Retirement & Education Savings

Where your money lives matters as much as how much you save

Canadian accounts are taxed differently. Matching the goal to the right account — and watching the fees — can be worth more than any single investment choice.

The accounts

Matching the goal to the account

RRSP

A deduction now, taxed on withdrawal. Built for retirement and income splitting.

TFSA

Tax-free growth and withdrawals — the most flexible account you have.

FHSA

A deduction going in and tax-free out, for a first home.

RESP

Education savings, boosted by government grants most families under-claim.

RESP

Don’t leave the grant on the table

The government adds 20% on the first $2,500 you contribute each year — up to $7,200 per child. Miss the deadlines and that money is gone for good.

  • 20% Canada Education Savings Grant on eligible contributions
  • Extra grant and the Canada Learning Bond for lower-income families
  • An age-15 deadline that quietly closes the door — we plan around it
  • A catch-up strategy if you’re starting late
Read the RESP guide
20%
Government match on the first $2,500 / year
$7,200
Maximum grant per child
Age 15
The deadline most families miss
Segregated funds

Guarantees, creditor protection, and a clean estate transfer

Segregated funds are investment contracts with insurance features. They cost more than a basic fund — so they make sense when their protections genuinely fit your situation.

Guarantees

A floor on your deposits at maturity or on death.

Creditor protection

Valuable for business owners and the self-employed, with the right setup.

Bypass probate

Paid directly to a named beneficiary — faster, private, no probate tax on that money.

A note on cost: guarantees and protections carry higher fees than a low-cost fund. For a long horizon with no creditor or estate concern, a simpler option may serve you better — and I’ll say so when that’s the case.

Retirement income

Turning savings into income — without an unnecessary tax bill

Withdrawal sequencing

Drawing accounts down in the right order, at the right time, can save more tax than any product — especially in the low-income years before mandatory RRIF withdrawals.

Protecting your OAS

Keeping taxable income under the clawback threshold matters. We plan withdrawals with that line in mind.

Let’s map your next ten years

We’ll look at what you hold, when you’ll need it, and how to keep more of it.