Put every dollar in the right place.
Saving well is mostly about order: which account gets filled first, and what’s held inside it. I help you set that order, and set up investments built around your timeline.
Sound familiar?
- You have a TFSA, an RRSP or an old plan from a past job, and you’re not sure what each one is doing.
- You’re saving, but you’re not sure which account should come first for you.
- You’d like what you’ve saved to go straight to your family, without months of estate paperwork.
Two decisions do most of the work.
Which accounts you use, in what order, and what’s held inside them. Get those right and the same dollars can do noticeably more. The investments I offer come with three features people tend to like.
A guarantee on what you put in
Depending on the contract series you choose and its terms, 75% to 100% of your deposits (less any withdrawals) is guaranteed at the contract’s maturity date and at death. Values still go up and down along the way.
Straight to the people you name
Name a beneficiary on the contract and the money can generally pass to them directly, outside your estate, typically without probate or Ontario’s Estate Administration Tax on that amount. Ownership, the designation and the contract terms matter; a lawyer can confirm for your situation.
Potential protection from creditors
In certain circumstances, with the right beneficiary named, these investments can be protected from creditors. That matters most to business owners.
Your 2026 room.
Up to $109,000 in total if you’ve been eligible since 2009 and never contributed.
18% of last year’s earned income, up to this limit, plus any unused room.
For first-time home buyers: deductible going in, and qualifying withdrawals for a first home aren’t taxed.
2026 federal limits. Your exact RRSP and TFSA room is in your CRA My Account and on your Notice of Assessment.
RRSP and TFSA full? Here’s where the next dollar can go.
Once the usual accounts are full, wealthier families and incorporated owners often use complex strategies that grow tax-sheltered with no annual contribution limit, can be borrowed against later, and can pass directly to the people you name (generally outside the estate, depending on the contract).
In plain words: when your savings accounts are full, there are other ways to save that lose less to tax.
- Best suited to a 10+ year timeline, once your RRSP and TFSA room is used.
- For incorporated owners, a way to move money out of the corporation more efficiently.
- It isn’t right for everyone, and I’ll tell you if it isn’t right for you.
Strategies discussed may involve life insurance products.
RRSP Refund Estimator
2026 · OntarioAbout 43¢ back on every dollar you put in.
An estimate using 2026 federal and Ontario tax rates and the basic personal amounts only. Your real refund depends on your other income, credits and deductions, and on how much tax was already taken off your pay.
Want me to check this against your real numbers? Book a Complimentary Clarity SessionThree steps from the Clarity Process.
- 01
Conversation
We map every account you have, and what you want the money to do.
- 02
Clarity
What each account is actually doing, what it costs, and the room you haven’t used.
- 03
Confidence
The right order for your savings, and investments set up to match your timeline and your comfort with ups and downs.
Questions people ask.
TFSA or RRSP: which comes first?
It depends mostly on your tax rate now compared with what you expect in retirement. Higher income now usually favours the RRSP; lower income often favours the TFSA. If your employer matches contributions, that usually comes before either. My article RRSP vs TFSA walks through it.
Should I open an FHSA?
If you’re a first-time home buyer, it’s usually worth a look: $8,000 a year, up to $40,000, deductible going in, and qualifying withdrawals for a first home aren’t taxed. It works alongside your RRSP and TFSA.
Are my investments guaranteed?
The guarantee applies on specific dates: the contract’s maturity date, and at death. It covers 75% to 100% of what you put in, depending on the contract. In between, the value goes up and down with the markets.
What does it cost?
There’s usually nothing to pay up front. Each investment has its own fees, shown to you before you invest, and the insurer pays me a commission. Some accounts use an advisory fee instead, agreed in writing first. The details are on my disclosures page.
The investment products described here are segregated fund contracts issued by iA Financial Group. Any amount allocated to a segregated fund is invested at the risk of the contract holder and may increase or decrease in value. Guarantees apply only as described in the contract. Limits shown are 2026 federal limits.
Related
The first step is a conversation.
Free, 30 minutes, by phone or video. You leave with Your One-Page Picture, and Your 3 Moves arrive in writing within 24 hours.
Book your Complimentary Clarity SessionFree · 30 minutes · no obligation
Just want someone to look at what you already have? The $95 Account Review →