Retirement planning getting you down? There are always smart ways to plan the financial aspects of your retirement.
Latest News
Are Canadian pension buybacks worth it? Jul 20th
Ask MoneySense
I am currently transferring my pension from a provincial to a federal government pension plan. I’m trying to determine if it is worth purchasing the balance of service and, if so, should I use my RRSP or TFSA funds. Here’s some relevant info:
Service Credited: 7 years, 140 days.... More »
Making sense of the markets this week: September 17, 2023 Sep 21st
Kyle Prevost, creator of 4 Steps to a Worry-Free Retirement, Canada’s DIY retirement planning course, shares financial headlines and offers context for Canadian investors.
U.S. inflation battle: Mission not accomplished
Despite increasing interest rates and hawkish talk from the U.S. F.... More »
Tax implications of making transfers between registered accounts + MORE Dec 21st
Ask MoneySense
I had a locked-in pension, which I converted to a life income fund (LIF). I also took advantage of the ability to unlock up to 50% of the LIF within 60 days and put $120,000 into an RRSP. I did not receive any funds—so I was shocked when I received a T4RIF for $120,000, which means .... More »
“What type of content am I reading?” + MORE Nov 23rd
You can always tell by how an article is labelled what type of content you’re reading. The label appears not only on the article itself, but anywhere it appears on the website.
No label. If the only label you see is a topic tag, such as Investing or Retirement, that means you’re reading a purely.... More »
How the coronavirus pandemic could change the way we think about retirement in Canada + MORE May 4th
Over the past few decades, the concept of retirement has grown increasingly more sophisticated. Canadians preparing for retirement have been able to contemplate a variety of highly personalized approaches—from early (or even very early) retirement; to active, phased, or working retirement; and mor.... More »
When should you start taking CPP? Take it too early or too late and you could sell yourself short
– thestar.com
Age 65 is considered the “standard” age for beginning both CPP and OAS, but you can start taking CPP any time between ages 60 and 70 and you can start OAS any time between 65 and 70.Planning for an inheritance
– moneysense.ca
My mother passed away three days after her 66th birthday, leaving me with an inheritance I never expected.
Until two years ago, I assumed she would live into her 80s. But she had a terminal illness that progressed significantly in the final months of her life. Her care costs were minimal. We had great support from family and from government-funded resources.
But I have also seen things go the other way. Families burn through savings to cover full-time care for an aging parent at costs that can exceed $10,000 per month. In those cases, at the end of an aging relative’s life, there may be no inheritance left to pass along to loved ones.
At our financial planning practice, one thing we ask clients is if they are expecting an inheritance; it’s a question on our intake form. We ask because it is relevant, both for retirement planning and discussion purposes. But as the two scenarios I’ve just described show, the most we can ask for is a best-guess answer. On the benefactor’s side, nobody knows how long they will live, nor what potential long-term care costs may be incurred during one’s later years—so a beneficiary may or may not receive an intended inheritance…
Until two years ago, I assumed she would live into her 80s. But she had a terminal illness that progressed significantly in the final months of her life. Her care costs were minimal. We had great support from family and from government-funded resources.
But I have also seen things go the other way. Families burn through savings to cover full-time care for an aging parent at costs that can exceed $10,000 per month. In those cases, at the end of an aging relative’s life, there may be no inheritance left to pass along to loved ones.
At our financial planning practice, one thing we ask clients is if they are expecting an inheritance; it’s a question on our intake form. We ask because it is relevant, both for retirement planning and discussion purposes. But as the two scenarios I’ve just described show, the most we can ask for is a best-guess answer. On the benefactor’s side, nobody knows how long they will live, nor what potential long-term care costs may be incurred during one’s later years—so a beneficiary may or may not receive an intended inheritance…


