Ambassadors: Featured Posts

Conventional wisdom tells us that older Canadian women are reluctant to talk about their finances because it’s “not polite.” However, HomeEquity Bank is working to smash this stigma and empower Canadian women 55+ to take charge of their financial future by encouraging them to ask the right questions and considering all the financial solutions available to them. While older Canadian women are often stereotyped as financially “vulnerable,” HomeEquity Bank’s research found that women reported improved financial wellness scores as they aged: 63% of older Canadian women reported a financial wellness score of 60+, compared to only 46% of younger women. If you fall into that camp, HomeEquity Bank’s new Financial Wellbeing tool is designed to help you get a measure of your financial wellbeing and provide you access to customized resources.

Women have been making remarkable strides in taking charge of their financial destinies. However, by building on the momentum gained over the years, the relationship between women and money is continuing to evolve and progress. According to a new survey, released by HomeEquity Bank, provider of the CHIP Reverse Mortgage, long-standing financial myths have been both reinforced and shattered, about women and their finances, especially for those who are 55+. The ultimate goal is a simple one, to help women feel more in control of their financial futures and more secure in their retirement. According to the HomeEquity Bank survey, women who were solely responsible for their finances tend to have a higher financial wellness score than those who share the responsibility with other family members (51% versus 41%).

The Bank of Canada did exactly what Canada’s main commercial lenders expected and raised interest rates by .25 bps, increasing the bank rate to 5.0%. And here’s why: the Canadian economy continues to be more resilient than expected in 2023. GDP growth has exceeded expectations, consumer spending has been holding up despite higher rates and … Continued

In the dead of winter, last January, my Zoom friends and I decided we’d travel to the Stratford Festival in early September 2023. It was an impromptu idea, born of short days and long nights, hunkering down inside our homes, waiting for the pandemic to pass us by. The friends, as I like to call them, have been friends for more than 50 years. We met in Ottawa back in the 1970s when we were beginning our adult lives. During the pandemic, we came together again online every Friday since March 2020, to discuss the week’s events and share our joys and sorrows.
Nine of us travelled to Stratford this September; it seemed like a continuation of our weekly Zoom calls.

Today, the geopolitical situation is as complex as it was back in 1970. That’s why, when I was in my local library the other day, I checked out The Second Mountain: The Quest for a Moral Life, a book by New York Times bestselling author and columnist David Brooks. Now, I’m finding Brooks as a safe and sturdy marker in this divisive geopolitical universe. I find my concerns illuminated in Brooks’ “The Second Mountain.” When I watch the news tonight, I’m going to ponder David Brooks’ The Second Mountain and imagine what our world could be if we stepped back and considered our place in it, what truly matters to us and those we are closest to. If it sounds too simple, perhaps it is.

The long-standing theory that older people are entirely set in their ways is becoming obsolete. “People’s personalities can morph in response to their circumstances, helping them shift priorities, come to terms with loss, and acclimate to a changing life. The method psychologists are using to determine these changes is to measure the “Big Five” personality traits: agreeableness, conscientiousness, extroversion, openness to experience and neuroticism. The stereotype of the grumpy older adult need not be the personality profile to emulate. Not only is retirement a reason to retreat from the rat race, but it is a perfect time to follow your heart and your interests. So, try not to be too grumpy or close your mind and spirit to friends and family. Take the initiative.

When HomeEquity Bank approached me four years ago to be their spokesperson, I did a lot of research into the company. My reputation and personal integrity are important to me. I didn’t just want to be a face and a name. I wanted to believe in what I was endorsing.

Kurt Browning, a Canadian figure skater and the celebrity spokesperson for HomeEquity Bank, partners with his dog to describe the benefits of a CHIP Reverse Mortgage and how it can help you retire in the home you love.

Kurt Browning, a Canadian figure skater and the celebrity spokesperson for HomeEquity Bank returns to tell you more about the CHIP Reverse Mortgage.