Retirement Homes: When, Where & How Much

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Beginning the conversation with a loved one about transitioning to a retirement home can be emotional, intimidating and overwhelming. This MONEYTALK Blog breaks down tips on how to have the conversation, retirement home options, and factors to keep in mind when making your decision to make the process as easy for you and your loved ones as possible.

Ready Or Not?

Over the past couple of years, my mom has been dealing with some health issues. She just celebrated her 84th birthday and is still living in her own home. For the most part, she is capable of taking care of herself but my siblings and I are starting to wonder if her living situation is safe and healthy. We’ve been gathering information on retirement homes and have learned a lot along the way. Here are some helpful tips and things to consider so you or your loved one are best equipped for a seamless transition to an assisted living facility.

Time to Talk

There are so many options available for retirement living. Seniors are no longer resigning themselves to the retirement homes of old. They are choosing a lifestyle, a new freedom to focus on, and a place that brings them happiness with reduced chores and responsibilities. They are living their best retirement taking advantage of safe, social and active living opportunities. Sounds like a dream, right? But not everyone, including my mom, is ready for such a big change. Now what do we do?

First and foremost, we had to accept that this is her life decision, not ours. She needs to be ready to make the move when the time is right for her. Although we have good intentions and want only what’s best, we also have to adhere to her wishes. My advice to you, if you are nearing the same situations with your parent(s) – plan ahead. Start planting the seed for them to think about what their plans are for the future so that they don’t feel defensive or offended when they are older. Be proactive while they are in good health to start exploring their options without the sudden urgency to decide for them.

Retirement Living Options

Here are some info and tips on the different options available based on needs and affordability we learnt:

Independent Living

Mom, like many seniors, is determined to live in her home as long as she can. Many communities have home care services and emergency life-line communications systems available to assist those wanting to maintain their independence. You can also make a few changes to their home like lifts, handrails, or step in tubs so that your loved ones are able to continue living safely and comfortably. To assess if this was still a possibility for my mom, we considered:

  • Could she manage her day to day care (ie: cooking, cleaning, shopping)?
  • Was additional care available in her community if needed? Home care costs vary depending on the type and level of care.
  • Does she have friends and a social life? My mom is a social butterfly so we knew this is really important for her mental health.
  • What is the actual cost of staying in her home?

Together we made a detailed list of all of the expenses incurred on a monthly and yearly basis. The mortgage may be paid for, but there are other costs including:

  • Vehicle: gas, maintenance, insurance, license plates
  • Medical: prescriptions, lifeline medical alert, ambulance
  • Home: upkeep, appliance replacement, insurance, taxes, yard care
  • Groceries/personal items or meals on wheels
  • Utilities: phone, cellular service, power, gas, cable, internet,
  • Entertainment/Gifts
  • Home care
  • House keeping
  • Miscellaneous expenses

Retirement Residence

Retirement residences are not just a home, but a community. They are privately run but provincially regulated. This presented an option where she could kick back and enjoy a worry-free lifestyle in her own self-contained suite and where her daily needs (meals, housekeeping, laundry) would be met. A place where she was free to socialize and take advantage of all the active living opportunities and amenities available. How to choose which is the best facility really comes down to personal choice. It’s good to have choices but too many can be overwhelming. So, we started to do our homework:

  • First, we needed to determine what general area or community she wants to live in – close to her current home or closer to her kids and grandkids.
  • We asked friends whose parents are in homes for their advice and feedback.
  • We started searching online. Most residences have a website you can poke around to see what they offer. Does it look clean and well kept? Does it meet her needs and have some nice to haves?
  • We created a list of questions
    • What are the size options and any extra costs in the personal unit (ie: internet, cable and telephone service)?
    • Is there transportation available for personal appointments?
    • What amenities are included (ie: housekeeping, laundry)?
    • Are pets welcome?
    • What is a typical weekly menu?
    • What are the recreational activities included?
    • Are there outdoor areas to enjoy?
    • Are guest stays available?
    • And the big question: “What does it cost per month? What are considered “extra care costs”?
  • Next, we started booking tours. Take advantage of staying overnight or for the weekend. It will give you the option to try out the food and talk to the residences and staff in order to get a feel for the place. Ultimately you should be able to envision yourself staying there long-term.

Everything comes with a price and there can be a big difference between facilities. We found monthly costs ranged from $2,500 to upwards of $10,000. In some communities, low income housing options are available. Keep in mind that the cost is like choosing and paying for an all-inclusive vacation. You truly get what you pay for. Remember: it’s your loved one’s choice. Don’t push your preferences on them. Let them weigh the pros and cons of each place.

Other Options Down the Road

When the time comes, we know we may have to consider other living arrangements when Mom needs more hands-on care:

Assisted Living

These can be government or privately run for people with some limitations in physical or cognitive health. They provide 24-hour care with assistance with grooming and personal care, mobility, medications or anything related to your disease care. There is usually a base cost and then additional charges based on care required. It’s important to find out the level of care. Some offer level 1-4 care so you won’t have to move multiple times.

Long Term Care

With these type of facilities, you need to be assessed and referred by your family doctor. The cost of long-term care is actually shared by the government. They pay for everything to do with care and you pay for the space. They do provide basic furnishings including a bed, nightstand and chair. It’s up to you to make it as homey as possible given the limited space. Cost is based on your income.

This is just the tip of the iceberg. For every place we have been in contact with so far, the staff have been wonderful and very helpful. They have dealt with many individuals and families who are struggling to make one of the biggest life changing decisions they have ever made. Their patience and empathy were welcomed and they provided us packages of information and checklists to help in our decision making.

Like with retirement savings, you’re never too young to start planning and educating yourself. I’ve already started asking my spouse where he sees us in the next 10 – 20 years.

The Decision

In closing, remember whose decision this is and that as long as your loved one is happy, safe and cared for, there will be less worry all around. Hey, if things don’t work out, they can always come live with you. I’ll save that blog for another day.

Celebrating 100 MONEYTALK Blogs: Top 10 Blogs

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Can you believe it!? We’ve made it to MONEYTALK Blog #100! For our 100th blog, we are going to look back at ten of our most viewed and relevant blogs that provides relatable financial literacy advice for a variety of different topics, events and life stages. 

Money is stressful and everyone is experiencing their own unique life stages and financial situations. There is no one-size-fits-all model when it comes to providing financial advice.

In November 2017, we launched the Conexus #MONEYTALK Blog with a purpose to share expert advice, practical help and real-life experiences for relatable topics and life stages. Time flies when you are exploring financial literacy from a different lens because it’s hard to believe that three and a half years later – we are celebrating our 100th Blog! From blogs on money saving hacks at Rider games to renewing your mortgage during a global pandemic, our authors have explored topical and relevant events and have provided advice to ensure you are best equipped to navigate your financial well-being through whatever life throws at you.

To celebrate this milestone, blog #100 is looking back at ten of our most popular and still relevant blogs that have been published over the past three and a half years. These ten blogs approach financial literacy from a number of different perspectives so it is no surprise that eight of our authors are featured in this list. Enjoy our walk down memory lane and here’s to the next 100 blogs!

What I Learned From My 90 Day Spending Freeze

We’ve all heard of “cleanses” or “detoxes”. Although traditionally meant for weight loss or breaks from social media, spending freezes are gaining popularity as a means to cut spending and flush out bad money habits. Here’s a personal story where one of our writers was forced to check herself before debting herself and what she learned from a 90-day spending freeze. (Author: Melissa Fiacco, November 2020)

LINK: READ THE BLOG HERE

More COVID-19 Scams to Monitor

During this pandemic, it’s not just your physical health at risk, your financial health may be as well. Throughout times of uncertainty we are seeing fraudsters launch sophisticated scams, exploiting public fears for targeted attacks – and we’re definitely in uncertain times.  In addition to the scams we went over earlier, here are five more of the most prevalent COVID-19 scams we’re seeing used to attack people’s financial health and how you can protect yourself from being a victim. (Author: Rachel Langen, April 2020)

LINK: READ THE BLOG HERE

3 Key Money Tips for High Schoolers

No matter how old you are – you likely aren’t satisfied with the amount of money you have and you want more. When you are in high school, you want to be able to buy the things you want, go out with your friends, and maybe even save for your future education. So, if you are a high schooler – here are a few things you can do with your money to make it work best for you!  (Author: Kailyn Carter, January 2020) 

LINK: READ THE BLOG HERE

How Take Out Almost Took Out My Budget

With so many options for ordering meals via delivery, it’s becoming increasingly hard to resist the convenience of take-out and maintaining the discipline to stick to your meal prepping schedule. Let’s look at a real-life example of how creating and sticking to a budget can save your bank account from landing in the trash with your leftover to-go containers. (Author: Mason Gardiner, November 2019)

LINK: READ THE BLOG HERE

The Cost of Being Single

Single and ready to mingle? Well, if you didn’t need another reason to despise Valentine’s Day,  I’m about to give you one more – independence is expensive. Whether you are choosing to live the single life or you just haven’t met the right catch yet, you’ve probably experienced some of the nuisances that come with taking on the world on your own. (Author: Mason Gardiner, June 2019)

LINK: READ THE BLOG HERE

The Real Cost of Carrying a Balance on a Credit Card

Do you know what it actually costs when you carry a balance on your credit card? We’ve broken it down and even have a tool to figure out how long it might take you to pay off your balance. (Author: Kailyn Carter, May 2019)

LINK: READ THE BLOG HERE

5 Activities for Young Kids: Introduction to Money

Introducing your kids to money early on can create a foundation for financial knowledge and positively impact how they manage money later. (Author: Laura McKnight; June 2018)

LINK: READ THE BLOG HERE

Tips for First-Time Home Buyers

Purchasing your first home is a big life decision. Our Mobile Mortgage Specialists share advice for first-time homebuyers on what to know and consider when purchasing your first home. (Author: Nicole Haynes-Siminoff, March 2018)

LINK: READ THE BLOG HERE 

The Importance of Having an Emergency Fund

Life happens and sometimes an unexpected curveball is thrown our way, threatening our financial well-being and causing stress. Having an emergency savings fund helps us be prepared for these unexpected life events. (Author: Courtney Rink, March 2018)

LINK: READ THE BLOG HERE

Credit Unions vs Banks: What’s the Difference?

When it comes to managing your finances and choosing where to bank, there are many things to consider including whether you should choose a credit union or a bank. (Author: Francis Dixon, December 2017)

LINK: READ THE BLOG HERE

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Investing Advice I Wish I Could Give My Younger Self

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There are many things we’ve done in life where we’d love a second chance, especially when it comes to finances. Knowing when and how to invest can be tricky. So, I sat down with some of our own experts to learn how they approach investing, common mistakes people make, and what advice they wish they could go back and give their younger self.

Hindsight is 20/20

Have you ever made a choice and regretted that decision years later? For me, it was bangs at fourteen. I wish I’d known then what I know now and that can be said for a lot of things, especially finances. We’ve all made bad spending decisions but many poor financial decisions or lack of action center around investing.  We aren’t always as rational as we think we are which can lead to decisions and behaviors that may not be in our best long-term interest.

Now, although we can’t time travel, we can share advice and learn from those around us. I sat down with some of our own experts at Conexus to learn how they approach investing, common mistakes people make, and what advice they wish they could go back and give their younger self.

Let’s meet the experts:

  1. Ryan McDonald, Wealth Experience Coach at Thrive Wealth Management
  2. Nadia Antoschkin, Financial Advisor at Conexus Credit Union
  3. Natasja Barlow, Branch Manager at Conexus Credit Union

Each expert offers a unique perspective which is fitting as there is typically no one-size fits all approach to investing. From your preferred risk level to to the amount you want to invest, it’s a discovery process to find what’s going to work for you. You may not find all the answers you’re hoping for (and that’s okay), but here are a few tips and key learnings from the experts themselves to help equip you for your own investing journey.

It’s okay not know all the answers

Like anything, you won’t know everything when you first start out. You still might not know everything even five, ten years down the line. The world is in a constant state of change and evolution, which impacts everything around us. This is especially true for the stock market, which has high volatility, making it difficult to know when the right time to enter the market is (but don’t worry, I’ll touch on this later).

The good news is you don’t need to have all the answers. Ryan shared – “the first thing I do is educate. People aren’t always going to be experts and we don’t expect them to be, so I always make sure to discuss the various types of investments and plans that are available.”

Nadia also shared some tips that have helped her to get started:

  1. Separate your money into different accounts. One for your daily expense and one for excess cash flow you could use to start saving or investing.
  2. Start small and test the waters. She started with $50 a month.
  3. Check-in. Is $50 working for you or could you increase that amount?

Learning to understand what you can manage and what you’re comfortable with takes a little trial and error. Also, don’t be afraid to do some searching to find out what you’re passionate about. Natasja shared “what I would do differently is invest the time in learning about my investments and being interested in where my money is going.” By starting with educating yourself, you’re laying that foundation and setting yourself up for success.

Focus on your goals

Investing is personal. We all have different goals, dreams and moments that we envision for our future selves. Ask yourself – what am I investing for? Is it retirement? Your education? A dream vacation? Or your first home? I bet if you asked three different people this question, the answer is going to be different for each of them.

A common mistake people tend to make is “doing the same thing as a friend or maybe even a family member” says Natasja Barlow. As human beings, we have a tendency to follow what those around us are doing especially if they are finding success. For example, most children tend to do their banking with the same financial institution as their parents because it’s familiar and they trust their parents. However, it’s important that you know what you’re investing for so that you can create a personalized plan. What makes sense for your friends or family may not make sense for you. For instance, if your parents are nearing retirement, their risk tolerance on a mutual fund may lean towards a conservative level when it is recommended to be a little more liberal in your 20s and 30s to generate a higher rate of return.

Start now

Many people struggle to start their investing journey as it can be intimidating. We often tell ourselves common misconceptions like the market is too volatile or we need a lot of money in order to begin. It’s never too early to begin and it’s never too late to start. For Nadia, this couldn’t be more true:

“I moved from Germany when I was 35-years old, didn’t speak any English, and didn’t know anything about investing. Now, I have my own diversified savings accounts.”

You don’t need thousands or even hundreds of dollars to get started. Investing in consistently small increments will add up over time – “if I had known about this when I was younger, I would have been better off”, says Nadia.

Start early, start small and be consistent! If you’re looking for ways to get started, check out our blog Why You Need To Be Investing During Your 20s and 30s.

Ride the turbulence

I touched on this earlier but depending on the investing option you go with – the market can be volatile. This means that there is often unexpected or sudden change which can drive the value of your investments up and down. When this happens, as humans it is natural to react. However, this reaction is often triggered by fear or worry which causes us to make irrational decisions like pulling your investments before they have the chance to recover.

In this article by the Financial Post, they discuss how strong emotions can influence investor behaviour in ways that may jeopardize their long-term investment goals.

Ryan explained it best using the “airplane analogy”. If you’ve been in an airplane, you’ve likely experienced turbulence. In these circumstances, our brain doesn’t say ‘oh it’s bumpy, let’s jump out and swim the rest of the way’, because eventually the plane gets back on track and to our destination a lot faster than we could swimming.”

He also shared, “investing is best if it’s boring and you do the basics of paying yourself first, investing early, staying invested and having a diversified portfolio. In 2008 I had been in the industry for two years and decided I should day trade my investments. This was the worst decision of my life.” Day trading is the practice of purchasing and selling a security within a single trading day. This involves buying a stock when it was low in price range and selling it as it moved up in range. Day trading can lead to obsessive behaviour and constantly watching your investments which can lead to urges to pull investments when they are better left untouched.

Sometimes it’s a matter of reducing your investment amount versus stopping all together. “If I would have reduced my investment instead of stopping it, I would be further ahead. That is a key learning for me.” says Natasja. But remember, it should always come back to your goals. What are you investing for? What is your risk level? Is this a short or long-term investment?

Investing isn’t one size fits all – it’s personal and is based on your individual goals, risk tolerance, or stage in life. You’re also going to hit some bumps along the way and make some mistakes – even with all of this advice. You know why? You’re human. My hope is that this blog at least encourages you to start and removes some of the worry or fear standing in your way. If you’re ready to get the conversation started with a financial advisor, book an appointment at www.conexusmoments.ca. 

When should I ACTUALLY start saving for retirement?

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Whether it’s sunny beaches, cruising the open road, traveling the globe or just relaxing and taking time to enjoy your life – retirement looks different for everyone. No matter what it may look like for you, the one thing we all have in common is that one day we’d like to retire and we need money to make it happen. Whether you’re just starting your career, counting down the days, or somewhere in the middle, there are things you can do to ensure your retirement is exactly what you want it to be.

“What do you mean retirement? I just started working!” That may be true, but ideally, you’ll want to start saving for retirement as early as possible. We know that’s not always possible, so wherever you are in life’s journey, the best time to start saving for retirement is RIGHT NOW!!!

Here are some tips for you, wherever you are on your retirement journey:

Start early and contribute often

The earlier you start saving, the more interest you will earn and the more money you will have when you’re ready to retire. For example:

Age 20 years old 40 years old
Monthly investment $200 $800
Interest rate 6.5% 6.5%
Retirement age 65 65
Total invested $108K $240K
Interest earned $522K $362K
Total retirement savings $630,000 $602,000

Although both people ended up with a similar amount, the person who began saving at 20 years old, put in less than half of their own money – it mostly came from interest (i.e not your pocket).

Make it automatic

The easiest way to reach a savings goal is to set up automatic transfers to your retirement accounts. That way, it is coming out at a consistent rate and you don’t have to bid an emotional farewell to your money every month as it will be automatically transferred or deducted from your pay cheque.

Don’t touch your retirement fund. View it as money that is not at all accessible

There are lots of different types of accounts you can use to save for retirement, but the best ones are those you can’t touch. For example, there are TFSAs and RRSPs, and other special savings account you can use to meet your different retirement savings goals. The best thing to do if you’re not sure what accounts work best for you is to talk to a Financial Advisor. You can also check out our investment terminology blog to find out more information about different options and what those acronyms mean. By locking in these inaccessible accounts, it removes the temptation to pull from these savings accounts when you just NEED that new pair of shoes and sets you up for success when you retire.

Get rid of debt before retirement

Simply put, you don’t want to owe money when you are no longer making money.

Annually review your retirement plan to see how you’re doing and if it will still meet your needs

Just like a doctor’s check-up, a financial check-up is important to do every year. Work with  your financial advisor to make sure you’re on track and make any changes to your plan as you need. A great tool you can use to see how much you may need to be set up for retirement is our Retirement Planner Calculator.

Make sure you understand at tax time what your RRSP and TFSA contribution limits are

Every year, Revenue Canada will send you a Notice of Assessment after you’ve filed your taxes. On there, you can see how much you can contribute for the next year, based on your previous year’s income, plus any unused amounts from previous years. There is also a limit as to how much you can contribute to your TFSA, starting from the age of 18. A great tool for understanding your TFSA limit is this calculator.

No matter where retirement fits into your plans, it’s going to be a great time and being financially prepared will help ensure you can enjoy your golden years. So when is the right time to start saving? There is no better time like the present and it will save you down the road!

couple sitting on couch, looking at a computer

10 ways to take control of your finances

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A New Year means resolutions and often times have a financial component to them. Here are 10 ways you can take control of your finances this coming year.

New Year. New financial you.

It’s hard to believe the New Year has already begun. With a New Year often comes resolutions – creating a plan for the future using lessons from the past – and many times have a financial component to them.

Here are 10 ways you can take control of your finances this coming year.

1. Set goals

We all have dreams of what we want to do and what we want to achieve. Make these dreams a reality by setting goals to achieve them. Organize your goals by priority and be sure they’re realistic and achievable. Tip: Start small. Small goals are easier to reach and help train your brain into believing you can achieve it, increasing your chance for success of future goals. Get started by checking out our Goal Setting Blog.

2. Take action

It’s one thing to say you’re going to do something and actually doing it. Put action to your words by creating an action plan setting dates you want to achieve parts/milestones of your goal by. Hold yourself accountable and reward yourself when achieving each milestone helping you to keep motivated.

3. Create a budget

A budget helps you manage your money, showing you how much you’re bringing in each month and where you plan on spending your money. It can help you not spend above your means and focus on what’s important to you. To make budgeting easier for you, we recommend using our online Budget Calculator.

4. Track your spending

By tracking every nickel you spend, you’re able to get an accurate picture of your spending habits – sometimes it can be very shocking how quickly or how much your purchases add up. Tracking your spending will also help you create a more precise budget based on your spending habits and allow you to identify areas where you may need to change your spending behaviours.

5. No-spend challenges

Each month challenge yourself to a spending freeze for a day, weekend or even the full month for all non-essential items. Or pick a different non-essential category to not spend on such as ‘No Eating Out March’.

We recommend challenging yourself for a day or weekend if doing for the first time. Check out our No-Spend Weekend Challenge Blog helping you succeed in taking an entire weekend off from spending.

6. Save for an emergency

Life can sometimes throw us a curveball, threatening our financial well-being and causing us stress. Set money aside each month into an emergency savings fund for those unexpected life events. Having a fund ensures if your car breaks down or your furnace goes in the middle of winter that you’re prepared and gives you peace-of-mind knowing you won’t need to stress trying to find money to cover these unexpected expenses.

7. Prepare for retirement

We all dream of the day we’ll retire – no more alarm clock, being able to take a nap whenever we’d like and playing that golf game on a Wednesday afternoon. Being able to retire the way we want though requires some planning in advance. Start preparing now by checking out our blog, Retirement: will you have enough?

8. Save your extra money

Throughout the year we come across extra money such as an income tax return or a cheque from our Grandma for our birthday. Though we may be tempted to treat ourselves, consider putting any extra, unexpected money you come across into savings – you’ll thank yourself at the end of the year when you have extra savings in the bank!

9. Invest in a TFSA

A tax-free savings account (TFSA) is a great way to save for just about anything, whether it be a short-term or long-term goal. What you save is not tax deductible nor are you taxed when you withdraw your earnings. As well, in 2019 contribution maximums have increased to $6,000. Learn more here.

10. Plan/review your estate

We often think that planning our estates is something we do when we’re older but in fact, everyone young or old should have an estate plan in place in case something unexpected were to happen to us. Having an estate plan helps our loved ones understand our wishes and how to carry them out if we were to pass. This can include naming guardians for children, instructions for your burial/cremation and how you’d like your property divided up and should be updated at each life event such as marriage, children, divorce, retirement, etc. Start your plan by speaking with a local estate planner or lawyer today.

A New Year symbolizes a fresh start and new beginnings. Hopefully, these quick tips help you feel more prepared to take on the new year and take control of your finances. For more financial advice, we encourage you to check out some of our other blogs or contact us today to set up an appointment with a financial advisor.

retired couple hiking in field

Retirement: will you have enough?

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Retirement – whether far away or just around the corner, it will require some planning in advance. Are you prepared?

We all dream of the day we’ll retire. No more alarm clock and having to get up early to go to work. Being able to take a nap whenever we like. And doing the things we want, whenever we want – a golf game at 2 p.m. on a Wednesday afternoon, why not?

Being able to do all the things we want when we retire though will require some planning in advance. It’s recommended to start early and if you haven’t started yet, it’s not too late. When planning for your retirement, here are a few things you should consider.

How much money will I need?

The amount of money you’ll need to retire will depend on what you plan on doing and the expenses you’ll incur. Ask yourself the following questions:

  • At what age do I want to retire?
  • What types of expenses will I have when I retire such as housing, bills, etc.?
  • What type of health insurance will I need? Will I need extra coverage as I get older?
  • What types of activities/hobbies do I plan on doing such as traveling, etc.?
  • Will I move into a senior’s complex and what expenses will I have?
  • Do I want to leave an inheritance for my family?

Considering all factors, what yearly income would you need and feel comfortable living off of? Take this amount and divide by 12 to get your monthly income. Is this still an amount you’re comfortable with? If not, you may need to relook at the things you may want to do or think about increasing your yearly income to make an amount that you’re happy with.

I know how much money I’ll need, but now what?

Now that you have an amount in mind that you want to retire with, you need to put together a plan on how to start saving money to reach this goal. Starting early is key as it allows you to save more over a longer period of time. Starting later is still possible, but you may have to put more money away in a shorter amount of time to reach your goals.

A retirement calculator helps you figure out the amount of savings you’ll need each year to meet your retirement needs. It takes into account any money you’ve already saved, retirement income you may receive from the government or an employer and rate of returns. It also helps show if you’re on track and provides advice on adjusting your savings if you have a shortfall.

Through the calculator, you’ll be able to see what yearly contributions you should be making. To find a monthly amount, take the yearly contributions and divide by 12. Does this amount fit your budget? If not, consider adjusting your retirement goal or putting away smaller amounts that fit your budget now with a plan to reevaluate and increase contributions over the next several years.

When creating a plan, it’s great to have an understanding of what your goals are and what is needed from you now in order to reach your long-term goals. It’s also important to know that things change in life and you may need to adjust your plan along the way. This is why it’s also important to speak with a financial advisor when creating a plan as they can provide guidance and advice based on your needs and things that may change over time. A financial advisor can also help determine what products would be in your best interest and help reach your goals.

Where should I invest my money?

Everyone’s situation and goals are unique as should be the products to best meet your goals and needs.  There are many different ways you can save and invest money for retirement such as RRSPs, TFSAs, etc. Talking with a financial advisor will help determine what products work best for you. Prior to discussing, become familiar with the different options available and jot down any questions you may have.  Your financial advisor can help answer these questions and set you up with any products identified in your personalized plan.

When planning your retirement, there are many factors to consider and starting as early as possible is key. First, understand what you want when you retire and factor in all related expenses. Talk to a financial advisor to help determine where you want to be and how to get there. And then start investing today. Putting as little as $20 every couple of weeks now can make a big difference later on. There’s no better investment than in yourself and your future… so what are you waiting for?