Greg Brown offers investment and savings solutions for families

• Annuities

An annuity is like having your very own private pension plan.  In exchange for depositing a lump sum of money, account holders are guaranteed an income stream.  These income streams are guaranteed, so eliminate the risk out of outliving your cash.  Annuities can be structured to provide lifetime income, with or without guarantees.  Annuities eliminate the volatility of managing your own investments and the variability of market and investment fluctuations.  They can form the foundation for many retirement plans by protecting the downside risk for retirees.  Payments can be structured as monthly, quarterly, semi-annual or annual to match income needs.

• Segregated Funds

Segregated Funds are investment funds offered by insurance companies.  They are very similar to mutual funds in that they are a pool of funds invested by professional money managers.  Much like mutual funds, there is a wide variety of investment options from conservative investments like Treasury Bills and Bonds, Balanced funds, Equity Funds (Canadian and Foreign).  Offered by insurance companies also means segregated funds have a number of advantages not offered by mutual funds.  In most instances they are protected against creditors (great for business owners).  Segregated Funds have many guarantees which protect investors against market fluctuations of volatility investor rates of returns.  Segregated Funds also pass on to beneficiaries without being subject to estate taxes and probate fees resulting in significant estate tax savings and liquidity for beneficiaries.  Segregated Funds can be invested as regular savings, RRSP, TFSA, RESP.

• Registered Retirement Savings Plans (RRSP)

Registered Retirement Savings Plans (RRSP) allow individuals to build tax deferred retirement savings.  Contributions made until age 71 reduce taxable income and the income earned in a RRSP plan accumulate without tax.  Revenue Canada establishes the maximum annual allowable limits which continue to accrue.  Deposits must be redeemed at age 71 and can be converted to Registered Retirement Income Funds (RRIF) or Locked In Retirement Accounts (LIRA) which are taxed as income when withdrawn.  Allowable RRSP limits can be found on the Government of Canada Revenue website http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/tx/ndvdls/tpcs/rrsp-reer/cntrbtng/menu-eng.html Clients can hold many different investment options within an RRSP such as GIC’s, Bonds, Stocks, Mutual Funds, Segregated Funds.  RRSP are effective Tax Deferral investments that can reduce individual lifetime tax liabilities.

• Tax Free Savings Plans (TFSA)

Tax Free Savings Accounts are savings accounts that allow investments to accumulate with out tax.  All earnings within a TFSA such as interest, dividends, and capital gains, accumulate without tax.  TFSA contribution limits are established by the Government of Canada Revenue Agency and can be found at http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/tx/ndvdls/tpcs/tfsa-celi/cntrbtn-eng.html Unlike RRSP, TFSA contributions are not tax deductible for income tax purposes, nor are withdrawals (in most instances) taxed as income.  TFSA are a complementary investment strategy for RRSP and a great part of most investment plans.  Individuals can invest in a variety of investment options such as GIC, Bonds, Stocks, Mutual Funds, Segregated Funds, etc.

• Savings