Retirement Unpacked

In episode 18 of Retirement Unpacked, Brett and Matthew break down how to think about generational wealth, including how much of a buffer to hold before giving money to your children and the smartest ways to share it without waiting until you pass. They also dive into TFSA beneficiary designation planning, whether it makes sense to convert your RRSP to a RRIF before age 65, and much more!  Later i...

Retirement planning does not stop once you leave work. In many ways, it becomes even more important. In this episode, Adam and Kyle answer real listener questions about RRSPs, RRIFs, income splitting, government benefits, and tax-efficient withdrawal planning in retirement. Key moments include: • RRIF income splitting when spouses are different ages • Whether RRIFs and LIFs still pay dividends aft...

This episode of Retirement Unpacked tackles the kinds of retirement questions Canadians actually ask once the details start to matter. Adam and Brett dig into TFSA rules, RRSP withdrawal timing, cash wedge strategies, and CPP decisions, focusing on the tradeoffs and tax considerations that can quietly shape retirement outcomes. Key topics covered: • Moving non registered investments into a TFSA an...

In this episode of Retirement Unpacked , Adam and financial planner Jon Kutney answer real retirement questions from Canadians navigating the transition from saving to spending. They cover practical retirement income decisions, common tax pitfalls, and how different accounts work together in retirement. Topics include: Shifting from a saving mindset to a spending mindset in retirement RRSP to RRIF...

In this episode of Retirement Unpacked, Brett and fellow PWFG planner, Michael Barichello, answer more of your retirement questions. They cover what to do after maxing your RRSP and TFSA, how DC pensions work when you leave an employer, and the implications of naming TFSA beneficiaries or adding joint owners to accounts. They also touch on income splitting, GICs in a TFSA, overcontribution penalti...

In this episode of Retirement Unpacked, Adam and Brett answer viewer questions on RRIF withdrawals, TFSA rules, advisor restrictions, non-registered accounts, pension income splitting, LIRA unlocking, and more. They break down several common retirement planning scenarios Canadians face and explain how to navigate them with clarity and confidence. Later in the episode, Parallel Wealth partner Kyle...

In this episode of Retirement Unpacked, Adam Bornn and Brett Martinson tackle a variety of retirement-related questions, focusing on strategies for managing income, taxes, and investments in retirement. They discuss the implications of OAS clawback, the importance of RRSP contributions, and the nuances of withdrawing from RRSPs and TFSAs. The conversation also covers RRSP drawdown strategies, CPP...

In this bonus episode, Adam sits down with David Chilton, author of The Wealthy Barber and one of Canada’s most trusted voices in personal finance. Dave shares why he spent 16 months completely rewriting his bestselling book and what Canadians need to know about today’s financial realities. They discuss rising living costs, housing challenges, RRSP and TFSA decisions, CPP timing, retirement withdr...

In this week’s episode of Retirement Unpacked , Adam and Brett answer real retirement questions and unpack topics like evaluating financial products, understanding CPP timing, navigating RRIF taxes, and making informed pension and estate decisions. They break everything down in a clear and practical way that helps you apply the ideas to your own situation. They also walk through viewer scenarios i...

In this episode of Retirement Unpacked , Adam and Brett answer real viewer questions on retirement planning. They cover when to defer OAS to reduce taxes, whether a cash wedge actually helps your portfolio, and how to move funds from an RRSP or RRIF into a TFSA. They also discuss CPP while working, health and dental coverage in retirement, DIY investing with a professional plan, using permanent li...

Adam and Brett dive into some of the most misunderstood parts of Canadian retirement planning–RRSP taxes, TFSA rollover mistakes after death, and how to avoid losing your Old Age Security to clawbacks. They also unpack how inflation affects your go-go, slow-go, and no-go years, the right way to track withholding taxes, and why AI tools like ChatGPT still can’t replace a proper financial plan. Whet...

We’re unpacking nore of the most common retirement questions Canadians face, including when pension income can be split, how RRSP withdrawals should be timed, and whether investing after 60 still makes sense. We look at where TFSAs fit into the mix, how a cash wedge can support peace of mind, and why timing your retirement date can have a bigger impact than you might expect. We also dive into what...

Adam and Brett from Parallel Wealth tackle more real-life questions from Canadian retirees and soon-to-be retirees. They unpack how to time OAS and CPP for maximum benefit, when a cash wedge still makes sense even with a pension, and how to handle RRIF withdrawals and withholding tax more efficiently. You’ll also hear insights on income splitting, TFSA successor rules, OAS clawbacks, and why prope...

This week we’re answering more of your biggest retirement questions. We cover CPP timing, how withdrawals affect your TFSA contribution room, and when it makes sense to convert an RRSP to a RRIF. We also clear up OAS eligibility at 65, income splitting rules after 65, and the truth about spousal RRSP attribution. We dive into strategies for reducing taxes in retirement—like when an RRSP meltdown m...

In Episode 5 of Retirement Unpacked , Adam and Brett tackle a wide range of retirement questions from our community. We cover the RRSP meltdown strategy when your TFSA is maxed, why avoiding “zero-tax years” can lower lifetime taxes, and how a cash-wedge approach helps protect income during market swings. We dig into the pros and cons of reverse mortgages vs. downsizing, the simplest ways to trans...

Ever wondered what really happens to your CPP if you pass away early, or if pulling money from your TFSA in December actually makes sense? In this episode of Retirement Unpacked , Adam and Brett clear up common misconceptions and walk through practical strategies you can apply right away. We dig into CPP survivor benefits and sharing rules, break down RRSP myths and the timing of RRIF/LIF conversi...

In Episode 3 of Retirement Unpacked , we dig into more of your retirement questions. We look at whether it’s possible to have “too much RRSP,” why certain RRIF withdrawal strategies can cause bigger tax problems, and how withholding tax really works. We also talk about the rumours of CPP and OAS moving to age 67, when it makes sense to turn off dividend reinvestments, and why a line of credit can...

Adam and Brett dive into some of the most common retirement planning questions from YouTube and client calls. We dig into planning for future care costs, how to think about RRSP deductions you carry forward, mortgage vs TFSA when income is lower, RRSP vs TFSA “levers,” CPP timing when you have a big DB pension, and why “take CPP early and invest it” rarely wins once you model taxes and cash flow....

In the first episode of Retirement Unpacked , Adam Bornn and Brett Martinson from Parallel Wealth answer real retirement questions from Canadians. We cover how CPP survivor benefits will work in 2025, explain the cash wedge strategy for creating reliable retirement income, and clear up common mistakes people make with TFSA contribution rules. We also discuss how to approach big purchases in retire...

In this short trailer, Adam and Brett introduce Retirement Unpacked, a new podcast from Parallel Wealth. Together they share what’s ahead–tackling retirement questions Canadians face every day.