Personal Finance For Canadians For Dummies

Gain financial literacy and get expert advice—tailor made for the provinces Personal Finance For Canadians For Dummies is a comprehensive guide and reference that helps you get smart about money, taking unique Canadian laws and opportunities into account. The clear, jargon-free explanations in this book will lead you to financial savvy. Understand how your earnings inform your budget, when to spend vs when to borrow, how to invest wisely, and how to protect your assets. You’ll also learn best practices for managing your money with an eye toward Canadian tax laws, retirement plans, education savings, and pension plans. With the sound advice you’ll find inside, you’ll soon see your loonies turn into toonies! Improve your financial literacy and establish realistic goals Reduce your spending, set a budget, save for the future, and manage debt Minimize your tax bill and work out the differences among retirement and savings plans Invest in stocks or real estate to protect and grow your assets in the long term This is the perfect Dummies guide for Canadians looking for advice on how to best manage their finances.

Introduction 1 Part 1: Getting Started with Personal Finance 5 Chapter 1: Embracing Financial Literacy 7 Chapter 2: Establishing a Financial Foundation 19 Chapter 3: Measuring Your Financial Health 29 Chapter 4: Establishing and Achieving Financial Goals 47 Part 2: Spending Less, Saving More 81 Chapter 5: Managing Where Your Money Goes 83 Chapter 6: Dealing with Debt 93 Chapter 7: Reducing Your Spending 111 Chapter 8: Trimming Your Taxes 145 Chapter 9: Making the Most of Registered Retirement Savings Plans 179 Part 3: Building Wealth through Investing 199 Chapter 10: Considering Important Investment Concepts 201 Chapter 11: Understanding Your Investment Choices 229 Chapter 12: Investing in Funds 251 Chapter 13: Investing in RRSPs and Retirement Plans 269 Chapter 14: Investing Outside Tax-Sheltered Retirement Plans 287 Chapter 15: Investing for Educational Expenses 307 Chapter 16: Investing in Real Estate: Your Home and Beyond 327 Part 4: Insurance: Protecting What You Have 365 Chapter 17: Insurance: Getting What You Need at the Best Price 367 Chapter 18: Insurance on You: Life, Disability, Long-Term Care, and Medical 381 Chapter 19: Covering Your Assets 399 Part 5: Where to Go for More Help 419 Chapter 20: Working with Financial Planners 421 Chapter 21: Using Technology to Manage Your Money 437 Part 6: The Part of Tens 451 Chapter 22: Survival Guide for Ten Life Changes 453 Chapter 23: Ten Tactics to Thwart Identity Theft and Fraud 467 Index 473