“An ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure.” So said Benjamin Franklin, who didn’t have to live through 2020 and eat his way through 32 pounds of home-baked bread. But he was on to something. What he suggested was that we should deal with a problem by putting in a bit of time and planning upfront, instead of constantly ducking like we’re living in a real-life game of whack-a-mole.

Ben Franklin said, "Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn." When I found that quote I realized something: it sums up PenFinancial’s wealth advising nicely, especially for young investors. We offer a personalized education to empower you and help you achieve your dreams.

Investing: [verb] confusing process involving magic and midwifery, in which your money is swept away today with the hopes of producing more money in the future. See related terms: dreams, confusion, fees, retirement, and future.

The global pandemic has changed our lives. As we stay home and adjust our lives to suit our new physical and financial realities, many of us are wondering about our financial future. Every week I hear from Members asking important questions: What will happen to my investments? How can I plan for life after the COVID-19 crisis? The good news is you can plan for life after the pandemic.

As a kid, I thought that hitting a baseball would be easy. Until I tried to hit a curveball. I wanted that homerun. So I had to learn how to adapt to the ball that was thrown at me. Then I had to learn how to hit a fastball. With each pitch, I learned it wasn’t about just hitting a baseball, or avoiding being hit by that baseball! It was about hitting the baseballs I was thrown. And running the bases with all my heart.

The banking world is full of helpers and specialists. Member Services Representatives. Financial Services Specialists. Wealth Advisors. The list goes on. Who are these people and what do they do? Well, that depends where you go!

If your mortgage is coming due this year, you may be wondering how much of an impact the higher interest rates will have on your finances. 
 
While it’s true that your new mortgage rate may be higher than what you were paying before, it’s important to remember that there are ways to manage the higher payments and still maintain your overall financial goals. 
 
In this blog, let’s explore some steps you can take to overcome the potential of higher mortgage payments and make sure that you can still afford your mortgage and maintain your lifestyle as best as possible.

Remember back in the day? “But wait… there’s more! With only 10 easy payments of $19.99, you receive not one, but TWO snuggies!”

The idea of making small and easy payments after receiving an item was almost thought of as a bit of a joke or meme.

However, I recall a couple of years ago purchasing an iPhone on the Apple website. On the checkout page, I was surprised to see the option of paying it off in 4 equal monthly payments. No fees or interest, they said. Lately, I’ve started seeing this option on more and more websites: Wayfair, Amazon, Best Buy.

When it comes to personal finances, Canadians have a lot of choices. It can be overwhelming. While there are plenty of options to choose from, have you considered a credit union?

At PenFinancial, we know that retirement is both a goal and a destination. I meet many people that have planned for how to get to retirement, but have no idea what to do with their finances or their time when they get there. They struggle to answer when I ask what their plans are for retirement. Some say they’ll enjoy staying home every day. It may sound great for a while. Lounging in your robe and not having to deal with coworkers is great. But what happens when you start to go stir crazy? What happens when you want more from your retirement? Staying home every day isn’t as great when you don’t have enough money to do anything…or any idea of what you want to do.