Heart of Your Retirement

🔗 Get the full blog post and extra resources here: https://astrafinancial.ca/2026/06/22/financial-advisor-onboarding-canada You've said yes to working with a financial planner in Canada and now you're sitting in your first onboarding meeting with a stack of forms in front of you. One of them is the KYC (the Know Your Client form) and most people sign it without fully understanding what it does or...

Get the Canadian Retirement Course here: https://astrauniversity.ca/heart-of-your-retirement/  Most Canadians spend their entire working life contributing to their RSP without knowing what happens to it at retirement. This video breaks down the RRIF minimum withdrawal rules in plain English so you can plan ahead and avoid the mistakes that catch most retirees off guard. Zena Amundsen CFP walks you...

🔗 Get the full blog post and extra resources here: https://astrafinancial.ca/2026/05/04/how-the-oas-clawback-works-in-canada   Most Canadians don't see the OAS clawback coming because no single income source looks like the problem on its own. In this episode, Zena Amundsen CFP breaks down exactly how the OAS clawback works in Canada, which income sources count toward the threshold and the five ti...

🔗 Get the full blog post and extra resources here: https://astrafinancial.ca/2026/04/13/ canadian-retirement-tax-questions / A tax expert answers the most Googled retirement tax questions Canadians are asking right now. In this episode of Heart of Your Money, Zena Amundsen CFP and Nicole Putz CFP sit down with tax expert Rick Soparlo to break down real retirement tax strategies for Canadians, inc...

🔗 Get the full blog post and extra resources here: https://astrafinancial.ca/2026/03/16/ financial-advice-on-social-media / Your social media feed is full of financial "experts" telling you to take CPP at 60, refinance your real estate for free money and get out of your RSPs. And it's getting into people's heads. In this episode of Heart of Your Retirement, Zena Amundsen CFP and Nicole Putz CFP r...

🔗 Get the full blog post and extra resources here: https://astrafinancial.ca/2026/02/16/should-i-transfer-my-pension/  🔗 Learn more about the Heart of Your Retirement course: https://astrauniversity.ca/heart-of-your-retirement/ Should you transfer your pension at retirement? It depends on 5 key factors. In this episode, Canadian CFPs Zena Amundsen and Nicole Putz break down the exact framework t...

Federal Government Early Retirement Offer: Should You Take It? In this video, we delve into the timely topic of early retirement for federal government employees.  With recent news about an offer allowing eligible workers to retire early without pension penalties, many are questioning if they should take this opportunity. We discuss the key factors to consider, including financial, emotional, and...

Welcome to Heart of Your Retirement! In this episode, hosts Zena and Nicole provide an inside look at Astra Financial, where they're shaking up their usual retirement-themed content. Meet Nicole Putz, a certified financial planner (CFP) with a decade of expertise, and now a partner at Astra. They reveal their quirky partnership charter, highlighting their unique business habits and candid office d...

Most retirement planning focuses on one thing: the numbers. And yes, financial security matters. You need that foundation in place. But here's what most people don't expect: You could have every financial box checked off and still feel lost, bored, or lonely in retirement. After years of dreaming about no alarm clocks and endless freedom, many retirees find themselves asking, "Now what?" In fact,...

Hiring a financial planner shouldn't feel like a leap of faith, but for many people, it does. Maybe you've never worked with one because trust feels impossible. Or maybe you're stuck with an advisor who doesn't seem to have your back - someone who pushes products instead of creating plans, or leaves your questions unanswered. You're not alone. This is exactly what I hear from people all the time....

What should have taken a few weeks to sort out took nearly a year. A family friend passed away with a beautiful legacy—savings, a cabin, investments. But probate delays, unclear paperwork, and taxes turned grief into a nightmare for her kids. That's exactly what we're avoiding today. You don't need complicated legal maneuvers or fancy trusts to minimize taxes with estate planner guidance. Most peo...

Think legacy planning is only for the wealthy? Think again. Legacy planning isn't about building hospital wings or naming stadiums after yourself. It's about having your ducks lined up, organizing things, and making life easier for the people you care about when you're gone. Canadian legacy planning can be as simple as having a current will, naming beneficiaries properly, and leaving clear instruc...

Have you ever looked back and thought, "I can't believe how much everything costs now compared to when I started out"? In 1996, I bought my first house for $40,000 with a $350 monthly mortgage payment. Today, that same house would sell for eight times as much. This is inflation in action – and it's quietly changing everything about your money. We often think of investment risk as market ups and do...

We spend our working lives saving for retirement, but what if the biggest risk isn't the markets? It's living too long. The average Canadian retiree now lives well into their eighties—great news, unless your money doesn't last as long as you do. Most retirement income plans quietly taper off around 85, leaving a dangerous gap. Longevity risk is the chance that you live longer than your savings wer...

Picture this: you're planning "retirement" like it's one big phase. Golf every day, travel the world, maybe some time with the grandkids. But here's what I learned when I took my mom to Europe and watched a retired NBA player struggle through the tour. Retirement isn't one phase—it's three completely different stages. And if you don't plan for all of them, you're setting yourself up for some expen...

You've saved diligently, planned carefully, and can finally see retirement on the horizon. Then the market crashes. Does this mean putting your dreams on hold? Not necessarily. In this episode of Heart of Your Money, we dive into the often-overlooked "deaccumulation phase" – how to spend your retirement savings wisely even when markets work against you. We'll explore why the timing of market downt...

In this inspiring episode, we sit down with Quinn Magnuson, a former CFL player who has successfully transitioned from professional sports into business advising and leadership coaching. Quinn shares his remarkable journey from growing up on social assistance to earning a football scholarship that changed his life path. His unique philosophy of "Effort Over Results" emerged from his experiences in...

Whether you're just receiving your first paycheck or mapping out your retirement, understanding Canada's tax system is crucial for your financial well-being. In this episode of Heart of Your Money, I break down marginal tax rates and progressive taxation in simple, practical terms. You'll discover why that "next dollar earned" doesn't push all your income into a higher tax bracket. Tax-Smart Retir...

Markets are in turmoil as new tariffs shake investor confidence, but is this truly the crisis the headlines suggest? In this episode, we cut through the panic to reveal what these trade policies really mean for your portfolio. Get the straight facts on the recent US tariff announcements, understand their actual impact on different sectors, and discover why seasoned investors see opportunity where...

In a world increasingly focused on digital connection, there's something profoundly human about gathering in a circle to share stories. My conversation with Fraz Wiest, Development and Community Engagement Administrator at Regina's Globe Theatre, explores how theatre creates authentic bonds that transcend entertainment. As Canada's only permanent theatre-in-the-round completes its four-year renova...

Retirement should be about enjoying life, not worrying about taxes eating away at your hard-earned savings. Yet many Canadians unknowingly pay thousands more in taxes than necessary simply because their investments are in the wrong accounts. In this episode, I break down three critical types of investment income—interest, dividends, and capital gains—and explain why understanding the tax implicati...

What does your ideal retirement lifestyle look like?  Before diving into investment strategies and portfolio allocations, we need to start with a more fundamental question: What truly matters to you?  In this episode of Heart of Your Money, we explore how understanding your core values transforms financial planning from a numbers game into a purposeful journey. Through real stories and practical e...

Ready to structure cash flow in retirement but feeling overwhelmed?  While it might not be the most exciting topic, creating a clear system for your retirement income and expenses is crucial for a stress-free future.  In this episode, I'm breaking down a simple yet effective two-bucket approach to managing your money in retirement.  By separating your fixed expenses from your fun money, you'll gai...

Retirement planning can be complex, but few aspects are as critical as understanding your government benefits. In this episode of Heart of Your Money, we're tackling four costly mistakes that could be diminishing your retirement income.  From underestimating the true value of CPP and OAS to getting blindsided by the dreaded clawback, these pitfalls can significantly impact your financial security....