Amanda Bassin, CPA, CA

Just Released... Success Leaves Clues: Ep196 with guest Suzanne Mason, CPA, CA, Co-Founder & COO at Sprout Family Suzanne Mason, Co-Founder & COO at Sprout Family, joins the podcast to discuss the importance of improving Canadians' access to fertility, surrogacy, and adoption care. She shares her personal experiences and reveals the gaps she and her co-founder identified in the market. They started Sprout, a virtual care platform that provides employees with information, experts and sponsored funds to help them navigate through their family-building journey with personalized education and advice. The conversation covers topics such as the challenges of accessing fertility care in Canada, the role of employers in providing family-building benefits, and the future goals of Sprout Family. "We started Sprout because we wanted to improve Canadians' access to fertility, surrogacy and adoption, regardless of their age, their gender, their sexual orientation." ~ Suzanne Mason Key Takeaways • Fertility care is separate from Canada's public healthcare system and can be expensive, leading to financial and emotional stress for individuals and couples. • Employers can play a significant role in supporting employees on their family-building journey by offering comprehensive benefits that cover fertility care and providing education and resources. • Proactive care and education about reproductive health can help individuals make informed decisions and take steps earlier in their family planning journey. • Sprout Family aims to expand internationally and become a go-to virtual care platform for family wellness, addressing various stages of the family journey. 🎧 🎙️Don't miss the Full Episode: https://lnkd.in/gkDmDd4d  Or subscribe to our YouTube Channel for more clips: https://lnkd.in/dMAxGdAC Brought to you by Aria Benefits and Life & Legacy Advisory Group Hosted by Robin Bailey and Alan McDonald #successleavesclues #podcast #fertility #employeebenefits #reproductivehealth #familybuilding

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Dive into the Canadian Physicians' Pension Plan and why it may be a game-changer for retirement planning. If you’re curious about the benefits of CPPP, or how it compares to other retirement savings options for medical professionals, this is a must-watch! 📽️ https://lnkd.in/gxP_KTR3 💼 Learn about: ▪️ How CPPP reduces tax burdens for physicians ▪️ The role of an accountant with CPPP ▪️ Why more physicians are choosing CPPP over other savings options #Physicians #RetirementPlanning #CPPP #FinancialPlanning #TaxEfficient

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Honored to have led a discussion at the HRMI conference yesterday on the growing issue of obesity in our workplaces. Right now, 63.1% of Canadian adults are classified as overweight or obese (StatsCan, 2019), and it’s not just a statistic. It’s a challenge that affects lives and has a real impact on businesses. We tackled some big questions: Should employers cover weight management drugs for all employees, or should access be more selective? How can we navigate the financial pressures of offering comprehensive drug coverage in Canada? How do we create sustainable benefits that balance affordability with inclusivity? Supporting employees in managing their weight isn’t just about now – it’s about helping them prevent chronic conditions down the road, from diabetes to heart disease to joint issues. A key takeaway that resonated with everyone in the room is that employers need to prioritize inclusivity in benefits plans. Tailoring these programs is essential if we want to meet the diverse needs of our workforce. The one-size-fits-all model just doesn’t cut it anymore. To everyone who joined the conversation – thank you. Let’s keep building workplaces that support the health and well-being of everyone on the team.

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Thank you Amy Altwerger for inviting me to Rosie's roadshow. You have developed an amazing platform to help Canadians as they age in so many areas from healthcare to mental health to finding purpose, the list goes on. I know Zael Miransky, CFP, President, CEO and I are glad to be on this mission with you. As we have an ever increasing amount of people transition to retirement. These are some common questions that we come across with pre-retirees: What do I want to do in retirement? (Travel? Family? Hobbies?) Do I help my kids financially now or later? Who is going to take care of me as I age? We believe that the most important thing for us to understand when working with people is their relationship and attitudes towards money. Financial security is not only having enough money but realizing how you can spend that money. A lot of this is outlined in a financial plan. If you are working with an advisor and don't have a financial plan, ask for one or find a new advisor. If you don't have an advisor or planner and are wondering what a financial plan looks like, we'd be happy to show you. Age is just a number! #financialplan #retirement #moneyattitudes

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I’m excited to share RBC’s refreshed approach to community investment, an evolution in how we partner with communities to help unlock solutions to drive positive impact. Through Ideas for People and Planet™, RBC, RBC Foundation and RBC Foundation USA are committing C$2 billion in community investments by 2035 to help address three of society’s most pressing challenges: the environmental crisis, a rapidly changing workforce, and growing inequalities.   Our approach is guided by three key ambitions: ·       Support the transition to a net-zero economy ·       Equip people with the skills for a thriving future ·       Drive more equitable opportunities for prosperity As Dave McKay, our President and CEO, said, “This investment reflects our commitment to driving positive change on societal challenges that threaten our collective prosperity.”   We know our community investment partners have the insights and ideas that can drive progress on societal challenges, and that is why investing in these organizations is critical. Our updated approach is designed to be flexible and responsive, supporting our community investment partners’ ideas that seed, scale and sustain solutions to help address the evolving needs of our communities.   Applications open on November 1, 2024, and I encourage charitable and not-for-profit organizations to explore our new funding criteria and share their ideas.   Let’s work together to help drive positive change. For more information, visit https://lnkd.in/gP6NCBHh.   #IdeasForPeopleAndPlanet #CommunityImpact #RBC

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Read below to find out about the CMHC changes.

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🎙Understanding the “Decumulation” Phase of Retirement, NEW! on the Moolala #personalfinance podcast: • How to make your retirement savings last. Eric Monteiro, Sun Life Canada SVP of Group Retirement Services, helps us understand the “decumulation” phase. • Then, a tool to help newcomers to Canada get approved to rent a home. Viler Lika, Founder and CEO of SingleKey, tells us how they help property managers access foreign credit histories. • And, how your mobile payment app may be making you overspend. Lilian Yuqian Xu, an assistant professor of Operations Management at the University of North Carolina, explains the data behind it. • Plus, financial literacy tips for post-secondary students with Benjamin Croitoru, Associate Finance Professor and resident personal finance expert at McGill University’s Desautels Faculty of Management. https://lnkd.in/gp42jz7S

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This article is further proof why Virtual Health is such a valued component of a well-thought Benefits Program. When it can take a week or more to see a Family Doctor (if you’re lucky enough to have one) in Ontario, the reassurance of being able to talk to a Canadian Family Physician or ER Doctor, within minutes, is a huge value add that employers can offer to employees and their families, for a minimal investment. Until the system gets fixed, Virtual Health can alleviate the pressures on ERs and WalkIn Clinics for the treatment of routine and some chronic conditions. #healthcare #virtualhealth #valuedbenefits #employeebenefits #benefitsspecialist

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I stand with the author, Kim Moody, on this one. The new capital gains inclusion rules are not only complex but also incomplete. Canadians need more time to digest and adapt to them. Policymakers should consider the broader impact on Canadian investors and the country itself. What are your thoughts? #capitalgains #taxpolicy

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Today, CMHC announced a policy update/Advice 253. I’ve summarized the most impactful policy changes below:   Update Qualifying Criteria for MLI Select - A maximum of 50 points can be scored via the energy efficiency category. - 20 points will be allocated for Level 1, 35 points for Level 2, and 50 points for Level 3 (from the current allocation of 30 points for Level 1, 50 points for Level 2, and 100 points for Level 3). Implementation and effective date: The above noted changes will be effective June 19, 2024, and will not apply to applications submitted before that date.   Equity Take-out Policy: Discontinued - CMHC is removing the special interim measures implemented in May 2020 limiting the use of insured refinance proceeds. Implementation and effective date: The above noted change will be effective immediately and applied to applications submitted prior to June 4, 2024, that are not yet approved. This change will not apply to previously approved applications.   Amortization Extension: -CMHC is extending the maximum amortization period at initiation for new construction market projects from 40 years to 50 years. Implementation and effective date: The above noted changes will be effective June 19, 2024, and will not apply to applications submitted prior to that date.   There are a number of other items included in Advice 253 but not enough characters in a LinkedIn post to include it all! If you're interested in discussing Advice 253, please feel free to reach out. I'm happy to discuss in greater detail.

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Did you know leading up to the pandemic (in 2016 to 2019), nearly 1 in 10 Canadian adults aged 20 to 79 (9%) had diabetes? 1% of Canadians aged 20 to 39 and almost one in five seniors aged 60 to 79 (18%) are affected! • Gender Differences: Men (10%) were slightly more likely to have diabetes than women (7%). • Awareness: Knowing one’s diabetes status is crucial for effective management. Approximately 81% of Canadians aged 20 to 79 who met the diagnosis criteria were aware of their condition. Awareness increased with age, ranging from 66% among those aged 20 to 39 to 88% among those aged 60 to 79. • Medication Use: Nearly three in four Canadians (72%) diagnosed with diabetes used medication to manage their condition. Medication use increased with age, from 61% for those aged 20 to 39 to 81% for those aged 60 to 79. • Blood Glucose Targets: About half of Canadians diagnosed with diabetes met optimal blood glucose targets, crucial for preventing complications. Remember, early detection, lifestyle changes, and proper management play a vital role in combating diabetes. Let’s prioritize our health! 🌟🩸🍎 Learn more about this topic on the Statistics Canada website: https://lnkd.in/gTREv5Q5 🧩#LennoxFinancialGroup #GroupBenefits #Retirement #Investments #Insurance #DiabetesAwareness #HealthManagement #CanadianHealth #HealthStatistics

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There has been a dramatic increase in health issues for Canadians, with 1 in 4 people identifying as having one or more disabilities. Learn how you can support your clients with disability planning and help them save for the future with Mackenzie RDSPs: https://ow.ly/HTQE30sI5rE

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I’m reflecting on the steady momentum behind the Call to Purpose. Nearly 200 organizations, including Libro, have stepped up to show that business can—and should—be a force for good. At Libro Credit Union, purpose is more than a value—it’s the heart of how we do business. Together with the Canadian Purpose Economy Project we’re working to redefine success beyond profit and build a better future for generations to come. The call is clear: let’s create an economy that works for everyone. I invite you to join us on this journey: https://lnkd.in/g56K4ryK #PurposeEconomy #PurposeInBusiness #CallToPurpose

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I’m excited to share insights from our new white paper, 'The Future of Wealth is Here.' Did you know that 86% of Canadian wealth management executives agree that streamlining and automating advisor workflows is a core priority? With the generational wealth transfer underway, this is even more apparent, driving the need to improve client engagement and increase productivity. One way to achieve this: AI. Explore additional strategies to thrive in this evolving landscape.

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The importance of being aware of health and wellness as one ages and keeping these insights top of mind when planning for the future is paramount to all Canadians. Awareness and understanding of the changing landscape of health and wellness will help people make decisions for healthier futures and ideally improve overall quality of life in later years. Learn more from Scotia Wealth Management. https://lnkd.in/gABc7xmh #halifax #novascotia #healthyaging

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