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Tag: retirement

  • Helping aging parents understand retirement living options

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    Eventually, bringing additional care into the home or exploring a move to a retirement community becomes necessary for everyone’s well being. Yet, many Canadians struggle with how to start these conversations and how to guide their parents through the transition from living independently at home to accessing retirement living support.

    Today’s retirement communities look far different from what most parents imagine. Rather than sterile, hospital-like environments, modern communities are vibrant, social, supportive places to live—designed to help seniors enjoy the next stage of life. Still, helping aging parents see retirement living in a new light can be challenging. Financial considerations also play a significant role. Can they afford in-home care? Are retirement home options within reach? What government programs or subsidies are available?

    What is retirement living?

    The term “retirement home” often brings to mind outdated images of long-term care facilities. In reality, retirement living is about maintaining independence while having access to the right support. It can include services brought into the home—allowing seniors to age in place—or moving into a retirement community where support is available on-site.

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    At its core, retirement living focuses on safety, comfort, autonomy, and community. With the proper services in place, seniors can enjoy a high quality of life while still having control over their daily routines.

    When do people consider retirement living?

    Most seniors begin exploring retirement living when everyday tasks start to feel more physically or mentally taxing. This may include difficulty cooking, cleaning, navigating stairs, managing medications, or moving safely around the home. These changes don’t necessarily mean full-time care is required, they simply suggest that a little extra support could significantly improve daily life.

    Types of retirement living

    Whether you want to remain at home or move into a care community, understanding the different types of retirement living can help you plan ahead.

    Aging in place

    Aging in place means bringing the necessary support services directly into the home. This may include:

    • Housekeeping and household maintenance
    • Meal preparation
    • Assistance with bathing and hygiene
    • Medication management
    • Companionship and social interaction

    Costs vary widely depending on the level of care required—from a few hundred dollars a month for occasional help to thousands per week for full-time or complex care.

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    Coordinating care independently can be time-consuming, requiring families to screen, hire, and oversee caregivers. However, private home-care companies can manage this process, and some government services or financial support may be available.

    Independent living

    Independent living is often the first step into retirement living. It’s ideal for seniors who remain active but appreciate help with meals, housekeeping, and day-to-day responsibilities. Residents enjoy private suites, their own schedules, and as much or as little socialization as they wish.

    Independent living works particularly well for couples, especially when one partner needs more support than the other. Many communities offer multiple levels of care on the same property, allowing couples to remain together as needs change.

    Costs typically start just under $3,000 per month and include meals, housekeeping, activities, and amenities. When compared with the cost of running a home—utilities, groceries, maintenance, and the potential need for private in-home care—independent living can be surprisingly affordable, especially for homeowners with significant equity.

    Have a personal finance question? Submit it here.

    Assisted living and long-term care

    If care needs become more complex—such as requiring overnight supervision, assistance with medical needs, or regular support with daily tasks—assisted living may be the next step. Long-term care is designed for seniors with more serious medical conditions that require continuous, hands-on support.

    Private care homes can range from $3,500 to over $20,000 per month depending on the level of care and services provided. Government-funded options also exist, typically using income-based fee structures to ensure affordability, though waitlists and qualification criteria often apply.

    Memory care

    Memory living provides secure, specialized support for individuals with Alzheimer’s or dementia. These communities prioritize safety while preserving dignity, autonomy, and quality of life. In many cases, couples can remain in the same community even if only one partner requires memory care.

    Costs are similar to other assisted living options, with both private-pay and government-subsidized models available.

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    Sybil Verch

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  • Research Reports & Trade Ideas – Yahoo Finance

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    Analyst Report: Norfolk Southern Corp.

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    Analyst Report: American Tower Corp.

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  • We’re 10 years apart. Can we retire together?

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    The purpose of going through a planning process is to discover what is possible by playing out “what if” scenarios. Once you see a path that leads you to the life you want, you do the things you need to do to stay on that path. Again, things will change—some good, some bad—and new opportunities will emerge.   

    Living through retirement is really an exercise in project management and being comfortable dealing with change. The strength of having a plan is really the planning and thought process that goes into creating the plan. It is the learning that will make it easier for you to deal with change, along with annual reviews of the plan so you can make small course corrections along the way. 

    When I look at your situation, it doesn’t actually appear that you have enough money saved to be able to retire as you wish. That is what the model tells me, but remember a model is a model and not real life. We don’t know what the future holds, but modelling will help you make good decisions. 

    Tinkering with the plan

    Assuming investments grow at 5% and the general inflation rate is 2%, you will run short of money when your wife turns 68. You will still have money in a life income fund (LIF, the successor fund to the locked-in retirement account or LIRA), but because there is a restriction on the amount you can draw from a LIF, you won’t have an after-tax income of $110,000. Increasing the rate of return to 6% from 5% allows you to sustain your income to your wife’s age 71. If, rather than increasing investment returns, you decide to reduce your spending by $5,000 yearly, that still maintains your retirement income to your wife’s age 71. If you do both (increase returns to 6% and reduce spending by $5,000) you have enough money to retire as you wish, and at age 90 your wife’s net worth will be equivalent to $1.54 million in today’s dollars.

    Have a personal finance question? Submit it here.

    An increase in investment returns and your ability to reduce your spending may happen but be careful solving a planning shortfall this way. If a plan doesn’t work at 6% returns, do you try 7%? Use prudent return rates in your projections. The same goes with decreasing anticipated expenses. If I asked you today to reduce your spending by $5,000, would you be able to do it? The $5,000 is paying for something; what are you willing to cut out? No question, if you don’t have the income, you will cut back—but that is not the goal.

    As another option, I considered selling your home 15 years from now and purchasing a condo for half the price. Doing that gives you just enough money to retire as planned, leaving your wife with a net worth of $1.05 million at age 90.

    Finally, I modelled a solution where you both work an additional two years to the end of 2029. Once you pay off your line of credit, use the $36,000 a year you were putting towards the line of credit and apply it to your RRSP. Then, use the resulting tax refund of about $12,000 to top up your TFSA. This will give you the retirement you envision, leaving your wife with a net worth of $1.48 million at age 90.   

    A retirement plan is a dynamic thing

    What do you want to do? What path or combination of paths do you want to take? Do you have other ideas you want to explore? 

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    I have written this out for you to read. Was it easy to follow and comprehend? If it was a little tricky, imagine if this was done with you though a computer simulation, like a video game. As you suggest changes and make inputs, you see the results right away. It gets you in the room and involved, leads to faster learning, and may even make a dull subject a little more interesting. 

    Kenny, no retirement plans are fixed in stone, and yours won’t be either. What we can do is take a good account of where you are in the world today, see what is possible, find a path you want to take, and then do what you need to stay on the path, change paths, and adapt along the way.  

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    About Allan Norman, MSc, CFP, CIM


    About Allan Norman, MSc, CFP, CIM

    With over 30 years as a financial planner, Allan is an associate portfolio manager at Aligned Capital Partners Inc., where he helps Canadians maintain their lifestyles, without fear of running out of money.

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    Allan Norman, MSc, CFP, CIM

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  • Research Reports & Trade Ideas – Yahoo Finance

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    Analyst Report: Regency Centers Corporation

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    Analyst Report: Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co.

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  • Watch: U.S. skier Jessie Diggins caps off historic Olympic career with heroic finish

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    Watch: U.S. skier Jessie Diggins caps off historic Olympic career with heroic finish

    Updated: 1:46 PM EST Feb 22, 2026

    Editorial Standards

    Above video: American Jessie Diggins finished 5th in women’s 50km classic, her final Olympic race. Can’t view the above video? Click here.U.S. cross-country skier Jessie Diggins cross the Olympic finish line one final time on Sunday.After 15 years competing on the world stage, Diggins placed fifth in the 50-kilometer race at the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics, missing out on a bronze medal by only a few seconds.The race marked her final Olympic appearance, capping a career that reshaped American cross-country skiing and established her as a model of grit and resilience.The 34-year-old made history at the 2018 PyeongChang Games, teaming with Kikkan Randall to win the first Olympic gold medal in cross-country skiing for the United States. She added to her medal haul in Beijing four years later with a silver and a bronze.At the 2026 Games, Diggins again reached the podium, earning bronze in the 10-kilometer interval start despite battling painful rib bruising from a crash in her opening race.While her Olympic journey has come to an end, Diggins’ career is not over just yet. The most decorated cross-country skier in U.S. history leaves Italy with her focus still firmly set on the remainder of the World Cup season.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

    Above video: American Jessie Diggins finished 5th in women’s 50km classic, her final Olympic race. Can’t view the above video? Click here.


    U.S. cross-country skier Jessie Diggins cross the Olympic finish line one final time on Sunday.

    After 15 years competing on the world stage, Diggins placed fifth in the 50-kilometer race at the 2026 Milan Cortina Winter Olympics, missing out on a bronze medal by only a few seconds.

    The race marked her final Olympic appearance, capping a career that reshaped American cross-country skiing and established her as a model of grit and resilience.

    The 34-year-old made history at the 2018 PyeongChang Games, teaming with Kikkan Randall to win the first Olympic gold medal in cross-country skiing for the United States. She added to her medal haul in Beijing four years later with a silver and a bronze.

    At the 2026 Games, Diggins again reached the podium, earning bronze in the 10-kilometer interval start despite battling painful rib bruising from a crash in her opening race.

    While her Olympic journey has come to an end, Diggins’ career is not over just yet. The most decorated cross-country skier in U.S. history leaves Italy with her focus still firmly set on the remainder of the World Cup season.

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  • Figure skater Alysa Liu retired for two years: How the time away helped her skating

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    Whoever said “quitters never win,” never met Olympic figure skater Alysa Liu. Liu’s figure skating comeback has been remarkable: The 20-year-old is a two-time Olympic gold medalist in the Milan Cortina Games and a 2025 world figure skating champ.Her free skate on Olympic ice on Thursday clinched the 20-year-old the gold, marking the first time a U.S. woman won an individual figure skating gold since 2002.”My family is out there. My friends are out there. I had to put on a show for them,” Liu told the Associated Press afterward. “When I see other people out there smiling, because I see them in the audience, then I have to smile, too. I have no poker face.”She sat in third place after the short program and is the top American in those standings. The approach she took was one with no pressure on herself.”I’m OK if I do a fail program. I’m totally OK if I do a great program,” she said after the short program, according to the Associated Press. “No matter what the outcome is, it’s still my story.”Looking at her career and why she leftLiu became the youngest U.S. figure skating champ at 13. She’s the first female figure skater to land a quadruple jump in international competition.But at age 16, she announced her retirement from figure skating. Liu said she hated skating by that point and had been planning her exit for a year before she did it. Liu had skated since the age of 5. Skating can be a solitary and controlled sport. She craved teen normalcy, time with friends and freedom. She put her skates in the closet and said she didn’t miss the ice at all. “I left the sport completely,” Liu said. “Like I wouldn’t step in the rink. Honestly, I was low-key traumatized.”Liu spent the next two years making up for lost time. She spent time with her siblings in Oakland, California. She’s the oldest of five kids. She hung out with high school friends, graduated and traveled the world, including hiking in the Himalayas. She enrolled at UCLA and picked up a new sport: skiing. Skiing reminded her of skating because of the sensation of the cold air on her skin. One day, she ventured into a rink with a friend. And, she didn’t hate it. In fact, she enjoyed it. Making a comeback She started skating again for fun and then floated the idea of coming out of retirement to her longtime coach, Phillip DiGuglielmo. “I said, ‘Please don’t.’ I really did. I said, ‘Please don’t. Respect your legacy as an Olympic bronze medalist,’” DiGuglielmo said.DiGuglielmo had coached Liu since she was 5. “We had a Zoom call for two hours,” DiGuglielmo said. “The story is, I had a lot of glasses of wine over those two hours. And she talked me into a comeback.”Liu and DiGuglielmo resumed training for just seven months, and she won the 2025 World Figure Skating Championships. DiGuglielmo said no one has taken a two-year break from skating and pulled off such a feat. “It makes me think if I was one of those athletes, I’d be like, ‘Why did I just skate for the last year? I could have taken a vacation for two years. But that’s Alysa. She’s different,” DiGuglielmo said. Liu pointed out that she left her sport while still in puberty. At 20, she’s physically and mentally stronger. And, she’s competing on her own terms, taking an active role in choreography, competition and training. “I have a perspective not many of the athletes in the sport have,” Liu said. “So many people, their goal is the Olympics, and when they get there, and it’s over, they don’t know what to do. I’m really just doing this for fun.”PHNjcmlwdCB0eXBlPSJ0ZXh0L2phdmFzY3JpcHQiPiFmdW5jdGlvbigpeyJ1c2Ugc3RyaWN0Ijt3aW5kb3cuYWRkRXZlbnRMaXN0ZW5lcigibWVzc2FnZSIsKGZ1bmN0aW9uKGUpe2lmKHZvaWQgMCE9PWUuZGF0YVsiZGF0YXdyYXBwZXItaGVpZ2h0Il0pe3ZhciB0PWRvY3VtZW50LnF1ZXJ5U2VsZWN0b3JBbGwoImlmcmFtZSIpO2Zvcih2YXIgYSBpbiBlLmRhdGFbImRhdGF3cmFwcGVyLWhlaWdodCJdKWZvcih2YXIgcj0wO3I8dC5sZW5ndGg7cisrKXtpZih0W3JdLmNvbnRlbnRXaW5kb3c9PT1lLnNvdXJjZSl0W3JdLnN0eWxlLmhlaWdodD1lLmRhdGFbImRhdGF3cmFwcGVyLWhlaWdodCJdW2FdKyJweCJ9fX0pKX0oKTs8L3NjcmlwdD4=

    Whoever said “quitters never win,” never met Olympic figure skater Alysa Liu.

    Liu’s figure skating comeback has been remarkable: The 20-year-old is a 2025 world figure skating champ and an two-time Olympic gold medalist in the Milan Cortina Games.

    Matthew Stockman/Getty Images

    Alysa Liu of Team United States competes in the Women’s Single Skating – Short Program on Feb. 6, 2026.

    Her free skate on Olympic ice on Thursday clinched the 20-year-old the gold, marking the first time a U.S. woman won an individual figure skating gold since 2002.

    “My family is out there. My friends are out there. I had to put on a show for them,” Liu told the Associated Press afterward. “When I see other people out there smiling, because I see them in the audience, then I have to smile, too. I have no poker face.”

    She sat in third place after the short program and is the top American in those standings. The approach she took was one with no pressure on herself.

    “I’m OK if I do a fail program. I’m totally OK if I do a great program,” she said after the short program, according to the Associated Press. “No matter what the outcome is, it’s still my story.”

    Looking at her career and why she left

    Liu became the youngest U.S. figure skating champ at 13. She’s the first female figure skater to land a quadruple jump in international competition.

    But at age 16, she announced her retirement from figure skating. Liu said she hated skating by that point and had been planning her exit for a year before she did it.

    Liu had skated since the age of 5. Skating can be a solitary and controlled sport. She craved teen normalcy, time with friends and freedom. She put her skates in the closet and said she didn’t miss the ice at all.

    “I left the sport completely,” Liu said. “Like I wouldn’t step in the rink. Honestly, I was low-key traumatized.”

    Liu spent the next two years making up for lost time. She spent time with her siblings in Oakland, California. She’s the oldest of five kids. She hung out with high school friends, graduated and traveled the world, including hiking in the Himalayas. She enrolled at UCLA and picked up a new sport: skiing.

    Skiing reminded her of skating because of the sensation of the cold air on her skin. One day, she ventured into a rink with a friend. And, she didn’t hate it. In fact, she enjoyed it.

    Making a comeback

    She started skating again for fun and then floated the idea of coming out of retirement to her longtime coach, Phillip DiGuglielmo.

    “I said, ‘Please don’t.’ I really did. I said, ‘Please don’t. Respect your legacy as an Olympic bronze medalist,’” DiGuglielmo said.

    DiGuglielmo had coached Liu since she was 5.

    “We had a Zoom call for two hours,” DiGuglielmo said. “The story is, I had a lot of glasses of wine over those two hours. And she talked me into a comeback.”

    Alysa Liu reacts after competing in the figure skating women's single free skating final during the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games at Milano Ice Skating Arena in Milan on Feb. 19, 2026.

    WANG Zhao / AFP via Getty Images

    Alysa Liu reacts after competing in the figure skating women’s single free skating final during the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games at Milano Ice Skating Arena in Milan on Feb. 19, 2026.

    Liu and DiGuglielmo resumed training for just seven months, and she won the 2025 World Figure Skating Championships. DiGuglielmo said no one has taken a two-year break from skating and pulled off such a feat.

    “It makes me think if I was one of those athletes, I’d be like, ‘Why did I just skate for the last year? I could have taken a vacation for two years. But that’s Alysa. She’s different,” DiGuglielmo said.

    Gold medalist Alyssa Liu of Team United States celebrates after the medal ceremony for the Team Event on day two of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games at Milano Ice Skating Arena on Feb. 8, 2026, in Milan, Italy.

    Andy Cheung/Getty Images

    Gold medalist Alyssa Liu of Team United States celebrates after the medal ceremony for the Team Event on day two of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games at Milano Ice Skating Arena on Feb. 8, 2026, in Milan, Italy.

    Liu pointed out that she left her sport while still in puberty. At 20, she’s physically and mentally stronger. And, she’s competing on her own terms, taking an active role in choreography, competition and training.

    “I have a perspective not many of the athletes in the sport have,” Liu said. “So many people, their goal is the Olympics, and when they get there, and it’s over, they don’t know what to do. I’m really just doing this for fun.”

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  • What happens when you inherit an IRA or 401(k)?

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    Spousal beneficiary

    When a spouse inherits an IRA or 401(k), they can take over the account as an inherited account or transfer the account into their own IRA or 401(k) on a tax-deferred basis. 

    IRA and 401(k) accounts generally have required minimum distributions (RMDs) beginning at age 73. These are subject to US withholding tax for a Canadian resident, and Canada taxes the withdrawal with a credit for the US tax already withheld. 

    A US citizen living in Canada must report their worldwide income on both a Canadian and US tax return. 

    Non-spouse beneficiary

    When a non-spouse beneficiary inherits, the account value is not subject to immediate tax. This differs from the taxation of an RRSP, DC pension, or other Canadian retirement accounts for non-spouse beneficiaries. These Canadian retirement accounts are generally fully taxable to the estate of the deceased. 

    Instead, taxes are payable on subsequent withdrawals from the inherited IRA or 401(k). This can provide an opportunity for tax deferral, as well as a potential decrease in the tax rate payable. A deceased Canadian taxpayer with a high income in the year of death may pay over 50% tax on their tax deferred retirement accounts. A non-spouse beneficiary with a low or moderate income may pay a significantly lower rate of tax. 

    There is a 10-year rule that allows withdrawals to be taken over up to 10 years following the account holder’s death. In the meantime, the account remains tax deferred in the US and Canada. 

    US withholding tax

    Withholding tax on US retirement account distributions to non-residents is typically 30%; however, a Canadian beneficiary can submit Form W-8BEN – Certificate of Foreign Status of Beneficial Owner for United States Tax Withholding to the financial institution. This will allow them to withhold the lower 15% rate. 

    This is important because Canada will only allow a foreign tax credit for the 15% treaty rate. If a higher rate is withheld, a beneficiary may need to file a US tax return to get a refund from the Internal Revenue Service. 

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    Inherited Roth IRAs

    A Roth IRA is like a Canadian tax-free savings account (TFSA). A spouse beneficiary can take over the account or transfer it to their own Roth IRA.

    Roth IRAs are generally tax-free in the US and can also have tax-free status in Canada; however, an account holder must file an election with the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) to maintain the tax-free Canadian status and ensure no new contributions are made. 

    A non-spouse inheriting has the same CRA election requirement, but has a different tax-free status opportunity. There is a 10-year rule for non-spouse beneficiaries, allowing only a limited tax-free growth period. 

    Roth IRA withdrawals are tax-free in the US and Canada. 

    Exceptions

    Disabled or chronically ill non-spouse beneficiaries may be exempt from the 10-year rule.

    The 10-year clock does not start ticking for minor beneficiaries until they attain the age of majority. 

    Summary

    IRA and 401(k) accounts work a little differently from Canadian RRSP, DC pension, and TFSA accounts on death. These US counterparts offer more favourable tax reduction opportunities.

    If you expect to leave a US account as an inheritance, or you are inheriting one of these accounts, it is important to understand the rules. They may impact how you draw down your assets in retirement and how you structure your estate.

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    Jason Heath, CFP

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    Analyst Report: New York Times Co.

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  • What replacing my tires taught me about planning for retirement

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    When my family and I moved to Canada seven years ago, we spent months driving through neighbourhoods trying to decide where we wanted to build our life. Every time I got excited about a quiet street, a peaceful cluster of homes, or a beautifully maintained community, my wife would gently remind me that I was admiring retirement communities. It happened so often that I began to joke that my ideal home would be across the street from one. As it turns out, that is exactly where we landed. We became friends with our elderly neighbors, admired the calm rhythm of their days, and began to understand something that had not been obvious to me before: retirement here was not an abstract concept, but rather something people had spent decades deliberately preparing for.

    Where I come from—I grew up in multiple countries, including India and in the Middle East—retirement exists, but it is not the organizing principle of financial life. The emphasis is on stability, on supporting family, on building something durable enough that life can evolve naturally rather than stop abruptly. You save because it is prudent. You invest because it creates opportunity. But you do not necessarily orient every financial decision around a distant, fixed endpoint called retirement.

    Canada is different. Here, retirement planning is not a suggestion. It is an expectation, reinforced through employer matching programs, tax-advantaged accounts like RRSPs and TFSAs, and public pension systems designed to provide stability later in life. These are powerful tools, but they assume something critical: that you understand why they matter.

    If you grow up inside this system, the logic feels intuitive. If you arrive later in life, it requires emotional and cultural adjustment. You are not just learning how to save. You are learning to think differently about time itself, to make decisions today that serve a version of yourself decades into the future.

    Retirement and re-tirement: drawing parallels

    This reality became unexpectedly clear to me recently while digging my wife’s car out after a heavy snowfall. As I cleared the snow, I noticed her tires were visibly worn—not dangerously so, but clearly nearing the end of their useful life. I called the dealership to ask about replacements. The price they quoted me was staggering. I promised to call them back, hoping I could find something cheaper, but the truth was unavoidable. I had not explicitly planned for this expense, even though tire replacement is as predictable as the seasons themselves.

    I had failed to plan for the re-tirement!

    The metaphor is obvious, but the lesson lies deeper than wordplay. Retirement itself is not a surprise expense. It is the financial equivalent of tire wear. It happens slowly, invisibly, over time, until the moment preparation stops being theoretical and becomes essential.

    Canada deserves enormous credit for building systems that allow people to prepare constructively for that moment. RRSPs provide tax deferral, TFSAs offer tax-free growth. Employer matching accelerates savings. These mechanisms, when used consistently, create pathways to financial independence that are both powerful and accessible.

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    But accessibility and understanding are not the same thing.

    Compare the best RRSP rates in Canada

    Why you need to engage with the retirement system

    The Financial Consumer Agency of Canada exists to promote financial literacy and empower Canadians to make informed financial decisions. Its National Financial Literacy Strategy speaks eloquently about accessibility, inclusion, and effectiveness. The language is thoughtful. The intentions are admirable. The documents are comprehensive.

    And that is all fine and dandy, but lived experience tells a more complicated story.

    Information exists. Action does not always follow.

    Knowledge without context or insight rarely changes behaviour. You can publish strategies, frameworks, and national literacy plans, but information alone does not create urgency. I knew tires eventually needed replacing, but until I experienced the cost myself, it never became something I actively planned for. Retirement works the same way. Being told to save is easy. Understanding what is truly at stake, and how it affects your independence and peace of mind, is what actually drives action. Without that insight, financial literacy remains theoretical.

    For many Canadians, particularly those who arrive from different financial cultures, retirement planning remains something they are told to do, not something they intuitively understand. 

    This is not a critique of the tools themselves; Canada’s retirement infrastructure is among the strongest in the world. It is a critique of how responsibility for navigating that infrastructure is quietly placed on individuals who may not fully understand its importance until much later.

    The reality is that retirement planning does not require perfection, it requires participation.

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    Vickram Agarwal

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  • Stocks Settle Slightly Higher as Bond Yields Fall

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    The S&P 500 Index ($SPX) (SPY) on Friday closed up +0.05%, the Dow Jones Industrial Average ($DOWI) (DIA) closed up +0.10%, and the Nasdaq 100 Index ($IUXX) (QQQ) closed up +0.18%.  March E-mini S&P futures (ESH26) rose +0.03%, and March E-mini Nasdaq futures (NQH26) rose +0.14%.

    Stock indexes recovered from early losses on Friday and settled higher. Falling bond yields were bullish for stocks on Friday after US January consumer prices rose less than expected, which may prompt the Fed to keep cutting interest rates.  The 10-year T-note yield fell to a 2.25-month low of 4.05% on the tame inflation news.

    Also, a recovery in software stocks was supportive of the overall market.  However, metal companies retreated on reports that the Trump administration is working to narrow its tariffs on steel and aluminum products.

    Stocks initially moved lower today, with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 posting 1-week lows.  Worries over AI weighed on stocks and dampened market sentiment.  Concerns have surfaced that the latest tools released by Google, Anthropic, and other AI startups are already good enough to disrupt many sectors of the economy, including finance, logistics, software, and trucking.

    US Jan CPI rose +2.4% y/y, weaker than expectations of +2.5% y/y and the smallest pace of increase in 7 months.  Jan core CPI rose +2.5% y/y, right on expectations and the smallest pace of increase in 4.75 years.

    Q4 earnings season is in full swing, as more than two-thirds of the S&P 500 companies have reported earnings results.  Earnings have been a positive factor for stocks, with 76% of the 371 S&P 500 companies that have reported beating expectations.  According to Bloomberg Intelligence, S&P earnings growth is expected to climb by +8.4% in Q4, marking the tenth consecutive quarter of year-over-year growth.  Excluding the Magnificent Seven megacap technology stocks, Q4 earnings are expected to increase by +4.6%.

    The markets are discounting a 10% chance for a -25 bp rate cut at the next policy meeting on March 17-18.

    Overseas stock markets settled lower on Friday.  The Euro Stoxx 50 closed down by -0.43%.  China’s Shanghai Composite closed down -1.26%.  Japan’s Nikkei Stock 225 fell closed down -1.21%.

    Interest Rates

    March 10-year T-notes (ZNH6) on Friday closed up by +12 ticks.  The 10-year T-note yield fell -4.2 bp to 4.056%.  Mar T-notes climbed to a 2.25-month high on Friday, and the 10-year T-note yield fell to a 2.25-month low of 4.045%.  T-notes recovered from overnight losses and moved higher on the smaller-than-expected US Jan CPI increase, which is dovish for Fed policy.  Also, bond dealer short covering boosted T-note prices as dealers lifted short hedges placed in T-note futures this week to hedge against the $125 billion of T-note and T-bond sales in the Treasury’s quarterly refunding.

    European government bond yields moved lower on Friday.  The 10-year German bund yield fell to a 2.25-month low of 2.753% and finished down -2.4 bp to 2.755%.  The 10-year UK gilt yield slid to a 3.5-week low of 4.404% and finished down -3.6 bp to 4.416%.

    The German Jan wholesale price index rose +0.9% m/m, the largest increase in a year.

    Swaps are discounting a 3% chance of a -25 bp rate cut by the ECB at its next policy meeting on March 19.

    US Stock Movers

    Software stocks rallied on Friday, helping lift the broader market.  Crowdstrike Holdings (CRWD) closed up more than +4%, and ServiceNow (NOW) closed up more than +3%.  Also, Salesforce (CRM), Palantir Technologies (PLTR), and Oracle (ORCL) closed up more than +2%.  In addition, Adobe Systems (ADBE) closed up +0.54%, and Intuit (INTU) closed up +0.32%. 

    Cryptocurrency-exposed stocks rose on Friday after Bitcoin (^BTCUSD) rallied more than +4%.  Coinbase Global (COIN) closed up more than +16% to lead gainers in the S&P 500.  Also, MARA Holdings (MARA) closed up more than +9%, and Strategy (MSTR) closed up more than +8%.  In addition, Riot Platforms (RIOT) and Galaxy Digital Holdings (GLXY) closed up more than +7%.

    Metal companies retreated on Friday on reports that the Trump administration is working to narrow its tariffs on steel and aluminum products.  Century Aluminum (CENX) closed down more than -7%, and Steel Dynamics (STLD) closed down more than -4%.  Also, Cleveland-Cliffs (CLF) and Nucor Corp (NUE) closed down more than -3%, and Alcoa (AA) closed down more than -1%. 

    Tri Point Homes (TPH) closed up more than +26% after being acquired by Sumitomo Forestry for about $4.28 billion, or $47 a share.

    Rivian Automotive (RIVN) closed up more than +26% after reporting Q4 revenue of $1.29 billion, above the consensus of $1.26 billion, and forecasting full-year vehicle deliveries of 62,000 to 67,000, the midpoint above the consensus of 63,402.

    Maplebear (CART) closed up more than +9% after reporting Q4 total revenue of $992 million, stronger than the consensus of $971.8 million.

    Applied Materials (AMAT) closed up more than +8% after reporting Q1 adjusted EPS of $2.38, better than the consensus of $2.21, and forecasting Q2 adjusted EPS of $2.44 to $2.84, stronger than the consensus of $2.29.

    Roku (ROKU) closed up more than +8% after reporting Q4 net revenue of $1.39 billion, above the consensus of $1.35 billion, and forecasting full-year net revenue of $5.50 billion, better than the consensus of $5.34 billion.

    Dexcom (DXCM) closed up more than +7% after reporting Q4 revenue of $1.26 billion, better than the consensus of $1.25 billion.

    Arista Networks (ANET) closed up more than +4% to lead gainers after reporting Q4 revenue of $2.49 billion, better than the consensus of $2.29 billion, and forecasting Q1 revenue of $2.6 billion, above the consensus of $2.39 billion.

    Airbnb (ABNB) closed up more than +4% after reporting Q4 gross booking value of $20.4 billion, better than the consensus of $19.46 billion, and forecasting Q1 revenue of $2.59 billion to $2.63 billion, above the consensus of $2.54 billion.

    Pinterest (PINS) closed down more than -16% after reporting Q4 revenue of $1.32 billion, below the consensus of $1.33 billion, and forecasting Q1 revenue of $951 million to $971 million, weaker than the consensus of $980.9 million.

    DraftKings (DKNG) closed down more than -13% after forecasting full-year revenue of $6.5 billion to $6.9 billion, well below the consensus of $7.32 billion.

    Ryan Specialty Holdings (RYAN) closed down more than -12% after reporting Q4 total revenue of $751.2 million, weaker than the consensus of $774.7 million.

    Bio-Rad Laboratories (BIO) closed down more than -12% after reporting Q4 adjusted EPS of $2.51, below the consensus of $2.71.

    Constellation Brands (STZ) closed down more than -7% to lead losers in the S&P 500 after announcing Nicholas Fink will succeed Bill Newlands as CEO, effective April 13

    Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings (NCLH) closed down more than -7% after CEO Harry Sommer stepped down immediately and was replaced by John Chidsey.

    Expedia Group (EXPE) closed down more than -6% despite posting better-than-expected Q4 earnings after Bloomberg Intelligence warned that AI is “a long-term risk for the broader online travel industry.”

    Earnings Reports(2/17/2026)

    Allegion plc (ALLE), Builders FirstSource Inc (BLDR), Cadence Design Systems Inc (CDNS), Coca-Cola Europacific Partners (CCEP), Devon Energy Corp (DVN), DTE Energy Co (DTE), EQT Corp (EQT), Expand Energy Corp (EXE), FirstEnergy Corp (FE), Genuine Parts Co (GPC), Kenvue Inc (KVUE), Labcorp Holdings Inc (LH), Leidos Holdings Inc (LDOS), Medtronic PLC (MDT), Palo Alto Networks Inc (PANW), Republic Services Inc (RSG), Vulcan Materials Co (VMC).

    On the date of publication, Rich Asplund did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. This article was originally published on Barchart.com

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  • Chris Paul Announces Retirement After 21 NBA Seasons

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    After 21 seasons in the NBA, point guard Chris Paul announced his retirement today on his personal Instagram

    After 21 seasons in the NBA, point guard Chris Paul announced he is retiring on his personal Instagram. This announcement comes after the Toronto Raptors traded for Paul on Feb. 5, but then waived him today without Paul ever playing a game for them.

    Paul is a 12-time All-Star and was an 11-time All-NBA player who played for the New Orleans Hornets, Los Angeles Clippers, Houston Rockets, Oklahoma City Thunder, Phoenix Suns and San Antonio Spurs.

    “Mostly, I’m filled with so much joy and gratitude!” Paul wrote. “While this chapter of being an “NBA player” is done, the game of basketball will forever be ingrained in the DNA of my life. I’ve been in the NBA for more than half of my life, spanning three decades. It’s crazy even saying that!!”

    Across Paul’s NBA career, he has averaged 16.6 PPG, 9.2 APG and 4.4 RPG in 1,370 games. With his retirement, Paul ranks fourth in points for a point guard with 23,058 points, second all-time in assists with 12,552 and second all-time in steals with 2,728.

    The New Orleans Hornets — now the Pelicans — drafted Paul out of Wake Forest University with the fourth overall pick in the 2005 NBA draft. Paul would then go on to make his debut in the NBA with them on Nov. 1, 2005, where he had 13 points, four assists and eight rebounds in 33 minutes. Paul won Rookie of the Year in the 2005-06 season, earning 124 of the 125 first-place votes.

    The 2007-08 season was Paul’s breakout season, where he was an all-star for the first time in his career and won his first of five assists titles, averaging 11.6 APG. He was also the runner-up in MVP voting that year, receiving 28 first-place votes, but losing the award to Lakers guard Kobe Bryant.

    The Hornets intended to trade Paul to the Los Angeles Lakers on Dec. 11, 2011, but the NBA — which owned the Hornets at the time — nullified the trade. Three days later, though, the Hornets traded Paul to the Clippers in exchange for three players and first round pick.

    When news of this trade broke, Clippers forward Blake Griffin was caught saying, “It’s going to be Lob City” to his team center DeAndre Jordan. This stuck with the team as the three of them formed the “Lob City” Clippers, who would make the playoffs six years in a row, but failed to make it past the Western Conference Semi-Finals.

    Across Paul’s six seasons with the Clippers, he averaged 18.8 PPG, 9.8 APG and 4.2 RPG, as Paul was in the top seven in MVP during his first five seasons in LA, was All-NBA First Team, and led the league in steals his first three years and led the league in assists during the 2013-14 and 2014-15 seasons.

    After the 2016-17 season, the Clippers traded Paul to the Rockets, where he teamed up with guard James Harden, who would go on to win the MVP in the 2017-18 season. The two led Houston to an NBA-leading 65-17 record and made it to the Conference Finals — the first of Paul’s career — but Paul would injure his hamstring in game 5, as the Rockets would go on to lose in seven to the Warriors.

    After one more season in Houston, the Rockers traded Paul to the Thunder, where he would play for one season, before they traded Paul to the Suns for the 2020-21 season. In his first year in Phoenix, Paul averaged 16.4 PPG, 8.9 APG and RPG — good for fifth in MVP voting — as he helped lead Phoenix to the NBA finals. The Suns would start the series up 2-0 to the Milwaukee Bucks, but lost the next four games, losing the series in six. Paul averaged 21.8 PPG, 8.2 APG and 2.7 RPG in the series.

    Paul would go on to play two more seasons with the Suns, then one with the Warriors and Spurs and before he signed with the Lakers on July 21. He played in 16 games in his return to the Clippers before they parted ways with Paul on Dec. 3. He played his final NBA game Dec. 1 against the Miami Heat, where he played for 14 minutes.

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    Tony Gleason

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  • Research Reports & Trade Ideas – Yahoo Finance

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    Analyst Report: Mondelez International Inc.

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  • Canadians fear a tougher road to retirement—and plan to help their kids along the way

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    Canadians expect a tougher retirement than their parents

    Of all age groups, millennials have the gloomiest outlook, with nearly three quarters (73%) responding that their retirement plans will be harder to fulfill than their parents’. Baby boomers (60%) and Gen Z (61%) were somewhat more optimistic, with Gen X (67%) right at the national average.

    Survey respondents weren’t just worried about their own retirements—77% said providing for retirement would be harder for future generations. In fact, almost half (49%) expect to help their children out financially. They feel that support is necessary, even though 83% of those benefactors-to-be anticipate that it will come at the expense of their own standard of living in retirement.

    Perhaps surprisingly, Canadians at the younger end of the spectrum are most likely to foresee supporting their children into adulthood, with 68% of Gen Z respondents planning to do so. By contrast, just 38% of baby boomers see the need to assist their adult children with saving for retirement.

    Estate planning can be part of a retirement strategy

    “We are seeing more families thinking beyond their own retirement and planning for how wealth will be passed on to the next generation,” said Lydia Potocnik, vice-president and regional director, estate and trust services for BMO Private Wealth, in a release. “A well-structured, holistic strategy often includes estate planning, which can help parents support their children without compromising their own retirement security.”

    By and large, respondents to the Retirement Survey who used a financial advisor were content with the advice they are receiving, with 89% saying that their advisor helps them meet their financial goals and 44% strongly in agreement.

    The study was based on a November poll of 1,500 Canadian adults, weighted by gender, age and region to best represent the Canadian population. The results are considered accurate within 2.5 percentage points 19 times out of 20.

    How to improve your retirement readiness

    To improve your chances of retiring comfortably at a time of their choosing, BMO recommends you:

    • Start planning early: Define goals and determine a saving and investment strategy.
    • Practice discipline: Make and follow a budget that treats retirement savings as a regular expense.
    • Seek professional advice: Advisors can help you devise and monitor your portfolio and recommend strategies to match your circumstances, risk tolerance, and goals.

    Remember: You have until March 2, 2026 to contribute to your RRSP and obtain an income tax deduction for the 2025 tax year.

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    About Michael McCullough


    About Michael McCullough

    Michael is a financial writer and editor in Duncan, B.C. He’s a former managing editor of Canadian Business and editorial director of Canada Wide Media. He also writes for The Globe and Mail and BCBusiness.

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    Michael McCullough

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