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Retired Money
By Jonathan Chevreau on May 25, 2023
Estimated Reading Time: 6 minutes
By Jonathan Chevreau on May 25, 2023
Estimated Reading Time: 6 minutes
There are five factors in deciding the timing of retirement; plus a sixth factor that isn’t important even though many think it is.
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Photo by Kampus Production from Pexels
This month’s Retired Money column reprises a couple of interesting takes on the key factors in deciding one’s timing of embarking on retirement. One is from the Plutus-award winning American author and blogger Fritz Gilbert, and the second is a Canadian take from MyOwnAdvisor’s Mark Seed.
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A Canadian perspective on the five factors of retirement
Gilbert started the ball rolling back in April 2022, with a post on his The Retirement Manifesto blog, entitled “The 5 most important factors in your decision to retire.” His Plutus award was for Best Retirement Blog. After more than 30 years working in corporate America, Fritz retired (as planned) in June 2018 at age 55. He’s also the author of a book on retirement: Keys to a Successful Retirement (Rockridge Press, 2020).
Then on my own site, as it often does with permission from various financial bloggers, I re-reran Gilbert’s blog; it was noticed by Seed, who was inspired to riff on the same theme, with a Canadian spin and more remarks from his personal perspective.
Seed considers himself semi-retired (as I do), happy to live off of employer and government pensions as his “fixed income” and mostly dividend income from his investments. Seed’s posts ran in mid-December under the title “5 Important Factors to Consider in Your Decision to Retire.”
So, what was it that so intrigued three different financial bloggers to scrutinize their own reasons for retiring? I’ll count this column as evidence that three of us found it worthy of a write-up. I’ve included the links to the originals above so won’t attempt to cram it all in this space, as they include several charts.
Deciding on the timing
Here are the five factors identified by Gilbert, posed as questions, for deciding when to retire:
- Do you have enough money?
- Are you mentally prepared for retirement?
- Have you made a realistic spending estimate?
- Is your portfolio ready for withdrawals?
- What’s your risk tolerance?
You may wish to jot down your answers to these five questions before continuing to read or clicking on the links for the full blogs. One or two words for each should suffice, but it should be a revealing exercise.
Here are my own succinct answers: yes, yes, yes, yes, medium.
Compound interest calculator: How interest growsUSE TOOL
There’s a sixth factor, but it doesn’t really matter
By now, you may be wondering about the mysterious sixth factor, which Fritz says “doesn’t really matter at all.” Strangely, he adds, many people consider it to be the most important in their decision.
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Spoiler alert: If you like a bit of suspense, read Fritz’s original blog post before proceeding. For those who want the quick-and-dirty reveal, if you’ve not already guessed, it’s your age.
Or, as Fritz wrote: “For once in your life, age has nothing to do with this decision.Unlike with driving, voting and drinking, there are no legal constraints on when you can choose to retire.As long as you can check the boxes on the important factors listed earlier, you can choose to retire regardless of your age.” (Here in the column, the factors are posed as questions, instead of checkboxes.)
Speaking of age… at 70, I’m the oldest of us three bloggers, and Seed is the youngest. All three of us (that is, Gilbert, Seed and myself) are technically still working and probably consider ourselves semi-retired.
I, too, wrote a book about this, called Victory Lap Retirement (Milner, 2019), co-authored with former corporate banker Mike Drak. All three of us, and Drak too, emphasize “financial independence” over classical traditional “full-stop retirement.”
As most of my readers know by now, my contraction for “financial independence” is “Findependence,” which shows up in my financial novel Findependence Day (Trafford Publishing, 2013), as well as my website. The basic philosophy is to work because you enjoy it, not because you need the money. Or, as financial planner Doug Dahmer nicely phrases it in a 2019 Retired Money column of mine, “Work Optional.”
FI, not RE
Some younger financial bloggers prefer the term FIRE, which stands for: Financial Independence, Retire Early. Although, increasingly, I see the emphasis on FI, rather than on retiring early.
Some FIRE bloggers talk about “retiring” in their early 30s, which I think is way too young. However, look closely and you’ll see most FIRE bloggers really are referring to quitting the salaried, bossed-around 9-to-5 corporate grind. And instead, they build a self-employed life that may include blogging (paid for by advertising, affiliate links, etc.), book deals, paid public speaking events and/or media appearances and more.
Yes, money’s still a biggie
Let me close with some final thoughts on these five “factors.” Apart from age, money has to be the dominant one, which is why Gilbert listed it first. Seed’s blog post goes into considerable depth on money, using charts to examine sequence-of-returns risk and the various “buckets” into which one should divide one’s funds. In essence, there are three buckets: Cash savings for emergencies, income from dividend-paying stocks, and equity income from exchange-traded funds (ETFs).
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Don’t forget the second factor: Are you mentally prepared for retirement? It’s not just about having a pile of money. If that were the case, the world wouldn’t be so troubled by the non-retirement of three aging billionaires named Musk, Putin and Trump—if you believe the latter is actually a billionaire, that is.
Seed’s blog post encourages readers to really ask themselves some serious questions. Here are his own answers to his self-posed questions:
- How much do you want to travel?
A bit, not all the time. - Where do you want to live?
In Ottawa, as a home base. - Are you going to downsize?
Already did! - Are you going to do more entertainment with that increased free time?
Yes, but also more volunteer work.
For the third factor, Seed uses a chart I liked so much I moved it to the top of the Hub’s republished version of his blog post. It identifies the crossover or FIRE point of becoming financially independent, when investment income exceeds annual living expenses.

The fourth factor illustrates the oft-observed fact that withdrawing money (i.e. decumulation) in retirement is often more challenging than working/accumulating wealth. Both the Canadian and American retirement systems are complex, when you consider the various pension types and tax-efficient savings vehicles, government retirement programs and the complexity of investing in multiple asset classes.
For the last one, factor five, on risk tolerance, Seed highlights Gilbert’s quote:
“The future is unknowable. All things being equal, a decision to retire earlier has more risk than a decision to retire later. Are you aware of, and comfortable with, those risks?”
Judging by the fact I’ve personally not yet completely stopped working, six weeks after my 70th birthday, I’d summarize the risks I’m most keenly aware of: longevity risk, market risk, inflation risk and the risk of being bored if you retire too early.
Every would-be retiree will have a different view of risks and time horizons. If these ideas motivate you to look beyond the simple view that “I’ll retire when I turn XX,” the exercise may have been a valuable one.
Jonathan Chevreau is the Investing Editor at Large for MoneySense. He is also founder of the Financial Independence Hub, author of Findependence Day and co-author of Victory Lap Retirement. He can be reached at [emailprotected].
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More from Retired Money:
- Should you cash out your workplace pension when you leave a job?
- How retired parents can use the FHSA to help their adult children
- Is now the time for retirees to sell stocks and buy GICs?
- How much money do you need to retire in Canada? Is it really $1.7 million?
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FAQs
How much money do you need to retire with $100000 a year income in Canada? ›
A general rule of thumb is to replace 70-80% of your annual pre-retirement income. This means if you currently make $100,000 a year, you should aim for at least $70,000 of annual income in retirement.
How much does a Canadian need to retire comfortably? ›Rule of thumb | How much does that mean? |
---|---|
70% to 80% of your working income a year | $1,400,000 to $1,600,000 (assuming 20 years in retirement) |
Your desired annual retirement income x 25 | $2,500,000 if you want your retirement income to match your working income |
How much money does the average Canadian retire with? Data from Statistics Canada tells us that Canadians in economic families between the ages of 55 and 64 have roughly $645,599 in retirement savings and $163,600 in financial savings.
What to consider when retiring in Canada? ›- Update your budget as a retiree. ...
- Decide when to apply for public pension benefits. ...
- Consider the tax credits you may be eligible for. ...
- Review and update your insurance coverage to make sure it meets your current and future needs.
Retiring at age 45 with $3 million is quite feasible if you already have the money and your post-retirement income needs are not excessive. Accumulating that much money in time for such an early retirement will likely be challenging.
How long will $500 000 last in retirement in Canada? ›The average retirement age in Canada is 65, estimating the $500,000 is to last you 25 years your yearly retirement income would be $20,000.
Is $5,000 a month enough to retire in Canada? ›After running some math, I can conclude that the following, if achieved by most Canadians at or around age 50 is “enough” to spend $5,000 per month in retirement until age 95: x2 TFSAs = $150,000 each. x2 RRSPs = $400,000 each.
What is the 4 percent rule for retirement in Canada? ›How the 4% Rule Works. The 4% rule is easy to follow. In the first year of retirement, you can withdraw up to 4% of your portfolio's value. If you have $1 million saved for retirement, for example, you could spend $40,000 in the first year of retirement following the 4% rule.
Can a couple retire on $1 million dollars? ›It's definitely possible, but there are several factors to consider—including cost of living, the taxes you'll owe on your withdrawals, and how you want to live in retirement—when thinking about how much money you'll need to retire in the future.
How much do most Canadians retire with? ›Canadians now believe they will need $1.7 million to retire, up 20 per cent from 2020's figure of $1.4 million, the survey said.
What percentage of Canadians live paycheck to paycheck? ›
47% of Canadians living paycheque to paycheque, survey finds.
What is the best age to retire in Canada? ›For most people, the best age to retire in Canada is when you're 65 or older because when you turn 65, you can receive all of your benefits from your Canada Pension Plan (CPP).
Is retiring in Canada better than us? ›American and Canadian governments provide many of the same types of services who have reached the age of retirement. However, Canadian retirees have fewer worries than their American counterparts, thanks to a more generous retirement system.
Can I retire at 60 with $500 K in Canada? ›The quick answer is “yes”! With some planning, you can retire at 60 with $500k. Remember, however, that your lifestyle will significantly affect how long your savings will last.
What is a good monthly retirement income? ›65-74 years: $59,872 per year or $4,989 per month. 75 and older: $43,217 per year or $3,601 per month.
What percentage of retirees have a million dollars? ›In fact, statistically, around 10% of retirees have $1 million or more in savings. The majority of retirees, however, have far less saved.
Can you live off the interest of 3 million dollars? ›Living off the interest of $3 million is possible when you diversify your portfolio and pick the right investments. Here are six common investments and expected income for each year: Savings and money market accounts. Savings accounts are one of the most liquid places to hold your money besides a checking account.
How many people have $3,000,000 in savings? ›1,821,745 Households in the United States Have Investment Portfolios Worth $3,000,000 or More.
How much money does average Canadian have in the bank? ›According to a report from Statistics Canada in 2018, the average net savings of a Canadian household is around $852. However, the topmost 20% of earners save around $41,393 per household.
What is the average 401k balance for a 65 year old? ›Age | Average Account Balance | Median Account Balance |
---|---|---|
35-44 | $97,020 | $36,117 |
45-54 | $179,200 | $61,530 |
55-64 | $256,244 | $89,716 |
65+ | $279,997 | $87,725 |
Can you retire on $350000 in Canada? ›
However, the amount generated by doing so on a smaller asset base won't be enough for families with young children or retirees in major cities. For the average, retirement-age, prudent Canadian investor, $350,000 may be just enough to live on. However, much more would be needed for a comfortable retirement.
How much does the average retired person live on per month? ›This depends on a person's anticipated expenses and the lifestyle they'd like to lead in retirement. That said, the average retiree in America spends $60,593 per year, or $5,049.42 per month.
How much does the average 70 year old have in savings? ›How Much Does the Average 70-Year-Old Have in Savings? According to data from the Federal Reserve's most recent Survey of Consumer Finances, the average 65 to 74-year-old has a little over $426,000 saved. That's money that's specifically set aside in retirement accounts, including 401(k) plans and IRAs.
What is the average monthly retirement income in Canada? ›For 2023, the maximum monthly amount you could receive as a new recipient starting the pension at age 65 is $1,306.57. The average monthly amount paid for a new retirement pension (at age 65) in January 2023 is $811.21. Your situation will determine how much you'll receive up to the maximum.
What is the 8% retirement rule? ›The 8% solution is built on the premise that regardless of what your earned income is, you save at least 8% of it every year for your entire working career. The other portion of the equation is that you also average an 8% rate of return for the duration of your working and retirement saving career.
What is the 6% retirement rule? ›To get more clarity about your particular situation, think in terms of the 6 percent rule. As a general guide, if your monthly pension check equals 6 percent or more of the lump-sum offer, then you may want to go for the perpetual monthly payment.
How much do most Americans retire with? ›The Federal Reserve's most recent data reveals that the average American has $65,000 in retirement savings. By their retirement age, the average is estimated to be $255,200.
How much money do you need to retire with $100000 a year income? ›This means that if you make $100,000 shortly before retirement, you can start to plan using the ballpark expectation that you'll need about $75,000 a year to live on in retirement. You'll likely need less income in retirement than during your working years because: Most people spend less in retirement.
Can I retire with $3 million cash? ›The good news: As long as you plan carefully, $3 million should be a comfortable amount to retire on at 55. If you're ready to be matched with local advisors that can help you achieve your financial goals, get started now. To plan your retirement on $3 million, you'll need to face your mortality.
Can a Canadian retire in the US full time? ›If you want to move to the United States permanently, you must become a legal permanent resident of the United States – whether you are retiring or not. In this case, you will have to apply to become a permanent resident, or get a green card.
Is it better to retire at 60 or 65 in Canada? ›
Your age affects your pension amount:
If you start before age 65, payments will decrease by 0.6% each month (or by 7.2% per year), up to a maximum reduction of 36% if you start at age 60.
Canada is famous for its natural beauty and friendly people. Retirement in Canada works best for those who enjoy winter sports and recreation, but some retirement spots near the coast have surprisingly mild winters. This vast country has many retirement options. Here are 10 retirement spots to consider in Canada.
Do Canadians get paid more than Americans? ›People in the U.S. and Canada generally have similar annual incomes. However, taxes are reportedly lower in the U.S., which can offer Americans a slight take-home pay advantage.
What is a good paycheck in Canada? ›Find out what the average Good salary is
The average good salary in Canada is $44,434 per year or $22.79 per hour. Entry-level positions start at $33,150 per year, while most experienced workers make up to $91,982 per year.
Here's the average debt by age group in Canada as of 2019, according to the latest data sets from Statistics Canada: Under 35: $69,500. 35 to 44: $105,100. 45 to 54: $130,100.
Is it easy for a US citizen to retire in Canada? ›Canada does not have a provision to issue a retirement visa to anyone. Canada is more affordable to live in than the US, where real estate and healthcare are costly. You don't have to apply for a visa to cross the border from the US to Canada.
Is $300 000 enough to retire on in Canada? ›In most cases $300,000 is simply not enough money on which to retire early. If you retire at age 60, you will have to live on your $15,000 drawdown and nothing more. This is close to the $12,760 poverty line for an individual and translates into a monthly income of about $1,250 per month.
What is retirement age in USA and Canada? ›Retirees are eligible to receive reduced Social Security payments at the age of 62. People 65 and over are eligible to receive Medicare benefits if they paid Medicare taxes for at least 10 years. The full retirement age is 67 for everyone born in 1960 or later.
Is it cheaper to live in Canada or USA? ›Conclusion. Overall, both Canada and the US are fairly expensive to live in. Canada has much higher housing costs but healthcare costs are much more expensive in the US. While US salaries are slightly higher, Canadians have a much easier time making a higher salary with less education.
Can a US citizen live in Canada and collect Social Security? ›If you are a U.S. citizen, you may receive your Social Security payments outside the U.S. as long as you are eligible for them.
Can you collect US Social Security and live in Canada? ›
Normally, people who are not U.S. citizens may receive U.S. Social Security benefits while outside the U.S. only if they meet certain requirements. Under the agreement, however, you may receive benefits as long as you reside in Canada, regardless of your nationality.
Can I retire with $1 million dollars in Canada? ›Here's some good news: Most people may not need to hit the $1 million mark in savings to retire comfortably. But it depends on many factors, financial experts say. According to a recent BMO survey, Canadians think they need a staggering $1.7 million in savings to retire, a 20 per cent jump from 2020.
How much money is needed to retire comfortably in Canada? ›3) What will my expenses be? The general wisdom is that you will need 70 to 80 percent of your current salary to maintain a similar lifestyle in retirement. That means if you made $100,000 each year, you should plan to have $70,000 to $80,000 in retirement income, for example.
Can a 60 year old retire on $1 million dollars? ›So, can you retire at 60 with $1 million, and what would that look like? It's certainly possible to retire comfortably in this scenario. But it's wise to review your spending needs, taxes, health care, and other factors as you prepare for your retirement years.
Is $4000 a month enough to retire on? ›First, let's look at some statistics to establish a baseline for what a solid retirement looks like: Average monthly retirement income in 2021 for retirees 65 and older was about $4,000 a month, or $48,000 a year; this is a slight decrease from 2020, when it was about $49,000.
Can you live on 3000 a month in retirement? ›If you have a low living cost and can supplement your income with a part-time job or a generous pension, then retiring on $3,000 a month is certainly possible.
How do I get the $16728 Social Security bonus? ›To acquire the full amount, you need to maximize your working life and begin collecting your check until age 70. Another way to maximize your check is by asking for a raise every two or three years. Moving companies throughout your career is another way to prove your worth, and generate more money.
Can you live comfortably on 100k a year in Canada? ›The average salary in Toronto is $62,050, which is 14% higher than the Canadian average salary of $54,450. A person making $100,000 a year in Toronto makes 61.2% more than the average working person in Toronto and will take home about $73,440.
How much should I save for retirement if I make 100k a year? ›The earlier you plan for retirement, the better shape you're likely to be in. Bringing in $100,000 a year may require total investments worth close to $2 million. Social Security, pensions, and retirement accounts are not the only sources of income in retirement.
How much do I need to retire if I make $100000 a year? ›This means that if you make $100,000 shortly before retirement, you can start to plan using the ballpark expectation that you'll need about $75,000 a year to live on in retirement. You'll likely need less income in retirement than during your working years because: Most people spend less in retirement.
How much do I need to retire if I make 100k a year? ›
Percentage Of Your Salary
Some experts recommend that you save at least 70 – 80% of your preretirement income. This means if you earned $100,000 year before retiring, you should plan on spending $70,000 – $80,000 a year in retirement. A benefit of this strategy is that it's easy to calculate.
What income level is considered rich? An annual income of around $500,000 would be considered a rich income level. This is based off of the top 1% of income according to tax filings in Canada.
What percentage of people make over $100000 in Canada? ›What percentage of Canadians make over $100,000? Only around 11% of Canadians make more than $100,000 a year according to statistics Canada.
What is considered high income in Canada? ›What is regarded as high income in Canada? In 2021, the average monthly salary in Canada was $5,481. So, an annual pay of $70,000 or more will be above average. Keep in mind that living costs can vary greatly from one city to another and from one province to another.
What percentage of Americans have $100000 for retirement? ›14% of Americans Have $100,000 Saved for Retirement
Most Americans are not saving enough for retirement. According to the survey, only 14% of Americans have $100,000 or more saved in their retirement accounts. In fact, about 78% of Americans have $50,000 or less saved for retirement.
The point is that if you earned $120,000 per year for the past 35 years, thanks to the annual maximum taxable wage limits, the maximum Social Security benefit you could get at full retirement age is $2,687.
What is the 4 rule in retirement? ›The “4% rule” is a common approach to resolving that. The rule works just like it sounds: Limit annual withdrawals from your retirement accounts to 4% of the total balance in any given year. This means that if you retire with $1 million saved, you'd take out $40,000 the first year.
Can a couple retire on $2 million dollars? ›Yes, for some people, $2 million should be more than enough to retire. For others, $2 million may not even scratch the surface. The answer depends on your personal situation and there are lot of challenges you'll face. As of 2023, it seems the number of obstacles to a successful retirement continues to grow.
Can I retire at 45 with $2 million dollars? ›Retiring at 45 with $2 million takes diligent saving and detailed planning, but it is possible. However, you'll have between 20 and 25 years to save, so you must save nearly $3,000 each to hit your goal.
Is $1,000,000 enough to retire at 65? ›Will $1 million still be enough to have a comfortable retirement then? It's definitely possible, but there are several factors to consider—including cost of living, the taxes you'll owe on your withdrawals, and how you want to live in retirement—when thinking about how much money you'll need to retire in the future.
Can you retire off $3 million dollars? ›
The good news: As long as you plan carefully, $3 million should be a comfortable amount to retire on at 55. If you're ready to be matched with local advisors that can help you achieve your financial goals, get started now. To plan your retirement on $3 million, you'll need to face your mortality.
Can I retire at 40 with $2 million dollars? ›Retiring at 40 with $2 million is possible, though it is a lofty goal, especially if you don't have a large inheritance or some other windfall. But it can be done if your income is high sufficient and if you are aggressive with your savings strategy.