Short answers to
real questions.
Every post starts with a question a Canadian actually asked — the kind Allan answers in his MoneySense and Financial Post columns. The short version here; the full column a click away.
- CPP & OAS· August 2026
What Is the OAS Clawback? The 2026 Threshold and How the Recovery Tax Works
The OAS clawback, or recovery tax, reduces OAS once your net income passes a threshold that rises every year, $93,454 for 2025 and an estimated $95,323 for 2026. How the 15% recovery tax is calculated, what income counts, and how RRIF withdrawals and OAS timing can affect it.
Read the post - CPP & OAS· August 2026
Taking CPP at 60 vs. waiting: what the early retirement reduction actually costs
Taking CPP at 60 means a 0.6% monthly reduction (7.2% per year) for every month before 65. We model the trade-offs between taking CPP at 60, 65, and 70, including where the break-even age tends to fall.
Read the post - Decumulation· August 2026
How RRIF withdrawal tax withholding actually works
Withholding tax and your actual tax bill on a RRIF withdrawal are not the same thing. Here is how the CRA's 10%, 20%, and 30% withholding brackets work, and why the amount taken off at source can be more, or less, than what you actually owe.
Read the post - CPP & OAS· August 2026
What Is the Maximum CPP Retirement Benefit (and What It Takes to Qualify)
The maximum CPP retirement pension is $1,507.65 a month in 2026, but most Canadians receive far less. Here is how CPP is calculated and what qualifying for the maximum actually takes.
Read the post - Decumulation· August 2026
What Happens to Your RRSP at Age 71? Three Options and the Trade-offs
Your RRSP cannot stay an RRSP past December 31 of the year you turn 71. Here are the three maturity options, RRIF, annuity, or cash, and how each may shape your income, tax, and estate.
Read the post - Decumulation· August 2026
RRIF withdrawal rates by age: the complete table and what it means
The complete CRA RRIF minimum withdrawal table by age 55 to 95+, how the prescribed factor formula works, the younger-spouse election, and what escalating rates may mean for your retirement income planning.
Read the post - CPP & OAS· June 2026
Why waiting until 70 to start CPP can be the quiet winner
Starting CPP at 60 feels safe, but delaying to 70 buys you guaranteed, inflation-indexed income that lasts as long as you do. Here is how to think about it.
Read the post - Decumulation· May 2026
The RRIF minimum withdrawal rule can quietly cost you later
The RRIF minimum is the least you must withdraw, not the smartest amount. Pulling out a bit more in low-income years can save tax over your lifetime.
Read the post - Investing· April 2026
Annuity or GIC for guaranteed income? It is not all-or-nothing
Annuities and GICs both offer safety, but they solve different problems. Here is how to think about lifetime income versus flexibility — and why you can use both.
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