OK I've been away too long and in order to satisfy a few demands it has become apparent that I have to get back to this endeavor.
So I missed commenting on the:
- Federal Election
- American Election
- The Economic Crisis
- The arrival of the Property Tax Assessment notices
Yep I sure did, and you wouldn't want to hear my wacky opinions about any of that
I want to talk about the real things I have been doing, for instance I have just finished the arduous task of tidying up my mother's estate. She died eleven months ago with a small estate. But not small enough to escape the clutches of the threat of probate. Probate is the legal process that is designed to prevent the criminally minded executors from pocketing all the money and running away with it. It usually involves a lawyer, who charges a minimum fee of about $1,000 to file one form and write a few cheques, this work actually costs more so the final bill is usually more the fee asked for once you enter the office and ask for probate services.
I decided to do it myself. Step one, buy a book ($35.95), read the book and understand the process. As you do this you realise why the lawyers have the leg up by being lawyers. A couple of the forms have to be accompanied by bonds, which you have to buy from an insurance broker who will demand affidavits, made up by lawyers, one up for the lawyers. You then have to file all the paperwork with the court, lawyers know which ones to go to first - you will flounder around the court building until you strike gold. Finally you will have in your possession a legal document that binds you to the executor process and ties you to being an honest distributor. In other words you have a form that the people who hold the estate can now blame if the distribution is dishonest. You did it not them and they are just following process because you had the right forms that indemnified them (the bank) from complaints from upset inheritors. Step two ignore the book and get creative. I decided to go after the first piece of necessary paper and challenge anybody who wanted probate. This estate was a simple one that demanded simple measures.
Luckily I was looking after a small estate but still it needed the most important piece of paper of all - Revenue Canada's "clearance certificate". Going on line I found the application form for a clearance certificate. Printed it out and sent it away. Waited three months and phoned. I was told that the person that I sent it to had approved it weeks ago but it was now with the auditor. "I will email him and ask what is going on, but if you haven't heard anything by Thanksgiving, (this was the end of August!) give us another call." Finally the certificate arrived, last week. Took the certificate to the bank. "How would you like the money, Ben?", said a smiling lady knowing damn well that she was indemnified. I smiled too I had a couple of phone calls invested, an online search and lots of conversation with bank people that had cost nothing. And the satisfaction of knowing that I had beaten the lawyers at their own game, and saved at least $1500.
See how easy it is when you do it yourself!!!!!!
Another part of my life is a job search. I have left my last job, without a sniff of another one. So the challenge now is: how does a 62 year old white guy without a degree or traceable career path get another job. I will find out. The things you come across. The last time I did this, about eight years ago the magic interview question was, "Tell us your strengths and weaknesses". This time the big question, and it is even appearing in interrogatory emails, "Tell us about a time when you had a conflict with a co-worker and how did you solve it?" What kind of crap is this? Do you have a job or not,if so can I have it, I know that you are going to treat us all like shit and not give a damn I guess the question should be, "How many times have you hit the guy next to you because he is an idiot?" When you realise that nobody is ever going to answer any of your phone calls or emails you make to inquire about the resume you gave them it is a shock to the system when it happens.
Yesterday I received a very elegant rejection slip, telling me my qualifications were impressive but they have decided to pursue other candidates. The very fact that I received a letter, on good paper, telling me that I had failed to be hired was a cause for celebration. They had answered. In fact I felt so flattered that this professional company had the poise to do this it necessitated a thank you email from me in return. Imagine thanking them for not hiring me, sounds a bit crazy to some folks.
A note for future retirees:
The greatest investment return in the world
The best investment you may ever could be right under your nose and you may not even know it. I refer to the buying back of ones pension. Anybody who has worked a number of years for a company/government and left before retirement age may be entitled to a pension. What you may not realise is that you can, in certain plans make extra contributions to buy more years.
One should look back at their working lives examine the jobs that you had where you made pension contributions. Contact the plan administrators and ask if you can make extra contributions to get more years. This is a common practice in National and State pensions, for instance I left the United Kingdom many years ago. In order to qualify for a full state pension one has to contribute for 44 years. However if one has paid13 years you can draw 25% of the full benefit. In addition you are allowed to make contributions for the missing years. In my case having paid some years already I now look at the possibility, and the efficiency, of making more payments. It will cost me $6,770 to buy the remaining seven years and if I do that will raise the annual pension payable to $7,440. A ten month payback - a fantastic return on ones money.
