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Registered vs unregistered accounts: Where retirees should make withdrawals + MORE May 25th
Ask MoneySense
We are in the age bracket where we need to take RRIF withdrawals every year. I am 81, and my husband is 82. We also have an unregistered account. We need to withdraw additional money to pay our expenses. We have already taken the mandatory withdrawal for this year from our RRIF. .... More »
What’s the best way of using your home equity during retirement? Nov 9th
Not sure how to make a retirement plan? Read on...
What’s the best way of using your home equity during retirement? - thestar.comContinue Reading On thestar.com »Getting the most out of your Retirement Plan in Canada can be tricky - let us help! Visit our Retirement page for.... More »
What’s my RRSP contribution limit for 2021? + MORE Jan 18th
If you’re like many Canadians, you’re hoping you’ve paid enough tax in 2021 and may even be looking forward to a hefty tax refund. (The deadline for filing this year is April 30, 2022, which is on a Saturday, by the way. So you actually have until May 2, 2022 to file.) You can help ensure that.... More »
What’s involved with an owner withdrawal of cash from a corporation + MORE Dec 7th
I work as a self-employed IT contractor. I am incorporated. Over the years I have accumulated about $100,000 in my business account, over and above what I need to carry operating expenses. I am about five years out of retirement, maybe less than that if I go for a semi-retired approach. I would like.... More »
How to make your retirement savings go farther and last longer Oct 19th
If you are like most Canadians, the investment choices you make during your working years may have a significant impact on your retirement. But the importance of smart investing doesn’t end when you retire. In fact, post-retirement investing can have an even larger impact on your retirement well-b.... More »
How to boost your returns in retirement
– moneysense.ca
ShutterstockWhat’s the single biggest fear retirees face? Undoubtedly it’s the prospect of outliving their money. And as this column has pointed out before, retiring in this second decade of the 21st century poses challenges for just about any healthy person who lacks an inflation-indexed employer-sponsored Defined Benefit (DB) pension plan. We’re living longer and interest rates are still mired near historic lows after nine long years.
Any financial advisor will tell you the solution to this dilemma is to stop reaching for minuscule “guaranteed” investment returns from instruments like GICs or bonds, and instead embrace the higher risks—but potentially higher returns—of the stock market. Historically, equities have generated on average a 10% annual return, which means you should be able to double your capital in a matter of seven or eight years.
READ: The safe, unloved, amazing GIC
It’s in this challenging environment that I recently read two recently published books that tackle these themes head on…
Planning through salary swings
– moneysense.ca
Q: My income fluctuates quite widely from year to year. How do I plan for this and how do I handle the tax implications of such income swings?
—David
A: Yours is the challenge of many a commissioned salesperson or business owner, David. The thought of a stable salary and defined benefit pension plan may be appealing to some, but others, like you – and me – prefer a little more control over destiny. That control doesn’t always mean stability, however.
For starters, I think everyone should have a reserve or emergency fund, particularly those whose jobs are riskier or whose income is variable. An emergency fund doesn’t necessarily mean having six months of expenses sitting in a savings account earning pennies in interest. It could mean a healthy TFSA balance that includes an allocation of conservative, liquid investments. It could mean a secured line of credit available with a low interest rate.
Ask a Planner: Leave your question for Jason Heath »
Having tens of thousands of dollars sitting idle for your whole life may be comforting, but it could usually be put to better use invested in an RRSP or TFSA or used to pay down debt…
