Understand before you sign
Explanations of the rates, fees and contracts behind financial products offered in Quebec, written to be read before an appointment, not after.
212 articles
// Tax
Capital Gains: Keep Documents to Calculate Cost
Keep the purchase price, acquisition costs, additions to cost and disposition expenses to calculate the taxable gain.
2026-07-21
// Tax
Compare a Financial Product: A Seven-Check Method
Define the need before reviewing offers, then compare each option’s full cost over the same period.
2026-07-21
// Tax
Read a Financial Offer: Rate, Fees, Term and Conditions
Locate the nominal rate, its calculation method and every mandatory or conditional fee before signing an offer.
2026-07-21
// Tax
Verify a Financial Source Before Making a Decision
Identify the author, their expertise and the publication date, then confirm the cited rule is still in force.
2026-07-21
// Mortgages
Financing Condition in a Promise to Purchase
Set a realistic deadline for the lender commitment and submit the documents before the condition expires.
2026-07-21
// Mortgages
Mortgage Broker or Direct Lender: Compare the Service
Ask how many lenders will actually be consulted and how the broker is paid before handing over your file.
2026-07-21
// Mortgages
Cashback Mortgage: Calculate the Full Cost
Compare the rate and payment without the cashback: the amount received is often repaid through a higher rate.
2026-07-21
// Mortgages
Mortgage Portability When Moving
Check the permitted window between the sale and purchase, then the balance and rate eligible for transfer.
2026-07-21
// Mortgages
Transferring an Assumable Mortgage to a Buyer
Confirm the clause actually permits assumption and that the buyer meets the required qualification.
2026-07-21
// Mortgages
Standard or Collateral Mortgage Charge
Look at the amount registered on title: a collateral charge can secure debts beyond the original loan.
2026-07-21
// Mortgages
Co-Borrower, Co-Signer or Guarantor: Measure the Commitment
A co-borrower, co-signer or guarantor assumes the full obligation toward the lender, with a lasting effect on their own qualification.
2026-07-21
// Mortgages
Self-Employed: Prepare Mortgage Income Evidence
Gather income reported across several tax years and show the income available after business expenses.
2026-07-21
// Mortgages
Rental Property: Test Financing and Cash Flow
Test the cash flow with cautious rental income after vacancy, then subtract taxes, maintenance, insurance and management.
2026-07-21
// Mortgages
Mortgage Prepayment Privileges: Read the Annual Limits
Note the percentage permitted each year and the reset date before planning a prepayment.
2026-07-21
// Mortgages
Fixed-Payment Variable Mortgage: Monitor the Trigger Rate
Watch the trigger rate: beyond it, the fixed payment no longer covers interest and the principal stops shrinking.
2026-07-21
// Mortgages
Switch Lenders at Renewal: Documents and Timing
Prepare the exact balance, maturity date, income evidence and property value to switch lenders without missing the deadline.
2026-07-21
// Mortgages
Blend and Extend a Mortgage Before Maturity
Check how the weighted rate is calculated and whether the penalty is avoided or simply built into the new term.
2026-07-21
// Mortgages
Construction Mortgage: Understand Progress Draws
Know which construction stages trigger each draw and which inspections and invoices the lender will require.
2026-07-21
// Mortgages
Bridge Financing Between a Sale and Purchase
Base the bridge loan on the expected net proceeds of the sale and on firm dates for both transactions.
2026-07-21
// Mortgages
Buying Out a Property Share After Separation
Start from the agreed value and the mortgage balance, then calculate net equity after transaction costs.
2026-07-21
// Mortgages
Lender Mortgage Insurance or Personal Coverage
Lender insurance pays the bank and shrinks with the balance; a personal policy lets you choose the beneficiary.
2026-07-21
// Mortgages
Title Insurance: Role, Limits and Difference From Inspection
Title insurance covers specific title risks, not physical defects: it does not replace the inspection.
2026-07-21
// Credit cards
Credit Card Grace Period: When Interest Starts
The interest-free period applies to purchases and holds only if the statement balance is paid in full.
2026-07-21
// Credit cards
Foreign Currency Conversion Fees on a Card
Find the percentage added to the network’s exchange rate: it applies to every foreign-currency purchase.
2026-07-21