Journal

Retirement

Everything you need to know about retirement in Ontario — in plain English.

Retirement 7 min read

Annuities in Canada, Explained

What annuities are, how they work, the main types available in Canada, and who tends to benefit most from converting savings into guaranteed lifetime income.

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Retirement 8 min read

The 4% Rule in Canada: Where It Works and Breaks Down

The 4% rule in Canada explained: its origins, how it's meant to work, and why Canadian retirees often need to adjust it rather than follow it literally.

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Retirement 8 min read

Bridge-to-Retirement Strategy: Funding the Gap Before CPP and OAS

A bridge-to-retirement strategy for Canadians: how to fund the years between stopping work and starting CPP and OAS while managing tax and preserving benefits.

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Retirement 7 min read

Commuted Value vs. Pension: Weighing the Lump Sum Option

Leaving a defined benefit plan means choosing a lifetime pension or a lump-sum commuted value. How to weigh the trade-offs in Canada, with a comparison table.

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Retirement 7 min read

CPP vs. OAS: The Two Government Pensions Explained

CPP vs OAS explained for Canadians: how the two main government retirement pensions differ in eligibility, funding, payment amounts, and clawback rules.

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Retirement 7 min read

Defined Benefit vs. Defined Contribution Pensions: Real Differences

Defined benefit and defined contribution pensions shift risk differently. Learn what each promises and how to plan around the pension you actually have.

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Retirement 7 min read

Healthcare Costs in Retirement: What OHIP Doesn't Cover

What Ontario retirees should plan for beyond OHIP, from prescriptions to long-term care, and how to build a healthcare reserve into a retirement plan.

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Retirement 7 min read

How Much Do You Need to Retire in Canada?

How much do you need to retire in Canada? Start with spending, not a magic number, and use the gap approach to find your real, personalised retirement target.

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Retirement 7 min read

How Long Will My Money Last? Retirement Portfolio Longevity

The real drivers of how long retirement savings last: withdrawal rate, returns, inflation, and longevity, and how to stress-test your retirement plan.

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Retirement 7 min read

How Much CPP Will I Get? What Drives Your Pension Amount

How much CPP will I get in retirement? Learn what drives your CPP amount, how to get a general estimate, and how timing can raise or lower your payment.

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Retirement 8 min read

How to Generate Retirement Income From Your Portfolio

How to generate retirement income in Canada: turning savings and investments into a reliable, tax-efficient income stream that lasts through a long retirement.

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Retirement 7 min read

Inflation and Retirement: Protecting Purchasing Power

How inflation erodes retirement income over decades, which expenses rise fastest, and how to build real purchasing-power protection into a retirement plan.

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Retirement 7 min read

OAS Clawback Explained: The OAS Recovery Tax

The OAS clawback explained: how the OAS recovery tax works, the general income thresholds, and planning moves that can help reduce or avoid it in retirement.

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Retirement 7 min read

Pension Options for Federal Employees Approaching Retirement

The main choices federal public service pension plan members face at retirement or separation, and a clear framework for thinking through each option.

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Retirement 8 min read

Retirement Income for Business Owners: Drawing From Your Corporation

How incorporated business owners can draw retirement income from a corporation, balancing salary, dividends, and corporate investments tax-efficiently.

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Retirement 8 min read

Retirement Withdrawal Order in Canada: RRSP, TFSA, or Non-Registered First?

The retirement withdrawal order in Canada: how to sequence RRSP/RRIF, TFSA, and non-registered accounts for tax efficiency and a longer-lasting portfolio.

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Retirement 8 min read

Common Retirement Planning Mistakes in Canada — and How to Avoid Them

The common retirement planning mistakes Canadians make, from CPP timing and RRIF minimums to tax and sequence risk, and the practical ways to avoid each one.

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Retirement 8 min read

Retiring at 55 in Canada: What to Plan For

Retiring at 55 in Canada means funding a long bridge before CPP and OAS. Learn how to plan income, taxes, and health coverage for the early years.

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Retirement 7 min read

Retiring at 60 in Canada: Income Sources and Sequencing

Retiring at 60 in Canada: which income sources are available at 60, and how to sequence CPP, pensions, and registered withdrawals for a smooth transition.

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Retirement 7 min read

RRIF Minimum Withdrawal Rules: How They Work

How RRIF minimum withdrawals are calculated, why the required percentage rises with age, and how the younger-spouse election can reduce your mandatory income.

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Retirement 7 min read

RRSP to RRIF Conversion: What You Need to Know

RRSP to RRIF conversion in Canada: the age-71 deadline, how minimum withdrawals work, and why timing your drawdown carefully can lower your lifetime tax.

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Retirement 7 min read

Semi-Retirement Tax Planning: Working Part-Time Wisely

Semi-retirement tax planning in Canada: how part-time income interacts with CPP, OAS, RRIF withdrawals, and pensions, and how to sequence it deliberately.

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Retirement 7 min read

Sequence of Returns Risk: Why the First Years Matter Most

Sequence of returns risk explained: why poor markets early in retirement can do lasting damage even when long-term averages look fine, and how to manage it.

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Retirement 7 min read

Should You Pay Off Your Mortgage Before Retirement?

Should you pay off your mortgage before retirement? The trade-offs between being debt-free and keeping a mortgage to invest, and what tips the decision.

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Retirement 7 min read

When to Start CPP: 60, 65, or 70?

When to start CPP in Canada: how taking it at 60, 65, or 70 changes your payment permanently, and what should actually drive the timing decision.

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