In this episode of the AskTMFG Podcast, Financial Advisors Carlo Cansino and John Iaconetti break down the popular retirement concept "Retirement Levels".
While these frameworks can be a helpful starting point, Carlo and John explain that they often oversimplify one of the most complex financial decisions Canadians will face. Two people can have similar savings, appear to be in the same “level,” and still experience completely different retirements.
That’s because retirement readiness isn’t just about how much you’ve saved; it’s about how your plan is structured.
They walk through the key factors that retirement levels often miss, including where your income actually comes from, how much your plan depends on market performance, and how taxes can significantly impact your spendable income.
The conversation also explores how different account types, like RRSPs, TFSAs, and non-registered accounts, affect your withdrawals, why sequencing matters, and how overlooking these details can lead to unnecessary tax costs or income instability.
Retirement planning isn’t about hitting a number; it’s about building a plan that can last.
👉 Watch the full video episode on YouTube to understand how to structure your retirement beyond “levels”:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWLOoqHo2Yk
Question for our listeners:
Are you measuring your retirement by a number, or by how your plan actually works?
👉 If you’d like help reviewing your retirement strategy, we’re offering a complimentary portfolio analysis to evaluate your income sources, tax exposure, and long-term sustainability:
https://tmfg.ca/portfolio-analysis/
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