Latte Money 101

Retirement 101

How public benefits, pensions and personal savings work together later in life.

10 lessons · about 40 minutes

In this series

Start at the top. Take it one idea at a time.

  1. 01What Is Retirement Planning?Retirement planning is preparing for a period when employment income may fall or stop and spending must be supported by pensions, benefits and accumulated assets.4 min
  2. 02CPPThe Canada Pension Plan retirement pension is a monthly taxable benefit based mainly on contributions, earnings and the age you start receiving it.4 min
  3. 03CPP TimingCPP can generally start from age 60 to 70. Starting earlier means smaller monthly payments, while starting later means larger monthly payments.4 min
  4. 04OASOld Age Security is a monthly pension for eligible people age 65 or older. Eligibility is based mainly on age, legal status and residence history rather than work contributions.4 min
  5. 05GISThe Guaranteed Income Supplement is a monthly tax-free benefit for eligible lower-income OAS recipients living in Canada.4 min
  6. 06Workplace PensionsWorkplace pension plans provide retirement income through employer-sponsored arrangements. Defined benefit and defined contribution plans promise different things.4 min
  7. 07RRSP and RRIFAn RRSP is mainly used to accumulate registered retirement savings. A RRIF is used to draw registered retirement income and requires minimum withdrawals after it is established.4 min
  8. 08Retirement IncomeRetirement income can come from several layers, including public pensions, workplace pensions and personal savings.4 min
  9. 09Retirement WithdrawalsRetirement withdrawals turn accumulated assets into spending money. The amount, account type, taxes and market conditions all affect how long assets may last.4 min
  10. 10Retirement RisksRetirement planning must manage several risks at once, including longevity, inflation, market losses, sequence risk and changing expenses.4 min

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