Janice meets with Patrick, an insurance agent, to review her investment needs. Patrick suggests that she invest in segregated funds. Janice is not familiar with these types of funds.
What information can Patrick provide to Janice to help her understand the advantages of segregated funds?
Answer : C
One of the significant advantages of segregated funds is creditor protection, which is particularly beneficial for business owners and professionals who may face potential claims from creditors. Under LLQP principles, segregated funds are insurance contracts, and when beneficiaries such as spouses or children are named, the investment may be protected from creditors in the event of bankruptcy or legal action. This makes segregated funds distinct from other investment types, which do not inherently offer creditor protection unless specific trusts or structures are in place.
Option A is incorrect as Assuris provides limited coverage rather than full protection, Option B is partially true but not unique to segregated funds, and Option D is incorrect as segregated funds typically do not require medical underwriting.
Seven years ago, Amber invested $150,000 in a non-registered equity segregated fund. Her investment grew, and today, the market value of her fund is $165,000. She places an order to redeem her fund and she wants to know how her investment will be taxed.
Answer : A
In a non-registered equity segregated fund, capital gains are only 50% taxable under Canadian tax rules. Amber's investment grew by $15,000, which represents a capital gain. As per LLQP guidelines, capital gains on non-registered investments are subject to preferential tax treatment, meaning only half of the gain is added to taxable income. Therefore, only $7,500 of the gain will be taxable. This treatment is consistent with capital gains taxation principles outlined in the LLQP material, where only the taxable portion of the capital gain is reported, resulting in reduced tax liability compared to regular income.
Thien is 56 years old and has recently been diagnosed by his doctor with a heart condition for which there is no known treatment, and which has dramatically reduced his life expectancy. Thien has decided to take early retirement. Fortunately, after 30 years of service working as a credit officer at a local bank, he has accumulated a large sum in his pension plan. Thien's wife supports his decision to retire early. She is 49 and in good health, and plans to continue working and earning a lucrative income at her current position as a divorce lawyer at a prestigious law firm, at least until she reaches 65 years of age.
What type of annuity would BEST suit Thien's needs?
Answer : D
An impaired life annuity would be the best option for Thien given his health condition and reduced life expectancy. Impaired life annuities offer higher payouts compared to standard life annuities because they take into account the reduced life expectancy due to a serious health condition. This type of annuity provides an opportunity for individuals with significant health issues to receive increased income during their retirement years. According to LLQP resources, impaired annuities are designed specifically to address the needs of clients with severe health concerns by offering enhanced benefits that align with their specific life expectancy.
Options A, B, and C are standard annuity options that would not take Thien's specific health impairment into account and therefore would not maximize his retirement income as effectively as an impaired life annuity.
Kadiha invested $10,000 in a balanced fund 10 years ago, which she put into a non-registered account. At the time, her insurance agent sold her the fund with a 75% maturity and death benefit guarantee. Today, when the fund expires, the market value is $5,000.
How much will Kadiha receive, and how will her funds be treated for tax purposes?
Answer : A
Kadiha's investment in a segregated fund with a 75% maturity guarantee means that upon maturity, she is guaranteed to receive 75% of her original investment, which would be $7,500 (75% of $10,000). The payment is considered part of the maturity guarantee under segregated fund contracts, and the difference paid out by the insurer to meet the guarantee ($2,500 in this case) is not subject to capital gains or interest income tax as it's part of the guaranteed benefit. According to LLQP guidelines, segregated funds with such guarantees only tax the difference as capital gains if the payout exceeds the original investment, which is not applicable here.
Genevieve and Martin, a couple in their 40s, meet with Melissa, their insurance agent, to help them plan for their retirement. Melissa tells them that they would benefit from opening a spousal registered retirement savings plan (RRSP) given their financial situation and discrepancy in their incomes. The couple would like to know the benefits of opening a spousal RRSP.
Answer : A
A spousal RRSP is beneficial for couples with differing income levels as it allows for income splitting during retirement. This is advantageous because it enables the higher-income spouse to contribute to the RRSP of the lower-income spouse. When the funds are eventually withdrawn during retirement, they are taxed at the lower-income spouse's rate, potentially reducing the couple's overall tax burden. This aligns with the LLQP guideline on income splitting as a tax minimization strategy.
Option B is incorrect because the contributions to a spousal RRSP reduce the contribution room of the contributing spouse, not the recipient. Option C is technically accurate but does not directly address the primary advantage of a spousal RRSP in terms of tax planning, and Option D is correct regarding extending tax benefits but does not directly highlight the immediate benefit of income splitting for the couple.
Paulette earns a modest income working as a delivery driver for FastFlowers Inc. in Quebec. The florist company has over 80 employees, 20 of whom are delivery drivers. The employees benefit from a group short- and long-term disability plan. One morning, while delivering flowers, Paulette's truck is struck by a bus. Paulette is taken to the hospital where a doctor deems that she will be unable to work for at least 4 months. Paulette contacts Jade, the human resources manager, to ask her who will pay her disability benefits.
Which of the following answers is CORRECT?
Answer : B
As Paulette is injured during work and is covered by her employer's group disability plan, her disability benefits would be paid out under this group insurance policy. Group disability insurance provides both short- and long-term coverage, as outlined in her employer's benefits plan. This plan typically covers income replacement for non-workplace injuries or illnesses. However, since this was an on-the-job accident, it may be covered by the CNESST, but group insurance often still serves as the primary provider in situations where a workplace injury results in short-term disability exceeding standard workplace injury benefits. The SAAQ would only cover injuries directly related to road accidents within its jurisdiction. Employment insurance (EI) provides general income replacement but is secondary to employer-provided group disability benefits.
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Zaid married Baheya five years ago in Montreal. A year later, Zaid purchased two individual term-life insurance policies, one on his life and the second on Baheya's life, each with a death benefit of $250,000. The marriage didn't last long, and the couple divorced shortly thereafter. Baheya went on to marry Omar, and the new couple had a baby together, named Darwish.
Last week, Baheya died in a car accident. While settling her estate, Omar discovered that no beneficiary was designated on Baheya's life insurance policy.
To whom will Baheya's death benefit be paid?
Answer : D
In the absence of a designated beneficiary, the proceeds of a life insurance policy are generally paid to the estate (succession) of the deceased, in this case, Baheya. Quebec law stipulates that without a specific beneficiary, the policy death benefit becomes part of the deceased's estate and is distributed according to her will or intestate succession laws. Since Baheya did not name a beneficiary, the death benefit will be managed within her estate rather than automatically passing to Zaid, Omar, or their child.
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