Originally Posted by R I C H

I have 35% of my salary lost in various deductions - this breakdown might help explain things:

Canada Pension Plan
EI
Federal income tax
Provincial tax
Union dues
Long term disability
Short term disability
Employers pension

Taxable benefits also include life insurance and medical cover.

These are all compulsory deductions, and it makes the take-home pay seem fairly slim, but having said that Mrs Rich has needed 4 crowns this month (total cost to us was $125), and prescriptions are 100% covered as are all opticians and contact lens costs.

Originally Posted by The Aviator

What makes me laugh is a union makes it compulsory to join in certain work environments and yet if the government did something similar they would be accused of being a dictatorial regime.

Originally Posted by The Aviator

CPP, EI and income tax are the only ones legally compulsory, the others are employer specific. Not everyone will have to contribute to union dues, disability or pensions.

Originally Posted by Steve_P

I know 3.5% is not a lot but 34-35% is more what I would have expected for total deductions for a couple or even taxed as single no kids.

38.5% total deductions for married, wife not working and two kids just seems too high to me.

Originally Posted by dbd33

The government does make it compulsory to join the CPP, EI, and health insurance schemes.

Originally Posted by JTM73

If someone were in Canada on a TWP, would they receive EI benefits if they lost their job? Or is it only for citizens/residents?

Originally Posted by dbd33

The government does make it compulsory to join the CPP, EI, and health insurance schemes.

Originally Posted by The Aviator

Ah but you don't have to join anything, just pay taxes and CPP & EI,

Originally Posted by ann m

And aren't the CPP and EI, etc, "front loaded" so that you seem to pay much more in the first few months of each tax year until you've reached a limit?

Not sure I completely understand this but my husband's pay seemed to rise $100-$200 a month more after July. I'm putting it down to this.

Originally Posted by ann m

And aren't the CPP and EI, etc, "front loaded" so that you seem to pay much more in the first few months of each tax year until you've reached a limit?

Not sure I completely understand this but my husband's pay seemed to rise $100-$200 a month more after July. I'm putting it down to this.

Originally Posted by Atlantic Xpat

Yes thats correct. You pay EI and CPP on the first $40somethingk of your income and once you've made the contributions your takehome increases. For me this happens later in the year so your husband is clearly making good money!

Originally Posted by paolosmythe

of course every person's life circumstance differs, as much as their priorities do. but are these really the most pivotal areas of consideration?

loss of position to me is a kind of bonus... you get to hit the bottom rung running, aware of what lies (theoretically) before you and thus have experience to ascend without past mistakes.

starting over is no bad thing. tis why there are 'gimmes' in golf

i have no kids and the few relatives i do have are spread wide and thin anyways....

it is true that a loss of value to my savings due to the current currency exchange horror is a troublesome thing to swallow, but that is life...

and relocation costs are inversely proportional to how light you travel.... as part of the 'start over' logic, i am thinking of taking over next to nothing.

i am suddenly left feeling a bit gung ho about it all!

Originally Posted by Steve_P

He is losing 38.5% to deductions that seems awfully high even for Canada.

For that level I can only assume that's a weekly salary but even then the deductions seem to be too high.