PODCAST · business
Unconventional Wisdom
by Ed Rempel
Welcome to the Unconventional Wisdom podcast. The show that helps you achieve financial security & freedom. Insights based on in-depth experience from Canada's #1 financial planner blogger. Find out what really works. Your host, fee-for-service financial planner & tax accountant, Ed Rempel.
Episodes
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Understanding Your Full Compensation Package: It's More Than Just Your Salary
Are you making the most of your full compensation package? Your salary is only part of what you earn. Bonuses, employer RRSP matching, pensions, stock options, and insurance benefits can all contribute to your financial well-being. But are you making the most of what your employer offers?…
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Understanding Your Borrowing Options: Student Loans, Car Loans, Credit Cards, Lines of Credit & More
Borrowing money is often part of becoming financially independent. Whether you're applying for your first credit card, financing a car, paying for school or considering a line of credit, understanding how borrowing works can help you make more confident financial decisions. The key isn't simply...
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Early Diagnosis – How I Beat Cancer
On July 30, I was diagnosed with prostate cancer. Just 19 days later, I had surgery. Today, I'm 100% cancer-free! I'm sharing my story because early detection saved my life. My cancer was classified as intermediate aggressive, with approximately 80% of my prostate affected. Not the slow growing...
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Building Wealth for the Next Generation: A Guide to Bare Trusts and Informal "In-Trust For" Accounts in Canada
Want to start building wealth for your children or grandchildren — without creating an overly complicated estate structure? Two options families may come across are bare trusts and informal "In-Trust For" (ITF) accounts. They are effective ways to invest for your kids or other family members…
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How to Make Financial Decisions When You Don't Feel Ready
You don't need perfect confidence before making a financial decision. But you do need a way to decide whether the decision actually works for your financial life. Before making a big money move, ask yourself: What problem am I trying to solve? What happens if I'm wrong? Can I afford the downside?...
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Protecting What Matters Most: Trust Planning for Children, Dependents, and Vulnerable Beneficiaries in Canada
When you're planning your estate, it's not just about who gets what. For some families, the bigger question is: How do I make sure this money actually helps the person I'm leaving it to? That can be especially important when you're planning for young children, a loved one with a disability, or...
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Building an Emergency Fund When Money Is Tight (And How to Stay Protected While You Invest)
If money is tight, should you focus on building an emergency fund — or keep investing for the future? The answer does not have to be all or nothing. In this article, video, and podcast episode for the Youth Corner Sabiha Mukadam looks at: How to start an emergency fund without feeling overwhelmed...
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The Right Trust Structure for Business Owners in Canada- How Smart Planning Evolves as Your Business Grows
As your business grows, your financial structure may need to grow with it. The structure that makes sense in the early stages of a business may look very different once the company becomes profitable, grows significantly in value, approaches a sale, or becomes part of a longer-term family legacy....
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Retiring at an All-Time High: What History Actually Shows
Is it risky to retire when the stock market is at an all-time high? It's a question I get all the time, and the conventional wisdom is usually that you should worry about sequence of returns risk and protect part of your portfolio by moving money into cash or fixed income. But what does the...
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Budgeting With a Full-Time Income Without Feeling Restricted
You're earning a full-time income, paying your bills, and still wondering: where did all my money go? That feeling is more common than you might think. In Sabiha Mukadam's latest blog post, video and podcast for the Youth Corner she shares a simpler way to approach budgeting without making it…
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Debt After Separation: How to Regain Control Without Panic
Sabiha Mukadam has a new podcast episode on debt after separation and how to regain control without panic. Separation can create significant financial pressure through legal fees, moving costs, two households and debts that may still be shared. She covers: The 3 types of post-separation debt...
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Why Economic Freedom and the Stock Market Make Us All Richer
Are free markets really responsible for inequality, poverty, financial crises and declining living standards? I constantly read books, and The Triumph of Economic Freedom by Phil Gramm & Donald Boudreaux was a wonderful eye-opener. I believed a couple of these myths myself. In my latest article,...
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Your First Real Paycheque: A Smart Money System for Young Professionals
What should you actually do with your first real paycheque? In this podcast episode, Sabiha Mukadam shares a practical approach for young professionals who are starting to earn a full-time income and want to build good financial habits early. She discusses: Why automatically saving part of every...
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Secure Your Future Together: The Power of Trust Planning for Couples
Estate planning is about more than having a will in place. For couples, it's also about making sure the financial pieces continue to work together if life changes unexpectedly. In Sabiha Mukadam's latest article, video, and podcast episode she looks at how trusts can help Canadian couples create...
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Stay Invested - Your "Behavioural Vitamin C" to Build Real Financial Freedom
What does it really take to build lasting financial freedom? It's not reacting to every headline, market swing or economic forecast. It's having a clear financial plan, and staying focused on it through the noise. In this mid-year update, I discuss: Why your financial plan is really a life plan...
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Understanding Credit Without Fear or Confusion
Credit can feel intimidating when no one has taken the time to explain it clearly. In this podcast episode Sabiha Mukadam, breaks down how credit works in Canada and shares some simple habits that can help you use it with more confidence and less stress. She covers: The difference between a…
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Starting Over Financially - When Life Changes and You Suddenly Have to Handle It All
When life changes after a loss, divorce, or separation, you may suddenly find yourself responsible for financial decisions that once belonged to two people, or that someone else handled entirely. The pressure to make immediate decisions can feel overwhelming. But you don't need to solve your…
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The Smith Manoeuvre vs Cash Dam: How to Choose the Right Strategy and How Self-Employed Canadians Can Do Both
Many Canadians have heard of the Smith Manoeuvre. Many are also self-employed and don't realize they could be using the Cash Dam. How do they fit together in a real financial plan? I break down what each strategy is, why it works, when each strategy works, whether combining them can improve...
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How Interest Affects Your Money: Why Small Decisions Matter More Than You Think
Most Canadians are taught one simple lesson: "Debt is bad." But real life isn't that simple. Not all debt is created equal. Borrowing to finance a vacation is very different from borrowing to invest in your education. A credit card balance charging 20% interest behaves very differently from money...
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Are There Really 8 Smith Manoeuvre Strategies?
Many people think of the Smith Manoeuvre as a single strategy, but it's actually a flexible framework with several different approaches. In this episode of Advice from the Sage Owl, Sabiha Mukadam explores the eight most common Smith Manoeuvre strategies and explains how different approaches may...
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How to Build a Retirement Plan That Actually Works (and Grows Your Wealth)
Most people go through life and at some point wake up and realize they should be doing something smarter with their money. When you reach that inflection point, what should you do and what are the few fundamental basics that you need to know? Many retirement plans are designed to feel safe…
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The Financial Future Isn't Broken. It's Optional | Gen Z Investing
In this episode, Sabiha explores a question many young Canadians are asking: Is the financial system broken for Gen Z, or does long-term success depend on choosing to participate anyway? With housing affordability out of reach for many, rising living costs, and growing economic uncertainty,...
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Re-evaluating Canada's Best Re-Advanceable Mortgages: The New Top 4 Post-OSFI Rankings
If you're using the Smith Manoeuvre or considering a re-advanceable mortgage, this 2026 update is essential. Which readvanceable mortgage is best for you for the Smith Manoeuvre? The rules have changed. Following new OSFI regulations, Canada's major banks have implemented re-advanceable mortgages...
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Unlocking Peace of Mind with the Smith Manoeuvre: Turning Your Home into a Wealth-Building Engine
For many Canadians, homeownership is about much more than a financial investment. It's where we build our lives, raise our families, and create lasting memories. Most homeowners focus on paying off their mortgage as quickly as possible. But what if there was another way to strengthen your…
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Retirement Tax Shock: Why Many Canadians Pay More Tax Than Expected
♦Retirement Tax Shock: Why Many Canadians Pay More Tax Than Expected♦ Most Canadians expect to be in a lower tax bracket in retirement. But many end up paying more tax than they expect. How do tax brackets change after age 65 and why can common assumptions about RRSPs and retirement income lead…
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How Banking Actually Works (And How to Set Up Your First Accounts)
🎓 Youth Corner with Sabiha Mukadam Most people don't think much about banking until that first real paycheck arrives. Suddenly, money is coming in, and just as quickly, it's going out. In this episode, Sabiha explains how banking actually works, the difference between chequing and savings...
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The Longevity Revolution: Why We're on the Brink of Living Decades Longer
The longevity movement is transforming how we think about aging—not as an inevitable decline, but as a challenge we can overcome with science, technology, and smart choices. Many experts believe we're on the cusp of dramatically extending healthy lifespans. I'm on a longevity and healthspan...
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Financial Planning Isn't Optional, It's Your Power Move: Financial Planning Myths and Why You Absolutely Need a Plan (and a Planner)
Many people know they should think about financial planning, yet often put it off for years. Not because they're irresponsible. More often, it's because of common beliefs such as: "I'm not wealthy enough yet." "I can figure it out myself." "Once I make a plan, I'm done." "Planning will restrict…
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Why Feeling Behind Is Normal (And What It Means for Your Money, Investing, and Financial Plan)
In this episode of Youth Corner, Sabiha explores why so many people feel behind financially—and why comparison and expectations often have more influence on that feeling than reality. After more than 30 years in financial planning, she explains why this feeling is often driven by comparison and...
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The Multi-Millionaire's Dilemma: Should an 84-Year-Old Stay Invested in Stocks?
Louise (not her real name) has far more money than she is ever likely to spend. She has always invested in equities and is comfortable with them. However, now at age 84, she is wondering whether she should invest more conservatively. This is a case study about the "Multi-Millionaire's Dilemma."...
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What Does Money Mean to You?
I'm pleased to introduce the first podcast episode in Sabiha Mukadam's new series, Advice from the Sage Owl. Sabiha has worked alongside me for many years helping clients build and maintain comprehensive financial plans. In this podcast episode, she explores an important question: What does money...
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A New Addition to Unconventional Wisdom: Meet Sabiha Mukadam
For more than 20 years, Unconventional Wisdom has been where I share financial planning ideas, strategies, and lessons I've learned from helping Canadians build better financial lives. Today, I'm excited to introduce someone who has been a key part of our team for the last 8 years: Sabiha…
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Financial Independence, Retire Early: The Math Behind the Viral Money Movement
Every week, someone tells me they want to retire by 40. My first question is always the same: why? The FIRE movement promises freedom decades earlier than traditional retirement. Online, it's often presented as a fairly simple formula: save aggressively, invest consistently, and escape the...
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Don't Let Today's Headlines Wreck Your Retirement
Gas prices are up from about $1.30/litre to $1.75/litre across Canada this year. There is conflict in Iran. Markets are reacting to geopolitical uncertainty once again. So what should investors actually do during times like this? Should you move more conservative? Or is reacting emotionally what...
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Multi-Millionaire's Dilemma: Stay in Stocks or Go Conservative After Retiring?
You've worked hard, built up a few million dollars, and now you're seventy-five, retired, and staring at your portfolio wondering — do I really need to keep riding the stock market rollercoaster? Or is it finally time to play it safe? That's the multi-millionaire's dilemma, and it's a lot more...
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Living Healthy Past Age 100 – Will Your Retirement Plan Survive?
Last week, I revealed my longevity journey, introduced some of the explosive developments, and why we may be able to start living significantly longer within the next 10–20 years. Living with health and vitality past age 100 could become common. What happens to your money if that happens? If we...
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How to Live with Health & Vitality Past Age 100
Is it really possible to live with health & vitality past age 100? I am on a longevity journey to try to achieve it. In my latest video and blog post, I will explain what I have learned & experienced so far and why I believe humans routinely being healthy past 100 is in our near future. You will...
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2026 Tax Changes – How They Affect Your Life & Your Retirement Plan
Taxes are far more complex today than they were 10 years ago — and 2026 adds another layer. There were not many headline changes this year, but several could meaningfully affect your retirement plan, home buying strategy, and long-term tax planning. Complexity is becoming the real story. In this...
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New Study Supports 100% Equity Investing for Life (Canadian Financial Summit 2025)
Should you really reduce stocks and increase bonds as you get older? That's been conventional wisdom for decades. A new international study using long-term data from 39 developed countries challenges both of those assumptions. The researchers found that a globally diversified all-equity strategy...
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What Canadians Are Really Asking About Money Right Now
What Canadians Are Really Asking About Money Right Now In this one-off episode, I reflect on the topics listeners have engaged with most over time, and what that reveals about the financial decisions people are really grappling with. From retirement timing and government benefits to understanding...
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RRSP/RRIF Meltdown Strategies Explained (Canadian Financial Summit 2025)
Ever wondered how you can get the money out of your RRSP with a minimum of tax? RRSP/RRIF Meltdown Strategies can allow you to withdraw from your RRSP or RRIF with little or no tax. However, there are some tricky complications, several options, and these strategies are not for everyone. In my...
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How Did the Wealthy Get Wealthy — and Can I Copy Them? (Canadian Financial Summit 2025)
In a recent video for the Canadian Financial Summit I talk about who the poor and wealthy are and how they got there. Today, we're diving deeper into one crucial aspect: how the wealthy became wealthy? Can their strategies work for you? Over the years, I've seen the full financial picture of...
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Random Walk Theory Debunked: The Best Market Gains Follow the Worst Crashes – And One Easy Rule to Beat the Market
Imagine checking your investments after a brutal market crash like during Covid with the March 16-20, 2020: -18% week. Your balance is down 32%, and panic sets in. But what if I told you the biggest rebounds, like the +12% surge the very next week almost always follow? This isn't luck; it's a...
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The Fake Stages of Retirement: Why 'Slow-Go' Is Really About Money — Not Age
You've probably heard the conventional wisdom about retirement stages: the "go-go" years right after you clock out, full of adventure and travel; then the "slow-go" phase where things wind down due to age and aches; and finally, the "no-go" period of quiet homebound days. It's a neat little...
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Why Monte Carlo Simulations Get Retirement Risk Wrong
Ever been terrified by those retirement calculators showing a scary chance of running out of money? That's Monte Carlo simulations at work—spinning wild "what-if" scenarios that often paint a doom-and-gloom picture far worse than reality. In my latest video, we'll debunk why most of these…
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Exponential Thinking – How Major Wealth Happens
Your investments may grow a bit each year, but have you wondered about how some people grow major wealth? Instead of growing 10%, how can they be 10 times larger? Many ordinary people build up millions of dollars, without having a high income or inheritance. How does that happen? It's because…
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The Meaning of Life - Responsibility
What is the meaning of life? What truly makes it worth living? How can having a meaningful life help you become financially independent? It comes down to responsibility. Choosing what you want to be responsible for gives your life structure, direction and purpose. It's also the same mindset that...
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Retirement Rookie: Worried about a Market Crash Right After Retiring?
Being worried about a market crash right after retiring is a major fear for many people both before and after taking the plunge. I often hear these anxieties: "I'm scared to retire even though I have enough money in every projection. What happens if there is a market crash right after I retire?"...
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Go Big or Go Slow: Why 10x Wealth Is Easier Than 2x
♦Go Big or Go Slow: Why 10x Wealth Is Easier Than 2x♦ This title may be hard to believe, but it is a common theme in coaching for small business entrepreneurs. The concept is from the popular book "10x Is Easier Than 2x: How World-Class Entrepreneurs Achieve More by Doing Less" by Dan Sullivan…
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Why Renting Could Be Your Secret to Smarter Wealth Building
Owning a home is unaffordable for many people today. Here is some good news! If you rent, you can grow your wealth as fast or faster using the same 2 ideas that benefit homeowners. Tenants have several major advantages over homeowners for wealth building. Many homeowners think their home is their...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Welcome to the Unconventional Wisdom podcast. The show that helps you achieve financial security & freedom. Insights based on in-depth experience from Canada's #1 financial planner blogger. Find out what really works. Your host, fee-for-service financial planner & tax accountant, Ed Rempel.
HOSTED BY
Ed Rempel
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Unconventional Wisdom have?
Unconventional Wisdom currently has 189 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Unconventional Wisdom about?
Welcome to the Unconventional Wisdom podcast. The show that helps you achieve financial security & freedom. Insights based on in-depth experience from Canada's #1 financial planner blogger. Find out what really works. Your host, fee-for-service financial planner & tax accountant, Ed Rempel.
How often does Unconventional Wisdom release new episodes?
Unconventional Wisdom publishes regularly with 189 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
Where can I listen to Unconventional Wisdom?
You can listen to Unconventional Wisdom on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Unconventional Wisdom?
Unconventional Wisdom is created and hosted by Ed Rempel.
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