Field Notes
Plain-spoken notes on retirement, money, and the Canadian dollar — for people who’d rather understand the numbers than be sold them.
Can a Couple Retire at 60 With $1.5 Million in Canada? (2026)
We built a full retirement plan for an Alberta couple retiring at 60 with $1.5 million saved. Here is how they bridge the years before CPP and OAS, what they pay in tax, and how much more they could spend.
Can a Couple Retire With $1 Million in Canada? (2026)
We built a full retirement plan for a BC couple retiring at 65 with $1 million saved. Here is how two sets of CPP and OAS change the math, what they pay in tax, and how much more they could spend.
12 min read
Can I Retire at 65 With $2 Million in Canada? (2026)
We built a full retirement plan for a 65-year-old in Ontario with $2 million saved. Here is how much he can spend, what RRIF minimums do to his tax bill, and what to do with the surplus.
12 min read
Can I Retire at 55 With $1 Million in Canada? (2026)
We built a full retirement plan for a 55-year-old in Ontario with $1 million saved. Here is how she funds ten years without CPP or OAS, and the trade-offs that make early retirement work.
12 min read
Can I Retire at 60 With $1 Million in Canada? (2026)
We built a full retirement plan for a 60-year-old in Ontario with $1 million saved. Here is how he bridges the five years before CPP and OAS, what it costs in tax, and how much room his plan really has.
12 min read
Can I Retire at 60 With $500K in Canada? (2026)
We built a full retirement plan for a 60-year-old in Ontario with $500,000 saved. Here is what the five years before CPP and OAS cost him, and the changes that make his money last.
12 min read
Can I Retire at 65 With $500K in Canada? (2026)
We built a full retirement plan for a 65-year-old renter in Ontario with $500,000 saved. Here is how far her savings and government benefits go, and the changes that make her money last to 95.
11 min read
Can I Retire With $1 Million at 65 in Ontario? (2026)
We built a full Canadian retirement plan for a 65-year-old in Ontario with $1 million saved. Here is what it pays, what it costs in tax, and what happens when the assumptions change.
11 min read
Best Places to Retire in Canada (and What Actually Matters When Choosing)
Where you retire in Canada affects your taxes, housing costs, healthcare access, and lifestyle. Here's a practical framework for thinking through the decision, including the hidden financial factors most people overlook.
11 min read
Pension Income Splitting in Canada: Reduce Your Retirement Tax Bill
Pension Income Splitting is one of the simplest tax-planning tools available to retired Canadian couples. Here's how it works, what income qualifies, and when it's most valuable.
6 min read
Can Couples Split CPP Income in Canada?
CPP Pension Sharing lets eligible spouses redistribute monthly CPP income to reduce the household tax bill. Here's how the calculation works, who qualifies, and when it actually saves money.
7 min read
LIRA and LIF: Managing Your Locked-In Pension Assets
If you've left a job with a pension, your locked-in funds likely live in a LIRA. This guide covers how that money converts to retirement income through a Life Income Fund, and what the withdrawal limits mean in practice.
9 min read
How Much Do You Need to Retire in Canada?
A practical guide to estimating your retirement savings target using top-down income replacement, bottom-up expense planning, and the 4% rule.
7 min read
What Are CPP and OAS (and Why Do They Matter?)
A plain-English guide to Canada's two main retirement income programs, how they work, and when to start taking your benefits.
8 min read