A helpful starting point.

This calculator helps you explore possibilities. It does not tell you whether to retire or which investments to buy.

Effective October 3, 2026

For learning, not personal advice

Canadians’ Finance provides general educational information. The calculator, results, email updates and other materials are not financial, investment, retirement, tax, accounting or legal advice. We have not reviewed your full circumstances. Consider speaking to an appropriately qualified professional before making major financial decisions.

No professional relationship

Using the site, choosing a preset or viewing results does not create an adviser-client, fiduciary or other professional relationship. We do not assess suitability, recommend a specific investment or tell you when to retire. You remain responsible for your decisions and for checking the information you rely on.

Your numbers, your assumptions

All results are estimates based on the numbers and assumptions entered. Default values are examples, not recommended assumptions or personal benefit estimates. You can change every value. Investment returns are not guaranteed. Losses can happen. Inflation and your spending can change. Real results may be very different from a smooth projection.

How we calculate

All amounts are Canadian dollars. Enter savings and monthly amounts as they will be at your retirement age, not today’s amounts if retirement is years away.

Spending rises monthly using your annual inflation assumption. CPP, OAS and other income stay at the monthly amounts you enter; future benefit increases, including the OAS increase at age 75, are not modelled.

Each month, income offsets spending first. Any shortfall comes from savings; extra income is saved. Remaining savings then grow at a steady monthly rate, after the annual fee rate is subtracted from the annual return.

Income starts at the beginning of the month you reach its selected age. The projection stops when savings reach zero or at your 120th birthday.

Government CPP/OAS starting figures are before tax. For take-home results, edit income to after-tax amounts or include income taxes in spending. Income tax, OAS recovery tax and one-time costs are not calculated automatically.

CPP and OAS helper amounts use dated government figures in current dollars, not a personal benefit entitlement or future-dollar forecast. CPP sliders illustrate starting amounts and age adjustments; they do not calculate contribution history. OAS residency scenarios assume a qualifying resident of Canada and omit international agreements and special rules.

Returns are not guaranteed and do not arrive steadily in real life. Market losses early in retirement can change the result. This model does not measure the probability of success.

Government benefits and taxes

CPP and OAS amounts depend on your situation and when you start. Other benefits, benefit changes and OAS recovery tax may affect your income. Verify amounts using your government records and official Government of Canada information. Government benefit examples are before tax. Edit to take-home income or allow for income tax in spending. Taxes on savings withdrawals are not calculated automatically; include the amount you expect to need for those taxes in spending. Taxes differ by person and account type.

Reading your results

Monthly figures describe the start of retirement. If a benefit starts later, it is added from its selected age. The first-year amount is the total of the first 12 monthly shortfalls, including spending inflation. The first-year withdrawal percentage divides that amount by starting savings; with zero savings it is not applicable. Savings run out when the month-end balance reaches zero, without adding debt. A zero starting balance means no savings runway even if income covers spending. A positive balance at 120 does not tell us the precise depletion age after 120. Dollar values on the chart are future dollars, not today’s purchasing power.

Using and sharing the tool

The tool is free. You can view full results without an email address, YouTube subscription or account. Email updates are a separate choice. Results shared outside this site should keep the estimate disclaimer and should not be presented as a promise. You must not use automated submissions to abuse the signup service or interfere with others’ use.

Availability and reasonable limits

We take reasonable care in building and maintaining the tool, but it may contain errors or become unavailable. Please check important calculations before relying on them. We are responsible for our obligations under applicable law; nothing here excludes rights or responsibilities that cannot lawfully be excluded. These terms do not replace professional advice tailored to you.

Disclaimer of warranties and limitation of liability

To the extent permitted by applicable law, the website and its educational content are provided “as is” and “as available”, without warranties of accuracy, completeness, uninterrupted availability or suitability for your circumstances. We do not guarantee investment returns, benefit eligibility, financial outcomes or that your savings will last.

To the extent permitted by applicable law, Canadians’ Finance and its operators are not liable for losses arising from reliance on these educational estimates or content, including investment losses, lost profits or indirect or consequential losses. Do not make a financial decision solely on the basis of this website. Seek qualified advice where appropriate.

Nothing in these terms excludes or limits liability or rights that cannot lawfully be excluded or limited. This includes any consumer protection that applies to you. The educational acknowledgement does not waive those protections.

Questions

For contact details and how we handle personal information, see our Privacy Policy. These terms are intended for review by a Canadian lawyer before public launch.