Category Advocacy
Tax system is not just ‘loony’; to snowbirds it’s outrageous
“Tax system is not just ‘loony’; to snowbirds it’s outrageous”, Letter to Editor of Palm Beach Post, March 10, 2007
“Jack Mintz: Beware of the super pension fund” -NOT
“Jack Mintz: Beware of the super pension fund” -NOT Jack Mintz is wrong on each and every point in his above titled article in April 21st FP! NOT “immediate need is to soften insolvency regulations to reduce pressures on cash-constrained companies”; the need is to secure the obligations made to millions of Canadian pensioners. These […]
New Ontario pension windup flexibility is great but must include ‘self-administration’ option
New Ontario pension windup flexibility is great but must include ‘self-administration’ option It is wonderful to read that Ontario Finance Minister Duncan decided to broaden the available options upon pension wind-up, rather than forcing pensioners into an annuity. The Nortel pensioner group NRPC’s announcement in the context of the so called Financial Sponsorship Model-FSM (ominously) […]
Nortel Pensions-Bankruptcy
Nortel Pensions The past week was a sad and painful one not just for pensioners, but for all current and past employees of the company. Retired pensioners tend to be older and mostly out of the work-force and would likely be especially hard hit by any reduction to their pensions. For many it would be […]
Ontario Expert Commission on Pensions Commissioner Arthurs’ report “an iron fist in a velvet glove”
Ontario Expert Commission on Pensions Commissioner Arthurs’ report “an iron fist in a velvet glove” I finished reading last night the Ontario Expert Commission on Pensions Commissioner Arthurs’ report “A Fine Balance- Safe Pensions, Affordable Plans and Fair Rules” Reading the title of the report I got worried about its content, however when I finished […]
Nortel seeks legal advice on exploring bankruptcy
Nortel seeks legal advice on exploring bankruptcy This is a sad day for current and ex-Nortel employees. The implication on pension plan members is difficult to determine as yet, but those who have read my earlier blogs on pensions may have a sense on the possible outcomes. A CAW note on potential pension outcomes in […]
Pensions Advocacy
Pensions Advocacy Pensioners without a fully indexed government guaranteed pension plan are exposed to numerous problems, beside the corrosive effect of inflation over a lengthy retirement and the rapid disappearance of DB pension plans in general. Some of these exposures relate to pension rules or lack of them, that may have been appropriate when introduced, […]
Longevity Insurance- What does it buy you?
Longevity Insurance- What does it buy you? As mentioned often, retirees are exposed to three major risks: (1) longevity risk, (2) inflation risk and (3) market risk. In many ways these three risks are intertwined and they all lead to the possibility of running out of money and/or significantly reduced standard of living before […]
Ups and Downs since Black Tuesday
Ups and Downs since Black Tuesday Florida’s Taxation and Budget Reform Committee (TBRC) is empowered to place proposals/Amendments to be voted on by Florida’s taxpayers at November’s ballot. The TBRC passed a proposal to replace the school portion ($8B) of property taxes with a 1% increase in sales tax (about $4B), and the shortfall to […]
Black Tuesday in Florida!
Black Tuesday in Florida! This morning (February 1, 2008) the Miami Herald trumpets that “Crist Budget May Lead to Tax Hike” . Was it not only last Tuesday that Governor Crist (you know the one who promised Floridians that taxes and insurance will drop like a rock) promised that a YES on Amendment 1 will […]
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