Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
Lotto Max draw is the largest prize pool in Canadian lottery history with a projected jackpot of $70 million, as well as an estimated 70 Maxmillion prizes worth $1 million each.
Let's be clear: that is a lot of money. But let's be even clearer: the odds are not stacked in your favour. It is about a one-in-a-33-million chance you are holding the lucky ticket. But I'm an optimistic person, and let's say you win and win big. It could happen. Maybe it's the $70 million or it is $1 million, or even a large windfall. Either way it could be life-altering.
What should you do?
Stop take a minute and breathe and immediately validate your winnings. Don't say a word to anyone and remain silent until you sort out the claim.
Depending on the size of the windfall, it is fair to expect family and friends to come calling along with requests for donations from charities you may or may not be aligned with.
I'm not saying you shouldn't share some of your winnings nor do I think you shouldn't splurge a little. Because I think there is room for both.
What I would recommend is you reach out to a trusted financial adviser, accountant or lawyer to help you develop a plan. A financial plan that is aligned to your new financial situation.
The fundamentals never change regardless of your new net worth:
We have all heard stories of past winners who spent as if there was no tomorrow. Rich one day and poor the next. That doesn't have to happen to you if you have a plan in place.
Once the plan is in place be very clear on how much discretionary spending you will have, how much you will save and how much you will give. Think of this like a three-legged stool. If one leg is off you will be out of balance in more ways than one.
Your financial life is all about balance.
Now go out and celebrate your winnings … responsibly.
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
The deaths of four people on a farm near the Saskatchewan village of Neudorf have been confirmed a murder-suicide.
Genetic analysis has shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the fates of U.S. President George Washington's younger brother Samuel and his kin.
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.
The Parole Board of Canada has granted full parole to one of three men convicted in the brutal murders of three McDonald's restaurant workers in Cape Breton more than 30 years ago.
Rainfall warnings of up to 90 millimetres and other alerts have been issued for six Canadian provinces, according to the latest forecasts.
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
A bus carrying worshippers headed to an Easter festival plunged off a bridge on a mountain pass and burst into flames in South Africa on Thursday, killing at least 45 people, authorities said.
Calgary police have shut down a number of bridges into and out of the downtown core as officers deal with a distraught individual.
B.C. conservation officers recently seized a nine-foot-long Burmese python from a home in Chilliwack.
A New Brunswicker will go to bed Thursday night much richer than he was Wednesday after collecting on a winning lottery ticket he let sit on his bedroom dresser for nearly a year.
The Ontario government is introducing changes to auto-insurance, but some experts say the move is ill-advised.
A Toronto restaurant introduced a surprising new rule that reduced the cost of a meal and raised the salaries of staff.
Newfoundland’s unique version of the Pine Marten has grown out of its threatened designation.
A Toronto man is out $12,000 after falling victim to a deepfake cryptocurrency scam that appeared to involve Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
It started small with a little pop tab collection to simply raise some money for charity and help someone — but it didn’t take long for word to get out that 10-year-old Jace Weber from Mildmay, Ont. was quickly building up a large supply of aluminum pop tabs.
There’s a group of people in Saskatoon that proudly call themselves dumpster divers, and they’re turning the city’s trash into treasure.
Ontario is facing a larger than anticipated deficit but the Doug Ford government still plans to balance its books before the next provincial election.