Canadian Personal Finance Blog

If you believe my Alma Mater the University of Waterloo, the answer is NO (you slacker baby Boomer). Well it’s the Canadian Association of Actuaries actually who are making this broad statement, so don’t just blame Waterloo for the bad news. Have I got you nervous? Well the Government has a convenient retirement calculator that you could try out as well. The Star has a very useful graphic for figuring out how much you need to retire as well. Now usually I like to find a link to the actual study and not go on the comments of the printed media, however, I can’t seem to find a direct link to the report, so my apologies on that. If anyone finds it please send it to me, so I can post it for everyone.

What is interesting the press implies this is a Baby Boomer issue, however, the report talks about 40 year olds (like me), and we are really the tail of the boom (in fact we are the lucky ones that will have to support most of the boomers in their retirement).

Take stock of what retirement assets you have in place:

• RRSP or 401k? Putting enough money in that are you?
• Do you have a pension at work? Make sure you know that one.
• Paying off your house? Having to pay a mortgage when you are retired is painful, and a paid off house becomes an ASSET as well.
• Health good? Who cares if you have saved a bushel of cash, if you aren’t going to be alive to enjoy it

My guess is retirement funds is going to be like global warming in terms of press coverage as the boomers start to retire EN MASSE in the next few years. Watch for it, it will be a CRISIS soon enough.

Don’t be one of the people with issues, start your retirement plans now!