Insights

As you approach retirement, should you be putting money into your TFSA or into your RRSP? Many people preparing for retirement consider this question. The short answer is: it depends. In this video I am going to describe the TFSA and RRSP accounts and walk through different scenarios that compare the two accounts side by side, and at the end of the video I am going to give you some key takeaways as you consider this question for your own retirement savings.

Are you nearing retirement and concerned about how much of your hard-earned savings will go towards taxes? The bad news is that you will almost certainly be paying income taxes throughout your retirement. In fact, it may be one of your largest household bills. The great news is that, with a bit of smart planning, you can manage that tax bill downward based on how and when you make withdrawals from your retirement accounts. In this video, I am going to walk you through an example of how you can strategically time the withdrawals from your investment accounts to lower your tax bill.

The Minister of Finance tabled the 2023 Federal Budget this week in the House of Commons. The budget introduced a wide range of programs and changes that will affect Canadians. In this video, I want to focus on the changes that will specifically impact Canadian retirees and soon-to be retirees. We will talk about what the changes are, their impact, and planning opportunities to make sure that you are able to take advantage of any opportunities that they present.

According to a recent survey by Edward Jones, Only 24% of Canadians surveyed feel very confident about their financial readiness for retirement. In this video, I share 6 strategies to help you catch up on your retirement savings plan.

Silicon Valley Bank was the 16th largest bank in the United States. It failed last week, becoming the second largest bank failure in US history. Canadians have long enjoyed a strong and relatively stable banking system. But some Canadian savers and retirees may be wondering - could a similar bank failure happen in Canada? And if so, what protections are in place to make sure that your money is protected? In this video, I explain what happened at SVB, some of the differences between the Canadian and US banking system, and the protection that is in place for Canadian bank depositors.

Have you considered downsizing your primary residence as you approach retirement? In this video I talk through the pros and cons of downsizing your house at retirement, and provide you with some action items as you consider this kind of move.

In this video, I explain what happened at SVB, some of the differences between the Canadian and US banking system, and the protection that is in place for Canadian bank depositors.

The years leading into retirement are full of excitement and anticipation of a new life, free to enjoy it as you wish. The years leading towards and into retirement can also be some of the most anxious years, as getting used to managing finances in retirement can be overwhelming. There are 3 mistakes that I see prospective retirees making. In this video, I walk through the 3 mistakes, and offer some resources and perspectives that I hope will help.

BMO released their Annual Retirement Study in February, which revealed that respondents to their retirement survey believe that they will need about $1.7M to retire comfortably in Canada. In this video, I walk through what a $1.7M retirement would look like for the average Canadian retiring couple.

Are you approaching retirement, or in retirement, and wondering - when is it a good time for me to add my kids as joint owners on my investment accounts? Perhaps you want to smooth the process of getting those assets to your children later on, or you want to avoid the estate process, or possibly avoid taxes. While these may be noble intentions - adding adult children to investment accounts may carry consequences that you want to avoid.