Retirement planning getting you down? There are always smart ways to plan the financial aspects of your retirement.
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Timing CPP and OAS with workplace pensions Mar 31st
Q: My husband is retired military and will turn 60 this year. He’s been told by his military buddies that he should apply soon for his CPP as then he can receive it and the bridge for the next five years. I thought he should be delaying on taking his CPP but perhaps it’s the OAS he should dela.... More »
Develop your own plan + MORE Dec 23rd
Steward Kinmond, 70, and Barbara Sibbald, 58, in front of their mortgage-free new-build, close to Parliament Hill. (Photography by Jessica Deeks)
Every morning, Barbara Sibbald and her husband Stewart Kinmond gaze out across their big backyard and watch the sunrise. Directly behind them is part of t.... More »
Downsizing vs reverse mortgage: which option is right for you? Feb 2nd
For many Canadians approaching retirement, their home is by far their largest asset. With detached homes in major cities selling for well above $1 million, it’s not surprising that owners expect to tap into that equity to help fund their golden years, prompting the common refrain: “My home is my.... More »
Financial planning in your 70s + MORE Oct 12th
When most people think about financial planning, they think about saving and investing for retirement. That is certainly a part of it, but financial planning is much more holistic.
Here are a few financial planning strategies for those approaching or into their 70s. If you are not there yet, bookmar.... More »
How much has the pandemic hurt your retirement plans? We delve into the retirement portfolios of two couples hit hard by COVID-19 to see what damage was done + MORE Feb 16th
We start with Deborah and Daryl Burton, a Toronto twosome in their early 70s who both contracted COVID-19 early in the pandemic..... More »
The right way to use a spousal RRSP
– moneysense.ca
Q: I earn $30,000 per year at a part-time job and collect $48,000 in pension. My husband still works and earns $85,000 annually, but has no pension. Should I contribute to a spousal RRSP to lower his income and improve his retirement portfolio?
— AnnMarie Wolf, Toronto
A: Spousal RRSPs are a great tool to spread out a retirement nest egg and reduce income tax. But in your case, a regular RRSP for your husband works best. “Even after the additional income, his marginal tax rate is at least a few percentage points higher than hers, so he’d benefit more by making his own RRSP contributions,” says Noel D’Souza, a Toronto CFP with Money Coaches Canada. Another reason not to contribute to a spousal RRSP: Any investment you make uses up your RRSP contribution room, not your husband’s, and lowers your taxable income, not his. Instead, you should take on more household expenses, freeing up your husband’s income to maximize his RRSP contributions. In retirement, you want your incomes to be as close as possible, to minimize the tax you pay as a couple…
— AnnMarie Wolf, Toronto
A: Spousal RRSPs are a great tool to spread out a retirement nest egg and reduce income tax. But in your case, a regular RRSP for your husband works best. “Even after the additional income, his marginal tax rate is at least a few percentage points higher than hers, so he’d benefit more by making his own RRSP contributions,” says Noel D’Souza, a Toronto CFP with Money Coaches Canada. Another reason not to contribute to a spousal RRSP: Any investment you make uses up your RRSP contribution room, not your husband’s, and lowers your taxable income, not his. Instead, you should take on more household expenses, freeing up your husband’s income to maximize his RRSP contributions. In retirement, you want your incomes to be as close as possible, to minimize the tax you pay as a couple…
