Taxes Reflect Choices We Canadians probably think of taxes as primarily about raising government revenue. But taxes also reveal what society chooses to tax. In Canada, we tax what people earn through income tax. We tax what people spend through provincial sales taxes, the Goods and Services...
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Downsizing Sounds Simple… Let’s meet Ross, age 67, and Emily, age 65. They are both planning to retire at the end of this year. They live in a 4-bedroom detached home where they raised their four children, all of whom are grown and living on their...
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Many investors dislike holding more than a minimal amount of cash. I understand the concern. Over long periods, cash usually earns less than stocks. Even a high-interest savings account may not keep pace with inflation after taxes. If a household has a long time horizon,...
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OAS is no longer just a quiet background benefit In 2022, I wrote about the mechanics of Old Age Security (OAS): who qualifies, how much it pays, how the recovery tax works, and why the Guaranteed Income Supplement matters. This post is different. The mechanics still...
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Defined Contribution Pensions are Looking Good! Imagine a 60-year-old Canadian receiving a pension of $4,200 per month for life. An actuary might tell them that pension is worth nearly $1 million. Most people would shrug. Offer them a cheque for $1 million instead, and suddenly everyone's...
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You may have heard about a young woman from Montreal who won a million-dollar lottery recently. Instead of selecting the lump sum, she elected the annuity option of $1,000 per week for life. From the little bit I read, most people were shocked at her choice:...
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Reform Is Not Just Technical; It Is Moral This blog post is inspired by an article in Canadian Affairs (December 2025) by John Stapleton and Peter Hicks. Stapleton is a recognized expert on low-income retirement, so his perspectives are worth attention. Retirement income reform is often framed...
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From time to time, it’s important to step back and share where things are heading, especially when trust, relationships, and long-term planning are involved. I want to offer an update about my Money Architect Financial Planning practice and how I’m preparing for a careful, well-supported transition...
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An Unexpected Retirement Question Robert (Rob) is a 64-year-old DIY investor living in the B.C. Okanagan. Born in 1961, he is turning 65 in February 2026 and will be retiring at the end of that month after a long professional career. Rob is comfortable managing his own...
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I. Introduction A. The RRIF transition milestone The conversion of your Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP) to a Registered Retirement Income Fund (RRIF), which must occur not later than the year you turn 71, but can take place earlier, is a major retirement milestone. One of the notable...
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