What it takes to retire at 45 + MORE Feb 8th

Q. I recently got a call from my Kia dealer saying that my 2015 Optima is a popular secondhand car. They want to meet to offer me a great price for the car and a discount on the purchase of a new one with 0% financing. My car has just 32,000 kilometres and it’s fully paid.
I wasn’t looking to change, but I thought that if I could get enough money for it, I would buy a new Optima, and then I would have some money handy. (We are renovating our house and cash is tight.) I intend to go and see what they will offer me. Is this something you recommend or not?
— Thanks, Jack in Montreal
A. You would be better off using a line of credit or some sort of equity loan if you have any borrowing ability left instead of taking on additional auto debt—even if you will be able to pay it off slowly at zero interest. Selling a new car after four years, especially Kia, Hyundai or Fiat-Chrysler models that depreciate quickly, is an expensive proposition. You will lose about 60% of what you paid originally…

The Canadian government offers plenty of incentives for long-term savers, including couples saving for retirement. Sure, both of you can still open your own individual Registered Retirement Savings Plans (RRSP). But if you are looking for a way to manage your tax bill as a couple, as well as build a bigger nest egg for your partner, spousal RRSPs can make a lot of sense. Here’s what you need to know about using this tool.
What is a spousal RRSP?
A spousal RRSP is a qualified retirement savings plan that you set up for your partner. You are able to make contributions to the RRSP, however, your spouse is the actual owner. The point of the spousal RRSP is to help you even out any gap in income between the two of you during retirement, while allowing you a tax break right now.
So you can contribute to the RRSP and receive the tax deduction today. During retirement, your partner withdraws the money and pays the income tax that results from the withdrawal.
Who would benefit from a spousal RRSP? Who wouldn’t?
You’ll likely get the best results from a spousal RRSP if there is a large disparity in income between you and your partner…

Q: My wife and I are both 40 and have two kids—ages 5 and 7. We are considering buying a joint last-to-die life insurance policy that would cost a fixed $7,105 per year for ten years. That’s a total of $71,050 and the policy would pay $500,000 when the last of us dies. This is a proposition from our advisor after we have made our retirement plan. We have concluded that we have enough savings to retire at 55 with a very comfortable nest egg made up of TFSAs, RRSPs, and defined benefit pension plans, as well as money in non-registered investments.
We do not have any debts except a remaining mortgage of $95,734. We also have life insurance and disability insurance with our employer that would cover our needs if one of us were to die or could not work anymore. The goal of this joint last-to-die policy would be to transfer money tax- free in the future as all other needs are covered either by our savings or our employee benefits.
I am wondering if buying this policy is really a good move and if the cost of this product is reasonable? We can afford the cost without changing our lifestyle but our advisor is not independent so the policy would be sold by its institution and that’s what makes me wary…

Do Canadians favour the glitz and glam of a wedding or would they prefer to invest their money somewhere else?
When you’re ready to spend the rest of your life with someone, you may not be thinking price tags. But as the current average price of a wedding in Canada hangs around $50,000, you may want to think again.
According to a recent study from RateSupermarket.ca, 84 per cent of Canadians say they would spend their savings on other financial priorities, rather than on their nuptials.
This year’s annual Cost of Love study sheds light on the financial concerns of both married and unmarried Canadians, showing how married folk would’ve rather spent their money in retrospect, and how unmarried Canadians prioritize future financial goals.
The survey found that 32 per cent of married Canadians would rather have travelled with the money they spent on their wedding, and 20 per cent would rather have invested the money.
In comparison, 43 per cent of unmarried Canadians would rather travel with the money they would potentially spend on a wedding, and one-third would rather invest it…

Q: I’m 27 years old with a relatively healthy income of around $125,000. I’m aiming to get on the early retirement track with any luck and retire around the age of 45.
I’ve been aggressively in the investing game for a few years now and have been putting money into my RRSP, which now has a balance of around $46,000 (25% fixed income and 75% equity). I realize that putting the majority of my savings into an RRSP is a bit counterintuitive given my early retirement ambitions, however, and am starting to think about placing a larger portion of my savings into a TFSA so I can withdraw from it before age 65.
I’m at odds here, as I appreciate the reduction on my income tax from contributing to my RRSP. Any wisdom or considerations here would be greatly appreciated!
– Konstantino
A: The financial independence, retire early (FIRE) movement seems contrary to what many older Canadians think about millennials. The thing I like most about personal finance is the emphasis on “personal” – personal decisions, personal goals, and personal planning…