ETFs, Mutual Funds, and the Rise of Investing Slop
For a long time, investing in Canada came with a fairly simple rule of thumb. Mutual funds were expensive. ETFs were cheaper. If you wanted better odds, you bought ETFs instead. That advice was broadly right, and for many investors it made a meaningful difference. Moving from a two percent mutual fund into a…
Read MoreThis Is A Retirement Plan
Most people who reach out to me aren’t necessarily trying to retire early or do anything particularly clever with their money. They’ve worked for a long time, saved steadily, and are starting to wonder if this is the point where work becomes optional. Dan and Elizabeth are a good example of this. They live in…
Read MoreOut Of The Box RRSP Ideas For Retirement
A lot of RRSP advice follows a similar script. Contribute while you’re working, convert to a RRIF at 71, withdraw the minimum, and hope for the best. But retirement planning is where the interesting stuff actually happens. With a bit of flexibility and good timing, RRSPs can be used in ways that smooth taxes, improve…
Read MoreInvestment Returns For 2025
After years of watching U.S. markets and mega-cap tech stocks soak up the spotlight, Canadian stocks finally had their moment in 2025 and made it count. The Canadian market went elbows up and steamrolled its global peers, with XIC posting a massive 31.6% return. That’s not just a good year. That’s a statement year. Right…
Read MoreNet Worth Update: 2025 Year-End Review
A little over six years ago I handed in my resignation at my public sector day job to focus full-time on advice-only financial planning, this blog, and some paid freelance writing work. Suffice to say, that was one of the best decisions of my life. No more Monday morning budget meetings, performance reports, or KPIs.…
Read MoreFinancial Goal Setting For 2026
With 2025 quickly coming to a close, it’s time to reflect on our goals from this past year and set our new financial goals for 2026. Looking back, it’s going to be tough to top this year from a financial perspective. Earlier this year I had the absolute honour and privilege to speak with my…
Read MoreWeekend Reading: A RRIF Case Study Edition
Beth came to me with questions about her mother Susan’s finances. Susan is 80 and widowed. She lives in a retirement home and spends about $60,000 per year after tax. Her health is declining and she’s not expected to live beyond age 85. After her husband passed away, she now has $1.2 million in a…
Read MoreWeekend Reading: RRIF Reform, Fairness for Singles, and My First Globe Op-Ed
I had an unexpected opportunity this week. I wrote my first op-ed for The Globe and Mail, and the topic was something that has become a recurring feature of Canadian retirement debates: proposals to reduce or eliminate the minimum RRIF withdrawal percentages. The idea is often framed as a compassionate fix to protect seniors from…
Read MoreMoney Ideas I Hope More Canadians Embrace
I have no aspirations to write a book, become a YouTube star, or start trending on TikTok. I don’t want an online course empire or a podcast studio or a public speaking circuit. None of that has ever appealed to me. What has kept me going, year after year, is the quiet work: writing articles…
Read MoreWhy So Many Canadians Take CPP Early Even When They Shouldn’t
Every financial planner has been there. You’re sitting across from a perfectly healthy 64-year-old who has more than enough saved, no debt, a paid-off home, a reasonable spending plan, and a strong likelihood of living well into their 80s or 90s. They have zero financial need to turn on CPP today. And yet, as predictably…
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