Skip to Cookie Banner Skip to content Skip to footer
Mutual funds
  • Mutual funds list
  • About RBC mutual funds
  • RBC Fixed Income Pools
  • RBC Portfolio Solutions
ETFs
  • ETFs list
  • About RBC iShares ETFs
  • ETF investment strategies
Alternative investments
  • Alternative investments list
  • About RBC alternative investments
Types of investments
  • All about mutual funds
  • ETF Learning Centre
View all learn & plan articles
{{r.fundCode}} {{r.fundName}} {{r.series}} {{r.assetClass}}
  • See all results
  • See results in Products
  • See results in Insights
RBC iShares

Welcome to the new RBC iShares digital experience.

Find all things ETFs here: investment strategies, products, insights and more.

.hero-subtitle{ width: 80%; } .hero-energy-lines { width: 70%; right: -10; bottom: -15; } @media (max-width: 575.98px) { .hero-energy-lines { background-size: 200% auto; width: 100%; } }

Nearly half of Canadian homeowners over 50 believe they will run out of their savings within the first 10 years of retirement, according to an investor education report.¹ Considering that retirement may last 20 to 30 years, a shortfall in retirement savings is becoming an increasingly important financial challenge to address.²

1. Create a retirement budget

Start by identifying your spending and lifestyle expectations in retirement. What is essential to you, and what can you do without? Then, list the expenses you know you will have in retirement versus how much income you will receive (taking all sources into consideration). There will be unpredictable situations that come up, but this will help provide you with a good starting point in your planning. Building a retirement budget is an important first step to ensure your savings last.

2. Save more money

If retirement is still in the distant future, the best thing you can do is to accumulate more savings while you are working, and let the power of compounding grow your savings. This will help offset the chances of running out later. A larger pool of savings provides more comfort and flexibility to deal with any unanticipated expenses.

3. Consider how long you will need your retirement savings to last

The average Canadian life expectancy is 81 years and the average age of retirement is 64. These are crucial numbers to take into consideration when creating your retirement plan.

4. Manage income

You want to withdraw enough to cover basic expenses, but you also want to maintain a certain lifestyle in retirement. Everyone’s circumstances differ, but in retirement you will need to manage income from a variety of different sources. Having a plan designed to provide you with sustainable scheduled withdrawals is a step in the right direction.

5. Work in retirement

Another factor to consider is continuing to work in retirement. Retirement isn’t always a clean break from paid work. In fact, one in eight people over the age of 65 still works³, whether it be for financial or personal reasons. Additional cash flow could mean delaying withdrawals from your retirement accounts, therefore adding to your growth potential and extending how long these savings will last. Keep in mind that there are possible financial implications to working in retirement. The retirement benefits you are eligible to receive from the government, for example, can be impacted.

Talk to your financial advisor to ensure your retirement plan addresses these challenges and sets you up for success.

1. Investor Education Fund, Home Equity as a Source of Retirement Income, 2013
2. Statistics Canada. Table 102-0512 - Life expectancy, at birth and at age 65, by sex, Canada, provinces and territories, annual (years).
3. Stats Canada Labour force characteristics

Share this article

Disclosure

Last reviewed: January 1, 2023

This has been provided by RBC Global Asset Management Inc. (RBC GAM) and is for informational purposes only. It is not intended to provide legal, accounting, tax, investment, financial or other advice and such information should not be relied upon for providing such advice. RBC GAM takes reasonable steps to provide up-to-date, accurate and reliable information, and believes the information to be so when provided. Information obtained from third parties is believed to be reliable but RBC GAM and its affiliates assume no responsibility for any errors or omissions or for any loss or damage suffered. RBC GAM reserves the right at any time and without notice to change, amend or cease publication of the information.

Footer

Products

  • Mutual funds
  • RBC iShares ETFs
  • Alternative investments

Investor information

  • Fund facts (mutual funds)
  • Fund facts (RBC iShares ETFs)
  • PFIC reporting
  • Regulatory documents
  • Fund governance
  • Proxy voting
  • Unclaimed property
  • Important investor information

About RBC GAM

  • Our story
  • Media centre
  • Contact us
  • Careers

Investing

  • Ready to invest?
® / TM Trademark(s) of Royal Bank of Canada. Used under licence. iSHARES is a registered trademark of BlackRock, Inc., or its subsidiaries in the United States and elsewhere. Used under licence. © 2025 RBC Global Asset Management Inc. and BlackRock Asset Management Canada Limited. All rights reserved.
  • Privacy & security
  • Legal
  • Accessibility
  • Terms and conditions
  • Advertising & Cookies
  • About RBC
Back to top