Whether it’s sunny beaches, cruising the open road, traveling the globe or just relaxing and taking time to enjoy your life – retirement looks different for everyone. No matter what it may look like for you, the one thing we all have in common is that one day we’d like to retire and we need money to make it happen. Whether you’re just starting your career, counting down the days, or somewhere in the middle, there are things you can do to ensure your retirement is exactly what you want it to be.

“What do you mean retirement? I just started working!” That may be true, but ideally, you’ll want to start saving for retirement as early as possible. We know that’s not always possible, so wherever you are in life’s journey, the best time to start saving for retirement is RIGHT NOW!!!

Here are some tips for you, wherever you are on your retirement journey:

Start early and contribute often

The earlier you start saving, the more interest you will earn and the more money you will have when you’re ready to retire. For example:

Although both people ended up with a similar amount, the person who began saving at 20 years old, put in less than half of their own money – it mostly came from interest (i.e not your pocket).

Make it automatic

The easiest way to reach a savings goal is to set up automatic transfers to your retirement accounts. That way, it is coming out at a consistent rate and you don’t have to bid an emotional farewell to your money every month as it will be automatically transferred or deducted from your pay cheque.

Don’t touch your retirement fund. View it as money that is not at all accessible

There are lots of different types of accounts you can use to save for retirement, but the best ones are those you can’t touch. For example, there are TFSAs and RRSPs, and other special savings account you can use to meet your different retirement savings goals. The best thing to do if you’re not sure what accounts work best for you is to talk to a Financial Advisor. You can also check out our investment terminology blog to find out more information about different options and what those acronyms mean. By locking in these inaccessible accounts, it removes the temptation to pull from these savings accounts when you just NEED that new pair of shoes and sets you up for success when you retire.

Get rid of debt before retirement

Simply put, you don’t want to owe money when you are no longer making money.

Annually review your retirement plan to see how you’re doing and if it will still meet your needs

Just like a doctor’s check-up, a financial check-up is important to do every year. Work with  your financial advisor to make sure you’re on track and make any changes to your plan as you need. A great tool you can use to see how much you may need to be set up for retirement is our Retirement Planner Calculator.

Make sure you understand at tax time what your RRSP and TFSA contribution limits are

Every year, Revenue Canada will send you a Notice of Assessment after you’ve filed your taxes. On there, you can see how much you can contribute for the next year, based on your previous year’s income, plus any unused amounts from previous years. There is also a limit as to how much you can contribute to your TFSA, starting from the age of 18. A great tool for understanding your TFSA limit is this calculator.

No matter where retirement fits into your plans, it’s going to be a great time and being financially prepared will help ensure you can enjoy your golden years. So when is the right time to start saving? There is no better time like the present and it will save you down the road!