Ask The Expert

Members are invited to email personal finance inquiries to the MoneySaver office. MoneySaver's staff will then relay the inquiry to the appropriate expert.

Make certain that your membership number (ID) follows your full name at the end of your inquiry. Without this data your questions will not be reviewed.

Members have the ease of sending inquiries directly from the website - see the "Ask a Question" page.

You can also read a sampling of previously published questions and answers from the "Ask the Experts" column in Canadian MoneySaver (see "Questions and Answers").

We receive lots of queries. We receive lots of financial propositions. We receive lots of research demands.

Will we respond to all of these requests? No! However, if you want us to review your submission, you must identify yourself as a member before we'll examine your correspondence.

If you send us an e-mail directly from the "Ask the Experts" section on our website, then your membership ID is not required as the e-mail message flags it. In all other cases, it must be included - or we do nothing. (Just mentioning that you are a member doesn't cut it - we don't have the time to search out your membership status.)

These inquiries, of course, generate the resultant text for the very popular "Ask the Experts" column. It is here that you can read loads of advice to members who have followed our guidelines. So, we do welcome your input.

A few members have abused this valuable service. For example, if you request a response to the same question from more than one of our experts, you are thoughtlessly overloading a very active program.

Please read the following correspondence to understand the reasons why the sender did not receive a response:

• I have a few questions regarding SPPs...
  The series of questions would require a detailed response/article to address them. (Transfer agents can answer such questions by calling them toll-free.) Plus, the question was sent to Brian Quinlan whose area of expertise is tax!
• How do I sell shares held in a DRIP?
  The methods available have been previously discussed  – and remain on our website in the DRIP section, which is available to all members.
• I plan early retirement. Analyze my portfolio.
  Personal financial counselling can not be provided in this short-answer column.
  

  I am writing this explanation for your understanding so that we can work together to improve this process. Your cooperation is greatly appreciated.
  Dale Ennis

  The following is an example of an inappropriate question for "Ask the Experts".

• My wife and I purchased a lot 3 years ago in Gibsons, B.C. where we now live on another property in the same town. I am trying to decide which is the greatest tax advantage at this time. My choices are to: 
  Sell our current residence, and build a new home on the lot we own and move in as our principal residence.
  OR
  Sell the lot and our current home and find another home that is more suited to our needs.
  What federal taxes and provincial taxes are involved in each case and any other costs that should be considered.
  

  This was the response from our expert.

  Your question is extremely complex and there are many variables to consider. I would not attempt an answer as you are asking for more than information, you are asking for advice and for multiple jurisdictional compliance issues. This request is way beyond the scope and nature of an 'Ask the Experts' Q&A. 
  If you need tax planning assistance of this nature, I recommend you contact a local CGA in your area to do a tax plan, which will probably take a few days to work out all of the consequences with your assistance. Anyone who gives you a short answer is giving you a short shift.