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· November 2026
What Is the CPP Survivor's Pension? Who Qualifies, How the Amount Is Worked Out and How It Combines With Your Own CPP
The CPP survivor's pension may replace only part of what a couple received together. See who may qualify, how the amount is worked out, how it combines with your own CPP, how OAS and the GIS fit in, the tax picture and how to apply.
Read the post - CPP & OAS· November 2026
OAS Deferral: How Deferring Old Age Security to Age 70 Works and Who May Consider It
Deferring OAS means starting the pension after 65, with a 0.6% increase for each month you wait, up to 36% at age 70. See who may consider it, what it gives up, how it relates to CPP timing and the recovery tax, and how to request a deferral online.
Read the post - CPP & OAS· November 2026
CPP Post Retirement Benefit: What It Is, Who Contributes and How the Increase Works
The CPP post retirement benefit may add a small lifetime increase to a CPP pension that has already started. See who contributes, who can opt out, how the increase is calculated, and how it may fit with an early or late CPP decision.
Read the post - CPP & OAS· October 2026
Is OAS Taxable? A Plain Answer With a Worked Retiree Example
OAS is taxable income, reported on a T4A(OAS) slip and added to your other income. See where each box goes on your return, how voluntary tax deductions work, a hypothetical example of OAS stacking with CPP and RRIF income, and where the clawback line starts.
Read the post - Insurance Planning· October 2026
Does Life Insurance Still Have a Job in Your Retirement Plan?
Life insurance may still have a job in retirement, but often a narrower one. See a hypothetical couple with a pension, a RRIF and a corporation, a worked table of what a policy might be asked to do, and the trade offs to weigh.
Read the post - Retirement Planning· October 2026
Pension Income Splitting in Canada: What Can Be Split, at What Age, and When It May Help
Pension income splitting may let one spouse allocate up to half of eligible pension income to the other. See which income qualifies by age, how Form T1032 works, a hypothetical example, and how splitting may interact with the OAS clawback and credits.
Read the post - Retirement Planning· October 2026
How to retire early in Canada: what may change when you stop working at 55
Can you retire at 55 in Canada? Explore the income gap before CPP at 60 and OAS at 65, how an early CPP start changes payments, how RRSP and TFSA withdrawals may be sequenced, and how scenarios can compare retirement dates.
Read the post - Insurance Planning· September 2026
Travel insurance for retirees: questions to check before you leave
A plain language checklist of questions to verify against your travel policy before an active retirement trip.
Read the post - Retirement Planning· September 2026
Spousal RRSPs Before Retirement: A Planning Guide for Canadian Couples
Spousal RRSPs can still matter for Canadian couples approaching retirement. This guide explores why early contributions may be worth considering, the three calendar year attribution rule, contributions after age 71, RRIF minimums, CPP, and OAS recovery tax.
Read the post - Retirement Planning· September 2026
How Much Do You Need to Retire in Canada? A Readiness Guide That Starts With Your Spending
How much do you need to retire in Canada? There is no single number. Start with your yearly spending, then place pension, CPP and OAS income, benefit timing, and taxes on one timeline to see what a retirement date may ask of your household.
Read the post - Retirement Income· September 2026
What Is Upper Middle Class Retirement Income in Canada?
There is no official definition of upper middle class retirement income in Canada. A look at the Statistics Canada figures, the CPP and OAS numbers behind them, and why the right number for you depends on your own Enough, not a benchmark.
Read the post - Tax Planning· August 2026
Tax deductions vs. tax credits in Canada: what actually lowers your tax bill
A deduction lowers your taxable income; a credit lowers the tax you owe directly. Using the age amount as a worked example, here is how tax deductions and tax credits actually work for Canadian retirees, with a simple comparison table.
Read the post - Decumulation· August 2026
Your first RRIF withdrawal can trigger a tax chain reaction no one warned you about
Your first RRIF withdrawal can set off a chain of tax consequences many retirees never expected. Here is how the cascade works and what scenario-based planning can model before you start drawing.
Read the post - Retirement Income· August 2026
Average Monthly Retirement Income in Canada: What the Numbers Mean
Compare the 2024 average and median monthly after tax income of unattached seniors and senior families using Statistics Canada survey figures, then see why a household plan needs more than a national benchmark.
Read the post - CPP & OAS· August 2026
OAS Clawback 2026: Threshold, How It Works and How to Plan Around It
The OAS clawback, or recovery tax, may reduce OAS once your net income passes a threshold that rises every year. See the thresholds, a hypothetical repayment example, when repayment is deducted, and what can change net income in a planning year.
Read the post - CPP & OAS· August 2026
CPP at 60: What the 0.6% Monthly Reduction Means Compared With Waiting
CPP at 60 means a permanent reduction of up to 36% compared with 65. See the published rates in a table, where the running totals may cross, and how an early start can interact with RRSP and RRIF withdrawals.
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
Maximum CPP Benefit in 2026: Published Amount and Your Estimate
The published January 2026 maximum CPP benefit is not a personal estimate. Here is the government source, how contribution history matters, and where to check your own record.
Read the post - Decumulation· August 2026
Converting Your RRSP to a RRIF: How It Works and What Happens at 71
How to convert your RRSP to a RRIF: the steps, when tax applies, whether to convert before 71 or wait, and how a RRIF compares with an annuity or cash.
Read the post - Decumulation· August 2026
RRIF Withdrawal Table 2026: Minimum % by Age (CRA)
The RRIF withdrawal table with the CRA minimum percentage by age 55 to 95+, a hypothetical dollar example, 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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