Astra Financial

The 4 Most Underlooked Retirement Tax Saving Tips For Canadians

Zena Amundsen — Mon, 07 Sep 2026 17:15:21 +0000

In this episode of Heart of Your Retirement, CFPs Zena Amundsen and Nicole Putz break down 4 Canadian retirement tax tips that can lower your tax bill. They cover the disability tax credit, pension income splitting, charitable donations and medical expenses, including who qualifies, how to apply and the...

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Your Canadian Estate Planning Checklist

Zena Amundsen — Mon, 03 Aug 2026 10:30:28 +0000

If something happened to you today, would the people you love know where to find everything? Most Canadians in retirement have thought about this. Most haven’t done anything about it yet. In this episode, Zena and Nicole introduce the brand new Astra Estate Concierge Service and walk you through...

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What Onboarding With Your New Financial Planner Should Look Like in Canada

Zena Amundsen — Mon, 22 Jun 2026 10:30:54 +0000

You’ve said yes to working with a financial planner in Canada and now you’re sitting in your first onboarding meeting with a stack of forms in front of you. One of them is the KYC (the Know Your Client form) and most people sign it without fully understanding what...

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Canada’s Mandatory RRIF Withdrawals Explained

Zena Amundsen — Mon, 01 Jun 2026 11:00:28 +0000

Curious How the RRIF Minimum Withdrawal Works in Canada? Most Canadians spend their whole working life putting money into their RSP, but almost nobody explains what actually happens when it’s time to start taking money out. The biggest questions I get asked: Does your RSP disappear? Do you lose...

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How the OAS Clawback Works in Canada

Zena Amundsen — Mon, 04 May 2026 10:30:58 +0000

Most Canadians don’t see the OAS clawback coming because no single income source looks like the problem on its own. In this episode, Zena Amundsen CFP breaks down exactly how the OAS clawback works in Canada, which income sources count toward the threshold and the five timing strategies that...

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Your Biggest Canadian Retirement Tax Questions Answered

Zena Amundsen — Mon, 13 Apr 2026 10:30:59 +0000

A tax expert answers the most Googled retirement tax questions Canadians are asking right now. In this episode of Heart of Your Money, Zena Amundsen CFP and Nicole Putz CFP sit down with tax expert Rick Soparlo to break down real retirement tax strategies for Canadians, including how to...

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What Finfluencers Get Wrong About Financial Advice on Social Media

Zena Amundsen — Mon, 16 Mar 2026 10:30:11 +0000

Your social media feed is full of financial “experts” telling you to take CPP at 60, refinance your real estate for free money and get out of your RSPs. And it’s getting into people’s heads. In this episode of Heart of Your Retirement, Zena Amundsen CFP and Nicole Putz...

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Should I Transfer My Pension to a Financial Advisor?

Zena Amundsen — Mon, 16 Feb 2026 15:03:04 +0000

Should you transfer your pension at retirement? It depends on 5 key factors. In this episode, Canadian CFPs Zena Amundsen and Nicole Putz break down the exact framework they use with clients to make this pension transfer decision, including real scenarios where they told clients to LEAVE their pension...

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Why Pay for Your Financial Plan Before Becoming a Client?

Zena Amundsen — Mon, 19 Jan 2026 11:00:27 +0000

Why Pay for Your Financial Plan Before Becoming a Client? In this episode of ‘Heart of Your Retirement,’ Nicole and Zena discuss a frequently asked question in their office: Why should you pay for a financial plan before becoming a client? They explore the reasoning behind this practice, emphasizing...

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Understanding the Federal Government Early Retirement Offer: Is It Right for You?

Zena Amundsen — Mon, 22 Dec 2025 10:00:50 +0000

Federal Government Early Retirement Offer: Should You Take It? In this video, we delve into the timely topic of early retirement for federal government employees. With recent news about an offer allowing eligible workers to retire early without pension penalties, many are questioning if they should take this opportunity....

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