News
Did your disability costs just go up?
Posted on March 3rd, 2012
Client Memo
If your disability benefits are self -insured, you probably need to take action
Over the last decade there has been an inconsistency between the deductions of EI and CPP contributions for employer-provided disability benefits. Recent changes to the Canada Pension Act now offer a consistent basis for the deductions of EI and CPP contributions: employer-paid self-insured disability benefits are included as pensionable earnings for CPP. However, Bill C-13 does not distinguish between trusteed and non-trusteed plans…
Read more by clicking on the following link: http://www.pbiactuarial.ca/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Did-your-disability-costs-just-go-up-7.pdf
Economic Update: February 2012
Posted on February 29th, 2012
How to Evaluate the Safety of Sovereign Bonds
For most of the post World War II period the government bond markets in the developed countries were very predictable. The rate of inflation was the most important factor in determining the level of interest rates and there was very little concern regarding default. For these countries the return on government bonds was considered to be a “risk-free” rate that was used as the basis for evaluating the returns in other assets classes. It was the developing countries that experienced defaults due to fiscal mismanagement and high inflation.
Quebec – Temporary relief measures for the funding of solvency deficiencies
Posted on February 2nd, 2012
Client Memo
“On December 28th, 2011, the Quebec Government published draft regulations announcing its intentions to extend the relief measures to defined benefit pension plan registered in Quebec…”
Read more by clicking on the following link: http://www.pbiactuarial.ca/en/publications/
2012 Trends Update
Posted on January 4th, 2012
Happy New Year!
Every new year brings emerging opportunities and fresh challenges. But potential challenges can often be turned into opportunities when one is aware of them.
Economic Update: December 2011
Posted on December 19th, 2011
What is Wrong with the European Union?
Similar to a car with only forward gears and no reverse the European Community (EC) was not properly designed from the beginning. The adoption of the Euro in 1999 as a single currency created a monetary union but not a fiscal union. The fact that EU countries are not part of a fiscal union has greatly contributed to the current crisis.