By Sheryl Smolkin

In our eternal quest to link you to the best in personal finance blogging, once again this week we combed the web looking for great stories that will incent you to watch your nickels and save more for retirement.

On Boomer & Echo, Robb Engen discusses his experience  Breaking Subconscious Money Habits. Something as simple as eating weekend breakfasts at home instead of at Tim Hortons saved his family over $500/year.

Sarah Milton writes on Retire Happy about how Impulsive spending can derail your finances. While it may be tempting to buy something on sale because it’s a bargain, it’s only a bargain if you need the item and will use it within a reasonable period of time.

Automated arrangements where money comes out of your account to pay bills or amounts are regularly charged to your credit card are a great idea until something goes wrong and you don’t catch the error. That’s why Mr. CBB on Canadian Budget Binder says it is essential to review automated bill payments every month. That way you can discover and rectify inadvertent overbilling, duplicate bills or amounts incorrectly charged to your account.

If you really want to decrease the amount of income tax you have to pay, Big Cajun Man, Alan Whitton tries the idea Work Less and Pay Less Tax on for size. He says he’d rather take an extra 10 weeks of vacation off than go down to a four or three day work week, because he probably would have to do the same amount of work in a shorter period of time. Nevertheless, rather than working less, he would be more inclined to try to earn more money, so the tax hike didn’t hurt as much

And finally, Dan on Our Big Fat Wallet discussed what everyone loves to hate – bank fees. In I Hate Bank Fees, So I Bought the Banks he admits being frustrated by all of the bank charges he pays each month. So he decided to buy bank stock. The big 5 Canadian banks have had stellar capital gains and paid great dividends over the last five years.

Do you follow blogs with terrific ideas for saving money that haven’t been mentioned in our weekly “Best from the blogosphere. Share the information with us on http://wp.me/P1YR2T-JR and your name will be entered in a quarterly draw for a gift card.

By Sheryl Smolkin

 

When a family splits up, pensions accrued by one or both spouses (including the Canada Pension Plan) and the family home may be the most valuable family assets. This blog discusses the Saskatchewan rules for pension credit-splitting of non-government pensions.

If both partners live in Saskatchewan their pensions (including the balance in their Saskatchewan Pension Plan) form part of family property. The Family Property Act establishes as a general rule that each legally married spouse, common-law spouse and same-sex spouse is entitled to an equal share of their family property, subject to various exceptions, exemptions and equitable considerations set out in the legislation. For example, property acquired before the commencement of the relationship is exempt from distribution.

The court may divide the family property or may order that one spouse pay the other spouse enough money to equalize their shares. Alternatively, the spouses may make an agreement about how to divide their property. The agreement will be binding if it is in writing and each spouse has received independent legal advice.  If a member has named the soon to be former spouse as a beneficiary, that person will continue to be the beneficiary unless the member files a change with the plan.

Under the Saskatchewan Pension Benefits Act, pensions can be divided in a number of ways:¹

• If the member of a defined benefit (DB) pension plan is not yet receiving a pension and is not eligible for an unreduced benefit, the other spouse can have a lump sum transferred from the plan to a locked-in retirement vehicle like a locked-in registered retirement savings plan or another registered pension plan. The lump sum is calculated by assuming the member terminates membership in the pension plan. This calculation typically results in a very low value for the pension (ignoring possible early retirement benefits, future increases, etc.).²
• If the member of a DB pension plan is not yet receiving a pension and is eligible for an unreduced benefit, the non-member spouse can either take an immediate lump sum transfer (see 1 above) or he/she can defer the division and the non-member can also receive a pension when the member retires.
• If the plan member spouse is receiving benefits from a DB plan or an annuity from the SPP, the non-member spouse will receive his/her portion of the pension payment directly from the administrator. By default this pension is only paid in accordance with the form of pension elected by the member at retirement (i.e. life only, joint and survivor benefit) and therefore may not continue after the member’s death. However, the plan has the option of converting the spouse’s share to a pension payable on his/her life (not all plans offer this option). In addition, the plan may offer the non-member spouse the option to take his/her portion as a lump sum.
• RRSPs (both locked-in and not locked-in) and defined contribution (DC) pension plans (including the Saskatchewan Pension Plan) do not need to be valued on marriage breakdown.

This is because, unlike with a DB plan, RRSPs and DC pensions are simply tax-deferred investment accounts and so the value at any point in time is equal to the account balance. For this reason, a valuation is not necessary to determine the pre-tax value for these assets.

However, in many cases, a proper income tax adjustment should be calculated. For more details on the reason for the income tax adjustment, see the question ‘Does the value of a pension have to be adjusted to reflect income tax?’ pension valuation frequently asked questions on the BCH Actuarial Services Inc. website.

Locked-in DC plan balances are subject to the same transfer restrictions as lump sum transfers from a DB plan described in 1 and 2 above.

During separation or divorce, either you or your spouse can transfer existing RRSPs to the other, without being subject to tax, provided that:

• You are living apart when property and assets are settled; and
• You have a written separation agreement or a court order.

Note that federally regulated pension plans (i.e. banks, airlines, rail) may not divide the pension in the same manner as mentioned above and may only allow the division options available under the federal Pension Benefits Standards Act.

Under the federal Pension Benefits Standards Act, up to 100% of the benefits earned during the relationship can be assigned to the spouse. If a portion of the member’s pension benefits are assigned to the spouse, the non-member spouse is deemed to have been a member of the pension plan and have terminated their membership in the plan.

Most federal pension plans have established administrative policies as to how the non-member spouse can receive their share of the pension, however, typically they will have the choice of an immediate lump sum transfer or a deferred pension in the plan if the member is not retired and they will receive a pension from the plan if the member is retired  (the plan may offer a lump sum option and they may convert the spouse’s pension to one payable for their lifetime). For more information, click here.

Federal government pensions are divided in accordance with Pension Benefits Division Act which only allows an immediate lump sum transfer from the pension plan to the non-member spouse. For more information, click here.

^1. This blog is based in part on information provided on the website of BCH Actuarial Services Inc. and the material is reprinted with permission. In all cases of marriage breakdown you should consult with a family lawyer and/or an independent actuary who will advise you regarding the laws and actuarial valuations that apply to your situation.

^2. A division of a pension on marriage breakdown must not reduce the member’s commuted value to less than 50% of the member’s commuted value prior to the division.

By Sheryl Smolkin

This week there were several interesting blogs about life insurance I’d like to share with you.

On Brighter Life, Kevin Press discusses Understanding life insurance. First of all he gives basic information regarding term, permanent and universal health insurance. But for Kevin, the question was never “term or permanent.” It was, “How much term and how much permanent?”

Robb Engen from Boomer & Echo outlines The 4 Best Strategies for Successful Life Insurance Applications including preliminary inquiries, multiple applications, a covering letter and an insurance broker who is knowledgeable and up to date.

In a Toronto Star column I wrote about Eight red flags when you apply for life insurance. If your application reveals you have or had a serious or life-threatening illness the insurer may charge you higher premiums or postpone coverage for specific conditions until you can show the condition has stabilized. Or, the insurer may refuse to cover you. However, you still may be a good candidate for a “simplified issue” policy.

In an archived article Retire Happy blogger Jim Yih tackles the question, Do you need life insurance in retirement? Several of the situations where he says life insurance makes sense for retirees are to:

• Pay off debt
• Cover taxes at death
• Cover final expenses like funeral expenses
• Provide income for dependants
• Leave a larger estate
• Equalize your estate
• Business continuation
• Provide for charities

And finally this week, thanks go to Dan on Our Big Fat Wallet who introduced his readers to The Secret Pension Plan: Saskatchewan Pension Plan. He gives a great summary of the main features of the program.

He says the Saskatchewan Pension Plan is great for anyone looking to invest but not quite comfortable with DIY investing. It’s also useful for the self-employed who have no desire to handle their own investments. The costs of the plan are low and they offer lots of flexibility. You can also get potentially-lucrative cash back rewards for all contributions if you make them on your credit card.

Many employers also offer this easy-to-administer pension plans as an employee benefit. You can get more information on the Saskatchewan Pension Plan here.

Do you follow blogs with terrific ideas for saving money that haven’t been mentioned in our weekly “Best from the blogosphere. Share the information with us on http://wp.me/P1YR2T-JR and your name will be entered in a quarterly draw for a gift card.

By Sheryl Smolkin

Kevin O’Leary is one of North America’s most successful entrepreneurs, as well as a star of CBC’s Dragon’s Den and ABC’s Shark Tank (where he will appear exclusively next season). He has co-founded, funded and sold numerous companies in a wide range of industries. Kevin is currently the Chairman of O’Leary Funds, a billion dollar mutual fund and O’Leary Mortgages. He also co-hosts CBC’s The Lang and O’Leary exchange.

In his most recent book “Cold Hard Truth on Family, Kids and Money,” O’Leary takes a life cycle approach to decisions creating a financial family dynasty. Unlike most of the books we have reviewed in this space, the focus is less on the precise details of budgeting or saving money and more how to choose a mate, build a long-lasting marriage and pass on good financial skills to your children.

He starts by describing his mother’s second marriage which lasted 46 years because it was based not just on love, but on shared personal and financial values. He says, “Marriage is like a pizza pie, where love is only one slice.” Therefore, he firmly believes couples should date for at least three years to really get to know each other before marriage.

He also recommends that couples complete individual “financial due diligence” work sheets before sealing the deal. This comprehensive questionnaire covers educational background, employment history, personal debt and any criminal history.

O’Leary acknowledges that this may not seem very romantic. However he says there is nothing that will kill the romance faster than finding out after the wedding when you apply for a mortgage that your partner is deeply in debt and has a terrible credit history.

Not surprisingly, he also believes the reason many arranged marriages work out is because before setting up a first date a good matchmaker will consider the couple’s temperament, education, personal values and attitudes towards money.

When it comes to the kids, O’Leary says the most important thing you can give them is your time. But an early MBA (money and banking awareness) comes a close second. Every financial interaction with your child is an opportunity to teach by example whether you are buying groceries or visiting your investment advisor.

Because financially illiterate children turn into financially illiterate adults, he encourages parents to teach them the basics at home from a very early age. “There’s no need to make lessons too complex for kids. Don’t spend too much. Mostly save. Always invest. These are the building blocks,” he says.

Always an entrepreneur, O’Leary is a big fan of the wealth that family businesses can create. But he uses anecdotal examples to illustrate the money mistakes you can make in a family business and the fixes. For example, he says don’t be in a rush. It’s better to do your research first and produce a quality product. And if the business doesn’t make money in three years, he advises you to cut your losses and move on. It’s a hobby not a business.

Finally, he confronts head on some tough issues like the financial implications of a divorce and the high cost of retirement homes and long-term care. He is an unabashed advocate for the purchase of long-term care insurance.

The book covers a lot of territory and in some sections it feels like a series of individual essays rather than a cohesive whole. Even if you do not fully agree with every aspect of O’Leary’s business-like approach to love and money, you are bound to find some good ideas to apply to your own family and finances in this 262-page book.

You can buy Cold Hard Truth on Family, Kids and Money online from Indigo. The paperback costs $11.47 and the Kobo version sells for $12.99.

By Sheryl Smolkin

A couple of travel-related stories caught my eye this week.

• RewardsCanada offers 5 Tips to Avoid or Mitigate Fuel Surcharges on Award Tickets. Did you know that Air Canada partners like United, Air China, Brussels Airlines, EgyptAir, Ethiopian, EVA Air, Scandinavian, Singapore, Swiss and Turkish Airways have much lower fuel surcharges?
• 3 Ways to Get Cheap Accommodation When Travelling is featured on When Life Gives You Lemons Add Vodka. Couchsurfiing, housesitting, AirBnB and tents are all possible (if not always practical) options.

If you have a spring or summer wedding on the horizon, find out Why a marriage contract may be right for you. It may not sound romantic, but drawing up a pre-nuptial agreement with your future spouse could save you a lot of grief later on, particularly if both of you are bringing significant assets into a second marriage.

In Retirement do’s and don’ts on the Canadian Personal Finance Blog, Big Cajun Man says make sure you have enough money to retire on, because if you don’t, you aren’t retired, you are destitute. To avoid that undesirable outcome, he recommends taking care of your health, not supporting your adult children and clearing your debts before you retire.

And finally, Krystal Lee has introduced us to her brand of frugality on Give me back my five bucks. But when it comes to fitness, she finally shelled out $100 for the Fitbit Flex and posted a review of the fitness tracking device. She likes the iPhone app, the sleep tracker and the silent alarm. She also says it is easy to use and set up. But she finds the step count to be inaccurate at times and says the calorie counter is a bit annoying.

Do you follow blogs with terrific ideas for saving money that haven’t been mentioned in our weekly “Best from the blogosphere. Share the information with us on http://wp.me/P1YR2T-JR and your name will be entered in a quarterly draw for a gift card.

By Sheryl Smolkin

Cleaning closets and taking out the garage are not my idea of a good time. In fact some years I realize it’s July and our collection of snow boots is still sitting in the front hall.

But this year the clutter really started to get to me. And the fact that my son is moving from Vancouver to Toronto and will be living with us for several months was added incentive for finding ways to free up storage space.

If you need a good reason for overcoming inertia and getting your spring cleaning done, think about how many ways you can save money by doing a complete purge.

1. Time is money: How much time have you spent lately looking for your favourite pair of black pants or the warranty on the TV that suddenly stopped working? Going through drawers and cupboards and reorganizing them will jog your memory and save you hours looking for things when time is at a premium.
2. Space: Filing space in my office is limited. I thought about getting another filing cabinet but that could cost me over $100 and I’d have to get rid of the comfy couch to make room. By cleaning out my work files I was able to free up enough space for another year.
3. Find stuff: This winter has been interminable. At the end of February my black purse clearly needed to be replaced. When I was rooting through my bedroom closet I found that at the same time I bought the black Sportsac that is in tatters, I also bought a silver grey one. Therefore I didn’t need to spend time and money shopping for a new bag.
4. Preserve what you have: Winter coats and boots that sit in the closet from one season to the next without being cleaned may look so shabby by the next fall that the only option is to go shopping for new stuff. By washing or dry cleaning winter gear and polishing winter boots before storing them, you will extend their wear and avoid having to replace them as often.
5. Charitable donations: You hire people to shovel snow or cut the grass because you are too busy or you are no longer physically able to do these chores. Yet you have a snow blower and a lawn mower taking up space in your garage. Some organizations will issue an official tax receipt for the fair market value of a non-cash “gift in kind.”
6. Sell stuff: One person’s trash is another person’s treasure. You can sell everything from children’s toys to gently worn clothes to the yogurt maker you never use at a garage sale or online. Few of us will unearth a Van Gogh and make millions but every little bit helps.
7. Anticipate costly repairs: A minor crack inthe foundation this year could result in a flooded basement next year. Dead batteries in smoke or carbon monoxide detectors could put your family’s health and safety at risk. A good spring cleaning can uncover inexpensive fixes you can do now to save big bucks down the road.
8. Increase house value: If you are trying to sell your home you have the ultimate incentive to de-clutter and do repairs. Everyone knows someone who had their house “staged” and sold it in a few days for more than the asking price. Your house will sell faster and prospective buyers will pay more if it appears to be spacious, well-kept and move-in ready.

Do you have any ideas for saving money? Share your money saving tips with us at http://wp.me/P1YR2T-JR and your name will be entered in a quarterly draw for a gift card. And remember to put a dollar in the retirement savings jar every time you use one of our money-saving ideas.

By Sheryl Smolkin

This week the country mourned the untimely death of Jim Flaherty, the former federal finance minister. In Goodbye Jim, Canadian Dream Free at 45 blogger Tim Stobbs says the most important lesson he learned from Flaherty is “life is short, so don’t spend all your time working.” 

With the deadline for filing 2013 income tax returns extended to May 5^th because of temporary system shutdowns due to the Heartbleed software bug, procrastinators have several more days this week to delay the inevitable.

However, there are some cases where it may be a good idea to defer taking tax deductions you are entitled to this year to a later year. In the blog Taxes: When it Pays to Procrastinate or Defer on Young and Thrifty we learn that you will get more “bang for your buck” on your RRSP deduction if you contribute this year but do not take the deduction until a later year when you are in a highrt income bracket. The same goes for your educational tax credits.

Financial Procrastination can also result in making bad financial decisions, says Dave on Canadian Dream Free at 45. For example, he recently accepted the first house and car insurance package offered to him, instead of making the time to shop around (a serious personal finance no-no).

For many people, the reason to scrimp and save during their working life is to leave a legacy for their children. But on Boomer & Echo, Marie Engen says if you have sufficient money to Leave A Legacy Before The Will Is Read, consider giving your children a financial boost when you are still alive to see them enjoy it. Helping with a down payment on a house, funding RESPs for your grandchildren and family vacations can be very gratifying.

Finally, Squawkfox questions Repair or replace: When does it make sense to mend the threads you’ve got? She says it depends whether the item is busted or just worn out. It costs $50 to repair the heel and sole her eight year old blue Fluevog boots instead of $350 to replace them so she opts for the repair. But she regretfully acknowledges that even good quality items won’t last forever.

Do you follow blogs with terrific ideas for saving money that haven’t been mentioned in our weekly “Best from the blogosphere. Share the information with us on http://wp.me/P1YR2T-JR and your name will be entered in a quarterly draw for a gift card.

By Sheryl Smolkin

 

Hi,

Today we are continuing with the 2014 savewithSPP.com series of podcast interviews with personal finance bloggers. I’m talking to Krystal Yee who blogs on “Give me back my five bucks” and the “Frugal Wanderer.”

With over eight years of professional experience in marketing, communications, and writing, her career has spanned a variety of different industries. From ghost writing in the provincial government, event coordinating for a professional hockey team, to marketing cold water survival gear – she’s done just about everything.

In 2012 Krystal lived in Stuttgart, Germany. There, she worked remotely for clients such as the Toronto Star (moneyville.ca), Canadian Living, and Flare Magazine. In her spare time, she loves travelling, hiking, tweeting, and analyzing baseball statistics.

Hi Krystal. Thanks for joining me today.

Thanks for having me.

Q: When and why did you start your blog “givemebackmyfivebucks”?
A: Well, I started that blog back in February 2007, because I was finding it hard to relate to my friends in real life about the money issues I was having. I was uncomfortable bringing up a topic that, at the time, seemed really personal.

So once I found that personal finance blogs existed, I became really inspired and motivated, knowing there are other people out there like me who wanted to change their lives. That was the reason why I started my own blog.

Q: Seven years ago you had over $20,000 in student debt and no money. Now, you are a debt free homeowner. How did you do it?
A: It was a lot of hard work and sacrifice, but I knew that I needed a life change. And I decided not to hide from my debt any longer, and that was really, really scary. The first thing I did was calculate how much I owed. I gave myself one year to get out of debt. So I started building budgets, saving money any way I could, and increasing my income. And actually attacking my debt from all of those angles helped to speed up the process.

Q: What are some of the mistakes you think that you made along the way before you got on your debt repayment plan, and what would you do differently if you had it to just do all over again?
A: I think one of my biggest mistakes was not creating a realistic budget. I wanted to get where I wanted to be as fast as possible, but I didn’t take into account how unsustainable that would be. After taking that year to get out of debt, I thought I could keep up with this bare bones budget to save money faster but I started to get really tired of what I perceived as constant deprivation.

As a result I found that I was rebelling against myself and my goals, and that was a really strange feeling. It actually took me a few months to realize what was actually realistic in the long term. And even today, I really have to question the budgets I make for myself and the goals I’m settings, just to make sure they satisfy the saver in me, but it also lets me live the kind of lifestyle that I want.

Q: Now, in “givemebackmyfivebucks,” you discuss your financial goals, your successes and failures. You put up weekly and monthly budgets. That’s really baring your soul. What reaction have you had from family and friends and your readers?
A: Well, for the first few years I started my blog, I was actually anonymous, so I felt safe. I was scared of what my family and friends would say about how much I was sharing on the internet, but once I actually started writing for The Toronto Star’s website moneyville.ca, I realized that speaking frankly and opening myself up, was really empowering.

Q: In 2012, you moved to a very small apartment in Stuttgart and worked remote. What were some of the challenges you faced and how did you overcome them?
A: It was really liberating moving to Germany and working for myself. You know, everyone dreams about quitting the 9-to-5 routine and becoming your own boss. I imagined sitting in European cafes all day long people watching and writing for clients. While I did that almost every day, because of the time zone difference, I also had to work a lot of late nights since my clients were all in North America. It was a really big adjustment for me.

But I think the biggest challenge was the isolation. Not only was I in a country where everyone spoke a different language, but working for myself. So when I moved back to Vancouver, I went back to a corporate job because I needed that daily interaction with other people.

Q: You love to travel and you manage to travel economically. You write about your experiences on the “frugalwanderer.” What has been your favorite trip to date?
A: Oh, my favorite trip was the one I took in November 2013 to Morocco. It was a mix of the people and the landscape and the food that made it so exciting. And I never thought I’d get the opportunity to travel to Africa, sleep under the stars in the Sahara, drink tea in Marrakesh or go hiking in the mountains. It was fantastic. And once I took the time to budget out how much everything costs and how I could save money on the trip, it quickly became a reality.

Q: How many hits do you typically get when you post a blog?
A: Well, it really varies depending what the content is and whether other websites pick up the blog posts. If it’s just my traffic on a daily basis, you know, it can be anywhere from 2,000 to 5,000 visitors a day. When I get picked up by another website, it can go up to 10,000 visitors a day or higher.

Q: What have some of the most popular blogs been?
A: Surprisingly, over the last seven years, my most popular posts have been about how to upgrade ramen soup to make it taste better and how much you’ll need to save up in order to move out of your parents’ house the first time.

Q: Oh, that’s interesting.
A: Other popular posts have been a comparison of prices at Target Canada to Target USA; what your net worth should be by the time you’re 30; and a post about the myth of having to travel when you’re young.

Q: What have some of the spin-offs from blogging been for you?
A: Having my blog has opened up a lot of doors for me that I never would have thought possible. What started out, essentially as an online diary to help me stay accountable for my goals has turned into this vehicle that I can actually use to make money and help people at the same time.

You know, through blogging, I’ve been offered writing contracts with moneyville.ca, The Toronto Star, Canadian Living, Flare Magazine, Metro News and other publications. I’ve spoken to the media on different topics and I get to partner with really fun companies at the same time. Recently I finished a campaign with H&R Block and I’m a regular Twitter contributor for RBC.

So I think that those kinds of partnerships make blogging fun and make it more interesting. In the future, I hope to continue blogging about my journey towards financial independence. And I really love how my hobby and what I’m passionate about has turned into a part-time job for me

Q: If you had one piece of advice for Canadians trying to get their finances in order, what would it be?
A: Oh wow, just one piece of advice. If you’ve never taken a good look at your finances, my advice would be to create a budget and stick to it. I mean, it’s fun to spend money. So we convince ourselves that it’s okay, because we have a better job around the corner, a bonus that will cover the shortfall, or because we think we deserve it.

But the truth is no matter how much money you make, there’s always going to be something you can’t afford. When I first started budgeting, I saw it as a restriction. It was a way to stop me from having fun. I didn’t understand that it was helping me manage my money, so that I could have even more fun with my life.

And by choosing where my money went and how I spent it, and by living below my means, I was creating a really stress-free lifestyle which I never had before, and a better future. So I think budgeting is the number one thing that I would tell people to do.

Thank you very much Krystal. It was a pleasure talking to you today.

My pleasure. Thank you.

—

This is an edited transcript of the podcast you can listen to by clicking on the graphic under the picture above. If you don’t already follow Give Me Back My Five Bucks and Frugal Wanderer, you can find them here and here. Subscribe to receive blog posts by e:mail as soon as they’re available.

By Sheryl Smolkin

If there are snow flurries as forecasted for this week, it’s probably all my fault because I took our winter coats to the dry cleaners this past weekend. But when the temperature goes up, the temptation to put away boots and down jackets for another year is irresistible.

Sometimes your financial accounts also need a spring cleaning. In Spring Financial Cleaning Big Cajun Man recounts how he cleaned up his Quicken data files removing redundant accounts so they give him a more realistic financial picture.

Jim Yih reminds us that investing and taxes go hand in hand, particularly outside of your RRSP. That’s because different forms of investment income can provide significant tax benefits.

In spite of the plethora of personal financial blogs and other sources of financial advice available to Canadians, Brighter Life editor Brenda Spierling reports on Brighter Life that Women lag behind in financial planning. Does this sound familiar? She suggests that you create a financial plan and open an automatic savings plan or payroll deduction plan as soon as possible.

This week Robb Engen on Brighter Life writes tongue-in-cheek about Bank Slogans And Taglines, Translated. For example, he says TD’s “Open earlier, open later. Even Sunday” really means, “We don’t care that most of you want to bank online. We’re going to make you come in and speak to an advisor so we can sell you more products  any time, day or night.”

Finally, after a foot injury in January, on Give me back my five bucks, Krystal Yee reports that she laced on her running shoes for the first time 75 days later and that she is determiend to run and blog her way back to top physical condition.

Do you follow blogs with terrific ideas for saving money that haven’t been mentioned in our weekly “Best from the blogosphere. Share the information with us on http://wp.me/P1YR2T-JR and your name will be entered in a quarterly draw for a gift card.

By Sheryl Smolkin

Making a will and getting our financial affairs in order is something we all know is important, but many of us never get around to it. Younger people in particular often feel they are invincible and that it is too soon to think about death and dying.

But people die as a result of illness or accidents at all ages. And where they have not done the necessary planning, spouses left behind may not have the money or information they need to pay the mortgage, support their children and move on with their lives.

“Managing Alone” is a self-published book by Manulife Certified Financial Planners Jennifer Black and Janet Baccarani (co-owners of Dedicated Financial Solutions). The authors use 10 fact scenarios to help both young and old widows and widowers in different situations coping on their own without the help and support of their partners.

The book is short (119 pages) and easy to read. The stories are based on actual situations encountered by Black and Baccarini while advising clients. Each chapter focuses on two or three critical financial issues for the widow or widower profiled. Only a few of the many topics covered are how to:

• Locate and access your deceased spouse’s assets.
• Claim government benefits available to widows/widowers and their children.
• Deal with final expenses and your spouse’s final tax return.
• Establish your own credit and financial identity and why this is important.
• Obtain the right insurance coverage at the lowest possible cost.
• Manage if your spouse did not leave a will.
• Get family affaris affairs in order when death of one spouse is imminent.

A story that should resonate with younger readers is about Kayla and Jacob, a couple in their 20s with three young children. When Jacob drowned on a fishing trip without a will, Kayla had no idea how to manage the family finances. To compound matters, all of Jacob’s bank accounts were frozen. The bank also refused to pay on the mortgage insurance policy because he had traces of alcohol in his blood at the time of death and was engaged in “a dangerous activity.”

This chapter discussed in detail how Kayla met with a financial planner who advised her to use the proceeds of Jacob’s small insurance policy to cover expenses until she could get a job. He also helped her to develop cash flow projections and cut back on expenses so she could get by without selling the house.

Several years later she remarried and her new husband adopted the children. As part of their financial planning, the couple opened joint bank accounts; switched the ownershp of Kayla’s house to joint ownership; made beneficiary designations on company pension and insurance plans; purchased life and disability insurance with named beneficiaries; and drafted wills and powers of attorney.

Another interesting scenario features Walter and Anna, a financially well-off couple in their 60s. Anna died suddenly of bacterial meningitis. Eventually Walter felt ready to meet a new companion again, but his family was concerned that unscrupulous potential partners may try to take advantage of a grieving spouse. Working with his lawyer, accountant and financial planner in consultation with his children, Walter set up a trust to protect the estate. This section clearly explains the different kinds of trusts and how to set them up. He also updated his will and powers of attorney.

At the end of every chapter, there is a work sheet where you can fill in points to think about that may apply to you and questions to ask your advisor.

In addition to the book, the authors have established the website widowed.ca, a free online resource for widows, widowers and their loved ones, providing an easy way to locate a wide variety of information and services needed after the loss of a cherished companion.

You can find articles, event notices, Q&As, discussion forums and links to government websites on this frequently updated and valuable resource.

I highly recommend this book for couples, the recently widowed and their family members. The website covers an added continuum of valuable information and networking opportunies. Information on purchasing a print or electronic copy of the book can be found here. The ebook for Kobo can also be purchased from Chapters/Indigo for $10.99.