Are You Ready To Deal With A Critical Illness?
Consider the following facts:
- 40% of Canadian women and 45% of men will develop cancer during their lifetime
- In 2005, cardiovascular disease (heart disease, diseases of the blood vessels and stroke) accounted for 31% of all deaths in Canada
Advances in medical science means that you have a better chance of surviving a critical illness. However, a critical illness often is accompanied by a huge financial burden to you and your family. Read more 
Five Financial Products You Should Own
By Brenda Spiering, Editor, BrighterLife.ca
You don’t need to be born with a silver spoon in your mouth to build wealth. With the right products, you can grow and protect a healthy nest egg.
Here are five key financial products that should be part of your plan:
1. Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP)
As soon as you begin your working life, you should have a registered retirement savings plan (RRSP). It’s one of the most tax effective ways to save for retirement. You’re allowed to contribute up to 18% of your earned income from the previous year to a maximum of $22,450 for 2011. (If you’re a member of a group pension plan, your contribution room is reduced by your “pension adjustment,” an amount you’ll find listed on your T4.)
Contributions are tax deductible, meaning you can net a tidy tax refund while building your savings. Plus, you can turbo charge your RRSP savings by putting that tax refund back into your RRSP as soon as you receive your cheque.
Graduation is the Perfect Time to Consider Disability Insurance
As this year’s graduates cross the stage they’re filled with dreams of their bright futures. Rightly so – they’ve worked hard to get to where they are. They’re thinking of their careers, their earning potential and getting started on this business of life.
Now’s also the right time to think about protecting that income earning potential against injury or illness. This is an excellent time for young professionals to consider disability insurance; here are just some of the reasons why:
- Rates are low because they’re young and healthy
- These rates are guaranteed for the duration of the plan on superior plans
- Some carriers offer discounted rates to new grads.
- Financial underwriting is a little more flexible since they don’t have a history of earnings.
- Options are available to increase benefit amounts as their earnings increase.
For a graduate, starting out on a brilliant career, this is just another step in the process of establishing that bright future. If you consider their earning potential, doesn’t it make sense to insure it at the best rate possible?
