The Scrivens Perspective - Spring 2019

Last Updated:
March 19, 2019
by
Peter Scrivens
Time to Read:
minutes

After a particularly long, tough Ottawa winter, we’ve earned this spring and all the pleasant perks that come with it: milder weather, budding trees, a break after another tax season.

For some of us, now is the time to start attending to cottages and other seasonal properties - and the financial and insurance obligations that come with them. Remember, at Scrivens we’re always here to help you deal with those details, so you can get on with enjoying the summer to come.

Technology has definitely made our lives much simpler over the past 10 years or so and some of this technology could even lead to discounts on your property insurance.

It's not just new technology that can have an impact, even older technology such as sump pumps, backwater valves, or even replacing your roof can help keep your property insurance coverage as accurate as possible.

In January, new distracted driving penalties came into force and Karen Spencer emphasizes these changes and what drivers can expect if convicted with a distracted driving charge. Our best advice is to "park your phone" while driving and focus on the road.

Income-splitting has been around for quite some time now but when was the last time you took a broad look at your income-splitting strategy? Ken Browness gives a great overview of some of the main strategies for splitting your income for tax purposes with a spouse, a minor child, and even an adult child.

Most people only think about purchasing life insurance for adults to help ease the burden of losing a loved one but Ken provides some great points about considering placing a permanent life insurance policy on your child. You can even access the value of the policy at various points in the child’s life, for example higher education.

Technology has definitely made our lives much simpler over the past 10 years or so but with new technology comes new risks. It is important that you (and your employees) understand the risks involved with a more-connected world. That’s why Ole Jensen has gathered some ways you can help secure those devices in your office.

More and more companies are becoming victims of cyber crime. We take a look at the trends and predict some of the top cyber predictions for the year.

Business interruption insurance can help keep your company going in the event of an interruption in your business’ operations. You can learn about some of the benefits of business interruption insurance on the reverse of this newsletter.

Remember, you can always keep in touch with us on social media or visit our office. We'd love to hear from you!