Is the CRA About to Reduce Your OAS? What Canadians Need to Know Before Year-End

"The Retirement Gap". Why Retirement Is Not What You Think...

In this episode of the AskTMFG Podcast, Carlo Cansino and John Iaconetti explore why so many financially prepared Canadians still feel disappointed in retirement, a pattern they call the retirement disappointment gap. They dig into the psychological side of retirement that most planning ignores: loss of identity and structure after leaving work, how Canadian winters can deepen isolation, and how big life shifts (like sudden togetherness with a spouse, or losing one) reshape retirement in ways money alone can't fix. They also lay out a five-part framework, building a "purpose portfolio," easing into retirement gradually, and prioritizing community, for a retirement that's financially secure and genuinely fulfilling. 👉 Watch the full episode here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nuJEQICrarw [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nuJEQICrarw]  Question for our listeners: Are you planning for the money in retirement, or for what you'll actually do with your time? 👉 Complimentary portfolio analysis: https://tmfg.ca/portfolio-analysis/ [https://tmfg.ca/portfolio-analysis/] Follow us: LinkedIn: The McClelland Financial Group [https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-mcclelland-financial-group-of-assante-wealth-management-ltd/] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tmfg.ca [https://www.facebook.com/tmfg.ca] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themcclellandfinancialgroup_/ [https://www.instagram.com/themcclellandfinancialgroup_/]

RRSP to RRIF - The Conversion Trap Costing Canadians $50,000+

In this episode of the AskTMFG Podcast, Senior Financial Advisor Carlo Cansino breaks down the RRSP-to-RRIF conversion mistake costing Canadians with $1M+ in savings up to $50,000 -$200,000 in avoidable lifetime taxes. The conversation covers the mandatory conversion deadline at age 71, rising minimum withdrawal rates, and how those withdrawals stack with CPP, OAS, and investment income to trigger higher tax brackets and OAS clawback. Carlo also explains the "RRIF bomb" that hits surviving spouses, plus three strategies to fix it: early RRSP drawdown, pension income splitting, and using the TFSA as an overflow valve. 👉 Watch the full episode here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JEzs-7kSMxQ [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JEzs-7kSMxQ]  Question for our listeners: Have you mapped out your RRIF conversion strategy, or are you relying on the default minimums? 👉 Complimentary portfolio analysis: https://tmfg.ca/portfolio-analysis/ [https://tmfg.ca/portfolio-analysis/]  Follow us: LinkedIn: The McClelland Financial Group [https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-mcclelland-financial-group-of-assante-wealth-management-ltd/] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tmfg.ca [https://www.facebook.com/tmfg.ca]  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themcclellandfinancialgroup_/ [https://www.instagram.com/themcclellandfinancialgroup_/]

20% Not Ready For Retirement in Canada! - Here's Why You're Different

In this episode of the AskTMFG Podcast, Financial Advisors Carlo Cansino and John Iaconetti dig into a striking statistic: 1 in 5 Canadians have NO retirement plan whatsoever. The conversation explores what the latest data reveals about retirement readiness in Canada, why RRSP contributions are falling sharply (especially among younger Canadians), and how rising costs, debt, and stagnant wages are pushing retirement planning down the road. They also break down the gaps in confidence across generations and genders, why piecemeal advice from family and friends often leads to missed opportunities, and the five steps to building a smart, intentional retirement strategy that balances today's needs with tomorrow's goals. 👉 Watch the full episode here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-_D-90zWSA [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-_D-90zWSA]  Question for our listeners: Do you have a retirement plan in place, or are you still figuring out where to start? 👉 If you'd like help building a strategy tailored to your situation, we're offering a complimentary portfolio analysis: https://tmfg.ca/portfolio-analysis/ [https://tmfg.ca/portfolio-analysis/] Follow us on our social channels: LinkedIn: The McClelland Financial Group [https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-mcclelland-financial-group-of-assante-wealth-management-ltd/]  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tmfg.ca [https://www.facebook.com/tmfg.ca]  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themcclellandfinancialgroup_/ [https://www.instagram.com/themcclellandfinancialgroup_/]

Is the CRA About to Reduce Your OAS? What Canadians Need to Know Before Year-End

In this episode of the AskTMFG Podcast, Carlo Cansino explains how the July 2026 Old Age Security recalculation could quietly reduce the monthly benefit of well-prepared Canadian retirees, often without any letter, phone call, or warning. The conversation explores why OAS is recalculated quarterly rather than once a year, and why the "clawback" catches far more retirees off guard than just the very wealthy. We also walk through the strategies still available before December 31st like drawing on the TFSA, pension income splitting, timing major purchases, and income sequencing, to help shape the next clawback cycle and protect your benefit. 👉 Watch the full episode here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FUW85jh-ws0 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FUW85jh-ws0]  Question for our listeners: Did you know your OAS could be reduced based on income you earned a full year earlier? 👉 If you'd like to know whether you're at risk in the next clawback cycle, we're offering a complimentary portfolio analysis: https://tmfg.ca/portfolio-analysis/ [https://tmfg.ca/portfolio-analysis/] Follow us on our social channels: LinkedIn: The McClelland Financial Group [https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-mcclelland-financial-group-of-assante-wealth-management-ltd/] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tmfg.ca [https://www.facebook.com/tmfg.ca] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themcclellandfinancialgroup_/ [https://www.instagram.com/themcclellandfinancialgroup_/]

Why $1.5M In Retirement Savings May Not Be Enough

In this episode of the AskTMFG Podcast, financial advisors Carlo Cansino and John Iaconetti tackle one of the most common retirement misconceptions Canadians hold: that reaching $1.5 million means you're financially set for retirement. The conversation explores why $1.5 million may not be the safe number many people assume, how inflation silently cuts purchasing power in half over a 30-year retirement, and why the popular 4% withdrawal rule may no longer hold up in today's environment of longer lifespans and greater market volatility. We also discuss the real cost of healthcare in Canada that most retirees underestimate, how sequence-of-returns risk can permanently derail a retirement portfolio if markets drop early, the tax drag that quietly erodes savings, especially from RRSP-heavy portfolios, and the four psychological traps that lead Canadians to overestimate their retirement readiness. 👉 Watch the full episode here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aRgZBH6sjbE [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aRgZBH6sjbE] Question for our listeners: If you retired tomorrow with $1.5 million, do you know exactly how long it would last and what risks could cut it short? 👉 If you'd like help building a retirement plan tailored to your goals, we're offering a complimentary portfolio analysis: https://tmfg.ca/portfolio-analysis/ [https://tmfg.ca/portfolio-analysis/] Follow us on our social channels: LinkedIn: The McClelland Financial Group [https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-mcclelland-financial-group-of-assante-wealth-management-ltd/] Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tmfg.ca [https://www.facebook.com/tmfg.ca] Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themcclellandfinancialgroup_/ [https://www.instagram.com/themcclellandfinancialgroup_/]