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Sources of Retirement Income

How prepared are you for retirement? Once you have a general idea of how much you need to retire comfortably, you can start to think about where that money will come from.

For many Canadians, pensions, whether public, private or a combination of the two, will make up a significant portion of their retirement income. However, Canadians can no longer rely solely on public sources of income to maintain their desired standard of living through retirement. There is a range of sources of retirement income that are available to you.

Provincial and territorial benefit programs

Some provinces and territories offer programs and benefits for seniors and retirees. To find out what benefits and programs might be available in your province or territory, visit the Canada Benefits website and select your province or territory.

Part-time, temporary work

Many Canadians decide to continue working in retirement to bolster or supplement their existing retirement savings. If you’re considering working during retirement, you should consider how your post-retirement income will affect your pension and taxes. For example, if you earn more than a certain amount through working, you will have to pay back some or maybe even all of the Old Age Security (OAS) that you receive.

If you’re considering working in retirement, you should speak with a financial planner or advisor to discuss how it will affect your retirement income.

For more information on working during your retirement, visit the section, Work After Retirement on the Service Canada website.

Income from your home

Homeowners can use their homes as retirement income in several ways, including:

  • renting out rooms or space that you no longer need
  • selling your home and downsizing to something smaller
  • taking a reverse mortgage, a type of loan that is secured by the equity in your home. It allows homeowners to obtain cash, without selling their home. Remember that with a reverse mortgage, you are withdrawing equity from your home. Not all lenders offer reverse mortgages.

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Date Modified:
2013-03-06