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The Two Versions of Retiring at 68
When I was putting together last week's webinar, there was one stat that I came across that I found particularly interesting: the average retirement age for self-employed Canadians is 68 compared to 64 for the average Canadian worker.
Are You Building Wealth?
Think back to the last time you meant to move some money into your RRSP or TFSA. Maybe it was earlier this year, maybe it was last year. You were going to do it once things slowed down a bit, once you had a clearer picture of how the year was shaping up, once you knew what you could actually afford to set aside.
When Taxes Stop Being Scary
Because here’s the thing: the goal isn’t only to file your taxes. It’s to get to the point where not only do you stop feeling anxious about taxes but you actually feel confident that you’re doing everything right.
What a CRA Audit Really Looks Like
One of the biggest areas of anxiety, especially if you are self-employed or a small business owner, is that you will be audited by CRA and/or Revenue Quebec, even if you have done everything right.
Do You Know Your Numbers?
Recently, I had a consultation with a client who had been working with a bookkeeper. Despite paying a monthly fee for help, it quickly became clear that her books weren't giving her an accurate picture of her business. Transactions were oddly categorized, and balances she knew to be true e.g. her credit card balance were significantly different. She posed these questions to the bookkeeper but was told that everything was correct.
Why Is My Self-Employed Tax Bill So High??
The taxes you pay when you are self employed can be daunting. In this post, I share the reasons why the bill is so high and what you can do about it. I also share a video which shows you how much tax you pay at 3 different levels of self employment income.
Tax Season Is Officially Here
Tax season is officially underway. In this post I discuss what both individuals and small business/self employed owners need to do to be prepared.
T4s, T5s and Common Mistakes
A post about common mistakes made by accountants and small business owners when doing their T4s and T5s.
Your 2026 Tax Season Roadmap
For Canadian self employed/business owners, “tax season” isn’t just one date in April. It’s a series of deadlines that, for many of you, starts earlier. If you're incorporated, these deadlines are not limited to "tax season" but can occur throughout the year.
Tax changes for 2026 (with lots of numbers :))
In this post I highlight important tax changes for 2026 for both individuals and self employed/small business owners and their impact on your bottom line.
A Financial Reset for the Year Ahead
In my conversations with many of you, I often encounter some of these themes:
An ongoing worry about “doing something wrong” e.g. missing a deadline, filing incorrectly, or audits by CRA or Revenue Québec.
A feeling of being left to figure things out alone, especially after past experiences with unresponsive or ineffective professional help.
Frustration with tools like QuickBooks, where instead of feeling supported, you feel like you’re missing something obvious and second-guessing yourself.
Uncertainty about whether you are claiming everything you can and paying too much tax.
And, underlying this, there's a desire to feel like a business owner who understands their numbers, feels in control, and can make decisions confidently.
Reflections as We Close Out the Year
From irregular income to shiny object syndrome, these five year-end reflections highlight common money challenges facing solopreneurs and how to approach them with clarity.
Three Numbers for Financial Clarity
Whether you’re self-employed or not, these three simple numbers can bring clarity, reduce financial stress, and help you make smarter money decisions.
Your Top Year End Money Questions
It is hard to believe that we're so close to the end of 2025 (and coming up to tax season!). While the natural topic of interest at this time of year would be year end finance/tax tips, I have a video about that and I'm also doing a free workshop at YES Montreal in mid December (stay tuned for more details).
Good Debt vs Bad Debt
A young colleague of mine recently purchased a house. His mortgage payments are going to be less than the rent he is currently paying and he will now own an asset that will likely increase in value over time. However, despite these clear positives, he is feeling a psychological burden that is impacting his financial decisions.
What Makes a Membership Valuable?
As I’ve been building my own membership, I’ve been thinking a lot about what makes a membership valuable.
As I wrote in my blog post this week, we have seen a significant shift from paying for a service in one lump sum to a monthly (or annual) fee. This might simply seem like a revenue grab, but customers have also become much more savvy and selective. And there is a lot more competition.
The Joys (and Tax Benefits) of Moving
For those of you planning to move, I don't recommend it 😅
I recently moved and while I love my new place, it has been a challenging couple of months.
First, there is the time that it takes (pro tip: it is much longer than you think) to arrange everything, pack and make sure you are ready for the day. Then, there are all the decisions that you have to make. Should you keep those pants that you haven't worn in 5 years? Are you actually ever going to make a fondue? Do you really need all those instruction manuals that you have literally never looked at?
Next comes figuring out where everything is going to be stored in the new place. If you are moving into an older home, closet space is usually at a premium. So you hack storage solutions in an effort to empty a box and hope to figure it out later. (which of course means that you can't really find anything).
My (Late) Summer Reading Recs
I was recently invited to be on a podcast to talk about books that have had a significant influence on me and my business. Sadly, given the limited amount of time, I was only able to discuss a couple. I thought I would talk about them and some others here.
Do You Need an Accountant?
I frequently hear a similar sentiment from consultees who are also looking for accountants i.e. they want someone who can take away the friction and the stress that comes with tax obligations. This doesn’t seem like a big ask but the accountants they meet with often seem lacklustre or, worse, ghost them. The consequence? Their tax returns are late, the stress accumulates, and the overwhelm of it all leads to avoiding the problem altogether.
Your Mid-Year Business Finances Checklist
Many of us are in summer mode, contemplating vacations and staycations while procrastination seems to be rising at the same rate as the temperature. (insert groan here)
Finances tend to be the primary victim of summer indolence. So I've prepared a checklist (that you can also download) to help you stay on track .