All about Retirement Planning in Canada. Learn the ins and outs and get the latest news.
Latest News
Can you receive a government pension if you live outside of Canada? Jul 20th
Q. My father, who was born in 1945, left Canada to live in Thailand when was 26 years old. That was 50 years ago and he has never returned. If he comes back to Canada for one year to apply for his OAS, would he be eligible to receive a full pension? And would they be able to calculate his pension an.... More »
How annuities work in Canada + MORE Apr 18th
Annuities are life insurance products that pay a regular income to a purchaser. When you buy an annuity, it’s like buying a pension plan with a lump sum premium paid from your savings. The payments you receive include a return of your original capital and interest income on that capital. It ma.... More »
Single, no pension? Here’s how to plan for retirement in Canada Jul 4th
Being single in retirement has some financial obstacles. Some people are single as they enter retirement. Others become single due to divorce or death prior to or after retiring. Here are some considerations for planning your retirement as a singleton, especially if you have no defined benefit (DB) .... More »
40 and no pension: What do you do? + MORE Aug 23rd
Pension envy is real. That’s because, when it comes to retirement planning, a defined-benefit pension does the heavy lifting for you. Contributions come right off your paycheque and go into a pool of pension dollars that will fund your retirement, or most of it, anyway. It’s the ultimate “pay .... More »
Want to know exactly what you’ll get from CPP when you retire? Here’s how to find out Jul 20th
You can even get a precise estimate years in advance, thanks to a new online service that goes where the federal government won’t, writes David Aston..... More »
Investing in your 50s? Stick with equities
– moneysense.ca
Being a 50-something today is not like it was years ago, when retirement at 65 was the norm and adult children were out of the house, trying to make it on their own.
Now, many Canadian are working well into their golden years, while dependents – both aging parents and still-at-home kids – are putting added pressure on household finances.
The good news? Many people hit their peak earnings years in their 50s, mortgages tend to dwindle substantially and the light at the end of employment tunnel can be seen, if only dimly.
Most people this age should be saving more than they have in prior years and if they’re not, they have to start, says Matthew Williams, senior vice-president with Franklin Templeton Investments.
Get rid of debt
The first step to financial freedom, which is what many 50-year-olds should be thinking about as they approach 60, is to pay down any non-deductible debt, says Williams.
It’s a must-do for two reasons: it’s rarely a good idea to go into retirement owing money, especially if a regular paycheque isn’t coming in anymore, and it frees up your finances to increase your retirement savings…
Should I add new ETFs and REITs to my portfolio?
– moneysense.ca
Q I have opened accounts with a discount brokerage and built a portfolio with the following ETFs:
Vanguard FTSE Canada All Cap Index (VCN)
Vanguard U.S. Total Market Index ETF (VUN)
iShares Core MSCI EAFE IMI Index ETF (XEF)
iShares Core MSCI Emerging Markets IMI Index ETF (XEC)
BMO Aggregate Bond Index ETF (ZAG)
Are these ETFs enough for my RRSP and TFSA, or should I add others, like a dividend-producing funds and real estate investment trusts (REITs)?
– Natalie
A Carl Richards, a financial planner and author of The Behavior Gap, has observed an odd human tendency. “People say they want things to be simpler—investing, life insurance, retirement planning, etc.,” he writes. “But when a simpler (and effective) option is proposed, they reject it as too simple.”
The Couch Potato portfolio is a shining example. The appearance of ETFs has made building a diversified portfolio easy and shockingly cheap, yet many investors seem bent on making it more complicated and more expensive…
We have few assets. Can we skip having a will?
– moneysense.ca
Q: Ed, my husband and I do not have a will. We have no house but do have an RRSP, a little cash, and two children (ages 14 and 12). Should we have a will? If so, what type of will is acceptable/legal without seeing a lawyer, seeing that we do not have much in the way of assets.
—Pam
A: Pam, the short answer is “any will that works.” What if you make the will yourself? How do you know it will work?
Wills do not need to be prepared by lawyers. A lawyer-prepared will is your best investment to protect your family. Financial advisors cannot provide legal opinions on wills—only lawyers can.
Lawyers and their fees come in all shapes and size, as I will explain.
DIY wills are land mines
These wills are set to explode when they’re really needed. Wills prepared by lawyers can cost hundreds of dollars. Compare that with the cost of going to court to fix homemade wills. Going to court costs thousands of dollars per day for each lawyer.
Lawyer-prepared wills have different price tags…
