Real State Finance
February 25, 2026
476 views 8 mins 0

We’re 10 years apart. Can we retire together?

Ask MoneySense My wife and I plan to retire at the end of 2027. I am 63 and my wife is 53. All our investments are split 50/50 between RRSPs and LIRAs for a total of about $1,450,000. We anticipate needing about $110,000 a year after tax in retirement. We have a line of credit, […]

Real State Finance
February 24, 2026
504 views 11 mins 0

Warning to caregivers: Expect a scavenger hunt

This story is part 3 in a series on financial caregiving for seniors. Read others in this series: 3 signs you need to take control of your parents’ finances Caring for a parent? Get a power of attorney Before my father was diagnosed with dementia, I had a 30,000-foot awareness of my father and my […]

Real State Finance
February 20, 2026
550 views 6 mins 0

What happens when you inherit an IRA or 401(k)?

A US traditional individual retirement account (IRA) is a bit like a Canadian registered retirement savings plan (RRSP). A 401(k) is like a defined contribution (DC) pension plan. In both cases, tax-deductible contributions can be made by a retirement saver with future withdrawals generally subject to tax.  Spousal beneficiary When a spouse inherits an IRA […]

Real State Finance
February 19, 2026
521 views 9 mins 0

What replacing my tires taught me about planning for retirement

I seldom think about retirement. I rarely, if ever, think about replacing my car tires either—two major Canadian preoccupations that, for most of my life, did not occupy much space in my mind. And yet, as I’ve come to realize, both forms of “re-tirement” are inevitable, expensive, and far easier to manage when you see […]

Real State Finance
February 06, 2026
526 views 5 mins 0

With pensions declining, Canadians must plan their own retirement

A new report says less than half of non-retirees in Canada have a workplace pension plan. IG Wealth Management’s annual retirement study said a generational shift is re-shaping how Canadians approach retirement as 48% of non-retirees have a workplace pension plan, whether it be a defined-benefit or defined-contribution plan.   “The decline of defined benefit […]

Real State Finance
February 05, 2026
498 views 10 mins 0

Your money, your move: Engage in your financial future

My family and I moved to Canada in the summer of 2019, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. We were willing to do everything it took to make the move a success. I knew that finding a job right away was unlikely and also sensed that landing a position at the same level as I had in Dubai […]

Real State Finance
January 30, 2026
587 views 16 mins 0

Buffer ETFs vs. market-linked GICs: Which is better?

The first month of a new year tends to bring a familiar checklist for Canadian investors. There is fresh tax-free savings account (TFSA) contribution room to use. For 2026, that number is $7,000. There is also the annual rush to finish topping up registered retirement savings plan (RRSP) contributions within the first 60 days for […]

Real State Finance
January 21, 2026
583 views 12 mins 0

Why Canadian investors should avoid MLPs 

For better or worse, a sizable group of Canadian investors still screens prospective investments by dividend yield. When that search expands beyond Canadian stocks, it often leads into parts of the U.S. market that look attractive on the surface but are poorly understood. Common examples include American mortgage real estate investment trusts (mREITs) and business […]