Train Your Children About Money

bankruptcy studentTrain your children about money

I have noticed that people getting into financial difficulty seem to be getting younger than in prior years.  I hope that this is not just myself getting older.  It is an obligation that we have as parents to train our children to understand what it means to earn money and to not foolishly spend it.

Simply giving them an allowance is not good enough.  They should do something simple such as making their bed, cleaning the kitchen table after dinner or cutting the grass in order to earn the allowance.  The concept or work equals money is very important when training young children.  As they grow older and want to play organized sports, go to camp or go on trips, it is wise to have them get a part time job to pay a small portion of the cost.  If they are going to university, there are several months of time off in the summer to find  a part time job which teaches them about money, time management, discipline and much that will help them in school and their future job.  If you decide to introduce your children to a  credit card, consider having a very serious discussion about the credit card being for emergency use only.  The options are to give them their own low limit card (which often requires the parent to guarantee)  or to give them a duplicate card from the parent’s credit card.  The downside to the latter is that they can have access to the entire limit on your credit card.

As a parent, your duty is to properly train your children, have faith that they learned what you taught them and pray they do not abuse the freedom that they have as they grow older.

Contact Rumanek & Company Ltd. for more information on bankruptcy and debt solutions. Or please fill out the free bankruptcy evaluation form. To learn more please visit our YouTube Channel. Rumanek & Company have been helping individuals and families overcome debt for more than 25 years.  

Bankruptcy Story #109

BankruptcyBankruptcy Story #109

Alison and Patrick’s two children had grown up and moved out.  They were living comfortably with two modest incomes, a nest egg and a shrinking mortgage.  They had talked for years about starting a small business together.  Alison was a qualified therapist and Patrick would manage the business and keep his job part time.  They had worked out everything, the business plan was immaculate and the bank gave them a second mortgage to get started.  They set up a limited company and had to sign both property and equipment leases-these had personal guarantees attached to them.  The business started and everything was going well.

Two years later they signed all leases again, the business was almost running itself and Patrick was happy working his old job part time.  A month later a rival business moved in and the council changed all the local street parking to a half hour limit and strongly enforced it.  Their clientele decreased rapidly.  The business closed 4 months later, after they had used all their savings and sold their car.  The company went into liquidation, but there were still the personal guarantees totalling $128,000.  The equity in the property was used to pay creditors and left $39,000 owing that they were both liable for.  The stress took its toll, Alison went on the sick leave, Patrick managed to pick up good paying full time work but could not meet all the debts.

What could they have done?

Recognize the warning signs of why a bank would demand you personally guarantee a loan.  The business plan did not take into account competition and potential parking problems.

Contact Rumanek & Company Ltd. for more information on bankruptcy and debt solutions. Or please fill out the free bankruptcy evaluation form. Thank you. To learn more please visit our YouTube Channel.  Rumanek & Company have been helping individuals and families overcome debt for more than 25 years.

File your tax return! (Online)

File your tax return! (Online)tax

Fight the Fear…File your Income Tax and Benefit Return Online!

As mentioned in our two previous blogs on Income tax and Benefit Return, filing your taxes is a great start to organizing and understanding your financial life. Once you have filed your income tax and benefit return, you can begin to set financial goals, budget more easily and most importantly know where you stand financially. Your income tax and benefit return can be filed online at www.netfile.gc.ca. This is a step-by-step electronic tax-filing option that is safe and secure. Like anything new, it will be challenging at first but that is why you set aside time to work on your taxes. Because you are filing online you can save your work and return the following day to finish. You do not have to file electronically all in one day. To file online you need to follow the steps to filing which include:

  •  Organize all forms/records (get a plastic portable file folder to store all tax papers and receipts and label the file 2013)
  •  Download certified tax software (www.netfile.gc.ca)
  • Research your options, write down questions or concerns then use a help line or CRA website to find answers
  • Get started and refer to the links below if you have any questions about particular lines in your tax return
  • Call an e-Services Help desk line 1-800-714-7257 if you need extra help and answers
  • Send your Income Tax and Benefit Return to CRA & Save your confirmation number you receive

Income Tax and Benefit Return Helpful Links (Click on the links below for extra help)

Guide (General Income Tax and Benefit Return Manual)

Total Income Lines

Deductions Lines (Net income & Taxable Income)

Refund or Balance owing Lines

Federal Tax and Credits

Net Federal Tax (Schedule 1)

Federal Worksheet

Contact Rumanek & Company Ltd. for more information on bankruptcy and debt solutions. Or please fill out the free bankruptcy evaluation form. To learn more please visit our YouTube Channel. Rumanek & Company have been helping individuals and families overcome debt for more than 25 years.  

Credit Cards & Students

Credit Cards & StudentsCredit Cards & Students

Credit Cards & StudentsUniversity students will often receive unsolicited and/or pre-approved applications for credit cards. Perhaps financial institutions specifically target students to apply for credit cards? It is a tempting offer for someone on a tight budget who needs the extra cash for books, pub night or a pizza delivery. The cards usually have a low limit of about $1000.00 so it is not a “big deal.”

However, banks are not targeting students to be “nice”. They want to be the one of the few credit cards that you have in your wallet because after you graduate, and start your career, the card limit can be increased. In the meantime, financial institutions rely on students only making small or minimum monthly payments on balances. Not only do students usually only pay minimum payments, they also don’t usually think about the extra interest they are paying on top of the original balance. In other words, financial institutions make more money from minimum payments each month. Be cautious, look at the interest rate and look beyond the advertised low introductory rate.

We live in a “plastic society.” There is nothing wrong with having a credit card for emergencies and for large cash purchases. Just make sure that you stay financially responsible, pay off your monthly balance every month and use credit wisely. Be financially responsible now and you will reap the financial rewards in the future.

Stay Financially Savvy

Credit Cards & Students

Carl Rumanek CPA, CA*CIRP is a trustee in bankruptcy with Rumanek & Company Ltd.

Contact Rumanek & Company Ltd. for more information on bankruptcy and debt solutions. Or please fill out the free bankruptcy evaluation form. To learn more please visit our YouTube Channel. Rumanek & Company have been helping individuals and families overcome debt for more than 25 years.