Marc Pineault on Retirement Planning in London, Ontario

Does Marc Pineault help with retirement planning? Yes — retirement income planning is one of Marc's core specialties. He works with pre-retirees and retirees across Southwestern Ontario to build income strategies that are tax-efficient, sustainable, and built around how they actually want to live in retirement.

If you're within 10–15 years of retirement, or you're already there and want a clearer income strategy, here's how Marc approaches it.

The Problem With Most Retirement "Plans"

Many people arrive at retirement with a collection of financial products — an RRSP here, a pension there, maybe a non-registered account — but no actual plan for how to draw income from those sources. The order in which you draw from your accounts matters enormously. So does the timing of CPP and OAS. So does how you split income with a spouse, if applicable.

Without a coordinated income plan, retirees often pay more tax than they need to, draw down accounts in the wrong order, or take CPP too early (or too late) for their situation. A financial plan fixes this.

CPP and OAS Timing

One of the most consequential decisions in retirement planning is when to take CPP. The right answer depends on your health, your other income sources, your tax bracket, and your longevity assumptions. Taking CPP at 60 versus 70 can mean a difference of tens of thousands of dollars over your lifetime — and there's no universal right answer.

Marc looks at your complete picture to help you model the options and understand the trade-offs. Same with OAS — including OAS clawback planning if your income is likely to push you above the threshold in certain years.

RRSP and RRIF Drawdown Strategy

Most people understand that their RRSP converts to a RRIF at age 71. What fewer people understand is that strategic RRSP drawdown before age 71 can dramatically reduce lifetime taxes — especially if you have a lower-income period between retirement and pension commencement, or before OAS kicks in.

Marc maps out your projected income across your retirement years to identify windows where withdrawals are most tax-efficient, helping you avoid bracket creep later when RRIF minimums kick in alongside OAS and pension income.

Income Splitting and Spousal Strategies

For couples, retirement income planning includes looking at how to split income between spouses to reduce the combined household tax burden. Pension splitting, spousal RRSP drawdown, and other strategies can be highly effective — but they require coordination across your full financial picture.

The Longevity Question

One of the biggest risks in retirement isn't a bad year in the market — it's outliving your money. Marc builds plans that are stress-tested across different life expectancies and inflation scenarios, so you can retire with confidence rather than anxiety.

Who Marc Works With on Retirement Planning

Marc's retirement planning work is most valuable for people who:

• Are within 10–15 years of retirement and want a roadmap
• Are recently retired and want to confirm they're drawing income in the most tax-efficient way
• Have multiple income sources — RRSP/RRIF, pension, CPP, OAS, non-registered — and need them coordinated
• Want to leave assets to their family efficiently

He serves clients in London, Kitchener, Hamilton, and across Southwestern Ontario, in person and virtually.

Start the Conversation

Retirement planning works best when it starts early. The more lead time Marc has to work with, the more options are available.

Book a free consultation with Marc Pineault at https://calmmoney.ca/contact.

---

This article is for educational purposes only and does not constitute personalized financial advice. Please consult a qualified financial planner before making any financial decisions.