In 2007, 2009, 2010 and then again in 2011, CGA-Canada set out to analyse the level of debt of Canadians, and to understand the extent to which the financial crisis and economic downturn worsened the financial situation of households, and whether the economic recovery have eased the financial...

Retirement planning is often seen as a tool that may assist individuals to successfully accumulate retirement capital. However, the low level of ‘customization’ of the general information on retirement planning may prompt some individuals to oversimplify their approach to retirement savings...

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are an important collective force in the Canadian economy, however the visibility and economic power of small businesses suffer due to their size and frequent turnover. When it comes to the issue of businesses being subject to occupational fraud, the...

Recognizing the importance of household wealth in the overall financial wellbeing of Canadians and the relative scarcity of the public policy dialogue that is centered unequivocally on wealth, this paper aims to critically examine households’ wealth position, their attitudes to the...

Motivated by a continuous debate on pension plan shortfalls and a concern for the long-term viability of defined benefit pension plans, CGA-Canada saw a fit to update its estimate of the standing of defined benefit pension plans presented in its 2004 report titled "Addressing the Pensions...

The purpose of this paper is to advance understanding of defined benefit pension plans in Canada by focusing on important questions related to the funding, accounting and policy aspects of management of defined benefit pension plans. As well, the paper aims to impart a reasonable estimate of the...

The Canadian population is aging more rapidly than ever before, and that trend has widespread implications for a number of different aspects of Canada's society. This paper explores the possible impact of an aging population on health systems, labour supply, intergenerational relationships, and...

In 2009, Canada's federal government introduced a new saving instrument for individuals – the Tax-Free Savings Account (TFSA). This paper reviews the TFSA focusing on how it may benefit individuals at different income levels. To that end, the paper presents advantages and disadvantages of the...

Recent studies show that Canadians are increasingly worried about their financial wellbeing at retirement and into the golden years. Counter-intuitive as it may seem however, the household savings rate continues to plunge as Canadians take on more and more debt. This paper analyzes the level of...

Increasing debt of Canadian households has been a subject of intense discussion for a good number of years. In the current economic situation, thought, the topic of household indebtedness is rapidly becoming a more critical area. This paper seeks to understand the extent to which the 2008...