30. May 2011 by Dan Walkow, CFA, CMT.

The long arm of U.S. law is poised to reach deep into the lives of millions of Canadians.

It’s called the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act, or FATCA. Quietly signed into law by President Barack Obama last year, the legislation boasts the lofty goal of dismantling foreign tax havens suspected of looting $100-billion a year from the U.S. Treasury. Read on to see how it may affect you here.

Posted in Taxation | No Comments »

12. May 2011 by Dan Walkow, CFA, CMT.

The next time you want  to convert currency you would be wise to check around. Banks, Brokers and other financial institutions see this as a significant profit driver and there are no rules or regulations as to how much they can charge.

It is particularly evident in the investment business where the costs of converting can be as much or more than the commission on the investment itself. It is not only the little guy check out this piece on the how the SEC is investigating State Street on inflated currency conversion costs for pension funds.

Posted in Currrency | No Comments »

12. May 2011 by Dan Walkow, CFA, CMT.

The role reversal is hard to miss, filled with the kind of irony journalists and political activists love to pounce on. A Wall Street Journal editorial last week hailed Canada as a monument to good governance and fiscal soundness. The Weekly Standard’s Fred Barnes portrays Canada as a bastion of upright conservative values and home to “the most powerful conservative leader in the Americas.” More at the Financial Post here.

Posted in Economics | No Comments »