***Moderator's note... |
Online personal finance applications like Mint.com and Quicken Online: Do you trust them? |
How much is university projected to cost in Canada in 18 years? |
What type of investments should be in a TFSA, given its tax-free growth and withdrawal benefits? |
How can a 529 plan help me save for my child's college education? |
Is an RESP the best investment option for my young child? |
Is the answer to this different if I choose to leave, versus if my employment is terminated? Are the funds my employer contributes towards my pension fund treated differently than the ones I contributed myself? |
If I have a pension with my employer and then leave, is the pension mine to take with me? |
What are the advantages and disadvantages of leasing out a property or part of a property (such as a basement apartment)? |
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