How your net income gets calculated for tax and OAS + MORE Feb 7th

How to go about securing the best Retirement Plan in Canada.
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Cut unnecessary costs with one simple change to your banking + MORE Dec 13th

If you’re like many Canadians, you view bank fees as a necessary expense, but this couldn’t be farther from the truth. Paying a small fee each month isn’t usually much trouble, but over a whole year, it can really add up. The good news is that affordable banking has never been more in .... More »
 retirement savings plan

Why “unretirement” may be the fate of so many Canadians Mar 14th

The idea of “unretirement” seems to be making a comeback as more Canadians find themselves under economic stress. Even before the tariff threats emerged under Trump 2.0, seniors and near-retirees were finding the economic uncertainty and rising cost of living becoming uncomfortable. No surprise .... More »

Are you missing out on RRSP matching and more? Feb 28th

A registered retirement savings plan (RRSP) is a powerful retirement savings tool, yet many Canadians aren’t getting its full benefits. A lot of us are also missing out on RRSP matching and other incentives—essentially, free money—that could go a long way to funding a more comfortable retireme.... More »
 retirement planning

Stock news for investors: Air Canada Q3 profit plunges to as strike weighs on results + MORE Nov 8th

Here’s a round-up of news for Canadian investors this week. Air Canada Fortis Thomson Reuters Suncor Cameco Maple Leaf Foods Sun Life Financial Cineplex Corus Entertainment Xanadu Quantum Technologies Featured RRSP Accounts .... More »
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How are FIRE adherents making out? + MORE May 23rd

In the increasingly specialized world of financial blogging, there’s a subgenre of so-called “FIRE” experts, who expound on the acronym FIRE. FIRE stands for Financial Independence Retire Early. Some proponents are in their 40s or 50s and practising what they preach, having either reached fina.... More »
What is the RRSP contribution deadline in 2025?RRSP season is in full swing—have you contributed to your account? Although Canadians can make contributions to their registered retirement savings plan anytime of year, your last chance to do so for a specific tax year is the 60-day period after the end of the calendar year. This year, the last day falls on a weekend, so the RRSP contribution deadline for the 2024 tax year has been moved to Monday, March 3, 2025.

If you’re opening an RRSP for the first time, consider the pros and cons of different accounts to understand what suits you best. For example, some accounts pay interest on deposits or offer guaranteed investment certificates (GICs), while others allow you to invest in other financial instruments like stocks or bonds—more on that later in the article.

What are your 2024 and 2025 RRSP contribution limits?

Your RRSP contribution limit each year is the total of:

Your unused RRSP contribution room from previous years.

Plus, 18% of your earned income from the previous tax year (check your notice of assessment from the Canada Revenue Agency), or the annual maximum set by the government, whichever is less…

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Ask MoneySense
Appreciate your article on OAS (Old Age Security). Can you tell me how net income is calculated? For example, if I have $100,000 in pension income and $30,000 was deducted for income tax, is my net income $70,000? —Kevin

Calculating net income for tax and OAS purposes

I like your definition of net income, Kevin. It sounds logical. But it is not the definition the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) uses. The general, very abbreviated, format for calculating personal income tax is shown below. You will see how net income is calculated. 

Total income – Deductions = Net income

(Start of OAS clawback threshold, $93,454 for 2025, is measured here.) 

Net income – Tax credits = Federal tax

Federal tax x Provincial tax rate = Provincial tax

Total tax = Federal + Provincial + Federal and provincial surtaxes

I’m showing the skinny tax return so you can see how your personal tax is calculated and not just your “net income.” It’s important to see because for most people income tax will be the largest expense they will ever have…

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