Living in Retirement

The Quebec Pension Plan (or QPP) is changing in the coming years. In line with the Canada Pension Plan, the QPP is increasing the amount that employees and employers will have to contribute over the next 7 years.

“There is no fountain of youth, but there is a fountain of health” states Dr.Carol Ward, geriatric psychiatrist for Interior Health, BC. That Fountain of Health™ is a national initiative “to promote brain health and resilience” particularly for adults in their Next3rd. The science has revealed 5 ways we can protect and improve our cognitive function.

Today, let’s take on another variation on the theme of collecting your pension. What if you want to keep earning money into retirement? The bonus income might be sweet … but the results may sour on you if they end up reducing your pension benefits in nearly equal measure. How do you strike the right balance?

What will you do in retirement? Many hard-working boomers are uneasy about how they will ‘fill their time’ when retirement comes. Yet, retirement gives you the opportunity to try new things, meet new people, and develop new skills. Here’s an activity that checks a lot of boxes for a fulfilling Next3rd.

If you’ve lived and worked in Canada all your life, and you stop working the day you retire, your pension calculations should be relatively straight-forward. But what if you don’t fit the mould? Many of us don’t. For example, how might spending some years abroad, or continuing to earn income in retirement impact your pension?

She lost 60lbs, travelled to four continents, reconnected with family and friends, embarked on meaningful volunteering, and learned new activities in her next3rd, all from a remote northern community. What are her secrets to living a retirement life with zest? Read on…

How do you manage the change from the fast-paced, highly scheduled, and task-oriented work life to what could be the opposite in retirement? What can you do to live a rewarding retirement life without the structure that guided your work life?

Should retirees be flexible and adjust their spending when market winds blow? We investigate how being flexible impacts total spending in retirement.

World champion dragon boater, RV aficionado, grandmother and free spirit, this semi-retiree is making big lifestyle changes as she embarks on her 7th decade.  With an open mind and new goals to pursue, the open road is calling.  Here are her tips on following your nomadic dreams in retirement.

Death and taxes. Rumour has it, you can’t escape either of them. If you have figured out a work-around, please let me know! Until then, as long you’ve got worldly goods and loved ones, basic estate planning instruments are must-have materials for almost everyone.