MayRetire Tutorial

1. Introduction

MayRetire is a retirement planning application for Canadians. It helps you model retirement cash flow, withdrawals, taxes, portfolio evolution, and estate outcomes for single or couple plans.

This draft reflects the latest sections documented from current app screens and source behavior.

2. Using The Interface

• Click the ? icons for contextual help on fields and panels.
• Use panel chevrons to collapse or expand sections.
• You can work panel-by-panel; calculations use the full set of current inputs.
• For numeric fields, use + / - controls or type values directly.

3. Personal Details

_{Figure 1: Personal Details - Planning}

_{Figure 2: Personal Details - Retired}

This panel establishes the timeline and household context for the entire model. Age inputs here affect pension start logic, tax modeling, survivorship projections, and how many years your assets must support spending.

• Province or territory Select your current province or territory of residence. MayRetire applies province-specific tax brackets and credits to all annual calculations.

• Your retirement status (Planning or Retired) Use Planning when retirement has not started yet. Use Retired when it has already started. This switch changes several fields from projected values to current values so the model starts from the right baseline.

• Start retirement age (Planning mode) The age at which retirement cash-flow modeling begins.

• Your current age (Retired mode) Your age at current year-end. This helps MayRetire position your plan correctly on the timeline and apply age-triggered rules immediately.

• End planning age The final age in the projection horizon. A longer horizon usually lowers apparent plan safety unless assets/spending assumptions are adjusted.

• Planning For (Single or Couple) Chooses one-person or two-person household planning. Couple mode enables spouse timelines and tax-sharing logic used throughout the plan.

• Spouse age at your retirement age (Planning + Couple) Spouse age in the year your retirement starts. This aligns partner timelines correctly for benefits and tax treatment.

• Spouse current age (Retired + Couple) Spouse age at current year-end for in-retirement couple modeling.

• Spouse end plan age (Couple) Final projection age for spouse. Important for longevity and survivor-risk analysis.

Practical guidance: - Use realistic longevity assumptions (many users test to age 90 to 95+). - In couple plans, even small age differences can materially change benefit timing and taxes. - If uncertain, start conservative, then tune after reviewing simulation/backtest results.

4. Government Benefits

_{Figure 3: Government Benefits - Planning}

_{Figure 4: Government Benefits - Retired (CPP/OAS started)}

This panel configures guaranteed government income from CPP/QPP and OAS for both partners (if applicable). These settings strongly influence required withdrawals, taxes, and long-run sustainability.

• CPP start age Choose the age CPP/QPP starts (typically 60 to 70). Starting earlier reduces monthly income; delaying increases monthly income.

• OAS start age Choose OAS start age (typically 65 to 70). Deferral increases monthly OAS.

• CPP at age 65 (Planning-style input) Enter projected monthly CPP at age 65 (usually from Service Canada). MayRetire then adjusts this value based on your selected start age.

• OAS at age 65 (Planning-style input) Enter projected monthly OAS at age 65. MayRetire applies start-age adjustment.

• Your current CPP / Your current OAS (Retired and already started) If benefits are already active, enter your current monthly payments instead of age-65 estimates.

• Spouse CPP/OAS fields (Couple mode) Use the same logic for spouse: start ages plus projected-at-65 amounts (planning) or current amounts (retired-started).

• CPP Sharing Enabling CPP sharing does not change total household CPP. It changes taxable attribution between spouses and can improve tax efficiency.

Practical guidance: - Use official CPP estimates where possible. - Keep start ages and amounts internally consistent. - Test scenarios with CPP sharing both on and off for couple plans.

5. Registered Accounts

_{Figure 5: Registered Accounts - Retired Couple}

This panel captures registered balances used to fund retirement in a tax-efficient way.

• TFSA balance In planning mode, enter expected balance at retirement start. In retired mode, enter current balance. TFSA withdrawals are generally tax-free and often used for late-stage tax control.

• RRSP balance In planning mode, enter projected RRSP at retirement start. In retired mode, enter current RRSP/RRIF balance. RRSP/RRIF withdrawals are taxable and central to drawdown-tax planning.

• LIF / LIRA balance MayRetire shows LIF or LIRA based on age/status. LIRA is modeled as locked-in pension assets. Upon retirement or age 55 (whichever is later), MayRetire models conversion to LIF and applies legislated withdrawal limits.

• LIF Jurisdiction (Provincial / Federal) Set governing regime for LIF calculations. This affects annual minimum/maximum withdrawal limits.

• Spouse TFSA / RRSP / LIF (or LIRA) (Couple mode) Enter spouse balances separately so MayRetire can optimize household withdrawals and taxation.

Practical guidance: - Use one consistent as-of date across all account balances. - Keep absent accounts at zero rather than leaving values implicit. - Jurisdiction choice for LIF can noticeably change retirement cash-flow constraints.

Note: - The LIF jurisdiction selector does not have a dedicated standalone help key in help_info.dart; wording above follows the app’s LIF/LIRA modeling behavior.

6. Non-Registered Account

_{Figure 6: Non-Registered Account}

This panel models taxable investment assets and their embedded tax profile.

• Current Non-Reg Investment balance Enter total non-registered balance (or projected retirement-start balance in planning mode).

• Your share of Non-Registered account (%) (Couple mode) Defines tax attribution split between spouses. Example: 50 means income and gains are attributed 50/50.

• Initial Capital Gain/Loss for Non-Reg Account (%) Enter unrealized gain/loss as a percentage of average cost base. Example: $50,000 unrealized gain on a $200,000 cost base = 25%. Example: $10,000 unrealized loss on a $100,000 cost base = -10%. This drives capital-gain tax on withdrawals/deemed dispositions.

• Current Unused Capital Losses for Non-Reg account Enter carry-forward capital losses that can offset future realized capital gains, reducing projected tax.

Practical guidance: - Include all taxable brokerage assets here. - Keep ownership attribution aligned with actual tax reporting. - Updating unused losses can significantly improve after-tax income projections.

7. Contribution Rooms

_{Figure 7: Contribution Rooms}

This panel defines how much additional tax-sheltered contribution capacity is available.

• Current TFSA contribution room Enter current available TFSA room. MayRetire increases TFSA room annually using the government limit assumption.

• Current RRSP contribution room Enter RRSP room from your latest CRA Notice of Assessment. RRSP contributions are modeled as age-limited (through age 71).

• Current Spouse TFSA contribution room (Couple mode) Same logic for spouse TFSA room.

• Current Spouse RRSP contribution room (Couple mode) Same logic for spouse RRSP room, including age-71 contribution limit.

Practical guidance: - CRA Notice of Assessment is the preferred source for RRSP room. - If uncertain, start conservative and refine. - In MayRetire assumptions, new RRSP room is not earned once retirement is underway.

8. Withdrawal Strategy

_{Figure 8: Withdrawal Strategy - Preset}

_{Figure 9: Withdrawal Strategy - Custom Summary}

This panel controls account drawdown behavior and tax constraints across RRSP/RRIF, non-registered assets, and TFSA.

• RRSP Withdrawal Strategy Choose a predefined style (Conservative, Moderate, Progressive, Accelerated) or define a Custom strategy.

• Preset mode Applies a ready profile to speed up scenario testing.

• Custom mode Displays your active custom constraints (for example: amount limits, tax limits, meltdown, OAS-clawback adjustment).

• Customize Strategy / Modify Custom Strategy Opens the full strategy editor.

• Fund TFSA with RRSP/Unreg Withdrawals When enabled, MayRetire may withdraw beyond immediate spending needs to use TFSA room. TFSA can become a destination account for tax-efficient repositioning.

• TFSA withdrawal rate (0 to 100) (shown when TFSA funding is disabled) Controls the share of remaining shortfall covered from TFSA. Example: if remaining shortfall is $10,000 and rate is 20, TFSA contributes about $2,000 before fallback rules apply.

Practical guidance: - Use presets first to map the strategy space quickly. - Use custom controls for tax-aware optimization. - Compare with TFSA funding on/off to see long-term estate-tax effects.

8.1 RRSP Withdrawal Strategy (Custom Dialog)

_{Figure 10: RRSP Withdrawal Strategy Dialog}

Use this dialog to define annual withdrawal limits and tax targeting behavior.

• RRSP withdrawal limit Options include range, min-only, max-only, fixed amount, or no amount limit.

• Minimum RRSP withdrawal / Maximum RRSP withdrawal Used when floor/ceiling control is enabled.

• Tax rate limit Choose tax control mode:

  • marginal + average
  • marginal only
  • average only
  • RRSP tax-cost limit
  • no tax limit

• Average tax rate limit (%) Best-effort ceiling for average effective tax burden.

• Marginal tax bracket limit (%) Best-effort ceiling for marginal tax on the next withdrawal dollar.

• Enable RRSP meltdown Allows RRSP withdrawals above required income (within limits), often to reduce future tax concentration. Excess can be redirected to TFSA (if room exists) or non-registered account.

• Use RRSP withdrawal adjustment (avoid OAS clawback) Reduces RRSP withdrawals where possible to lower OAS clawback while respecting mandatory minima.

• Apply Gradual RRIF Depletion Adds a minimum pace intended to avoid very large end-of-plan RRIF balances and associated estate-tax spikes.

• Conditional options you may also encounter Bridging before CPP/OAS, fixed-amount override behavior, RRSP tax-cost limit, and other mode-specific controls.

9. Investment Assumptions

_{Figure 11: Investment Assumptions - Simplified Method}

_{Figure 12: Investment Assumptions - Asset Allocation per Account}

This panel sets inflation and return modeling assumptions that feed income, tax, and confidence-level projections.

• Projected inflation rate (%) Long-term inflation assumption. MayRetire uses inflation to keep results in real-dollar terms and for calculations that require nominal tracking (for example, capital-gain tax effects).

• Investment Return Method Choose one of two approaches:

  1. Overall rate of return (simplified): enter one real appreciation rate plus one dividend yield for the portfolio.
  2. Asset allocation per account: define account-level asset mixes; MayRetire derives returns using FP Canada Projection Assumption Guidelines.

Note: Overall rate of return (simplified) is a legacy what-if method. It uses synthetic, portfolio-wide assumptions and can be less realistic than account-level asset allocation, especially at high return inputs.

9.1 Overall rate of return (simplified)

This mode is best for quick scenario testing (“what if returns are X?”) rather than selecting a recommended long-term portfolio.

• Investment Price Appreciation % (inflation adjusted) Expected real capital growth excluding dividends. A value near 0 means growth roughly keeps pace with inflation.

• Initial Dividend Yield Expected annual dividend income as a percent of portfolio value.

• Dividend Change Sensitivity (DCS) Controls how dividend amounts respond to price changes. Example: DCS 50 means a 10% price move changes dividends by about 5% in the same direction. Example: if price rises 20%, DCS 50 implies ~10% higher dividends. Example: if price falls 30%, DCS 50 implies ~15% lower dividends. At DCS 100, dividend yield as a percentage of price remains roughly constant.

• Unregistered Account Dividends Withdrawal Choose one:

  • Withdraw dividends first: prioritize dividend cash flow before principal sales.
  • As part of unregistered withdrawal: treat dividends and principal as a pooled source.

9.2 Asset allocation per account

_{Figure 13: Asset Allocation Dialog (RRSP/RRIF/LIF)}

In this method, users input allocation weights, not return rates.

• MayRetire applies FP Canada asset-class assumptions.
• Account return expectations are derived from each account’s mix.
• Each account column must total 100%.

Asset buckets and tax interpretation in non-registered context: - Cash: interest-like return, taxed as regular income. - Fixed Income (Bonds): modeled with interest and price movement; interest is taxed as regular income. - Canadian Equity: dividends typically modeled as eligible dividends. - US Equity: dividends treated as foreign income (regular-income taxation). - International Equity: dividends treated as foreign income. - Emerging Market Equity: dividends treated as foreign income.

Editor features: - ETF shortcuts for quick starting templates. - Real and nominal implied return shown for the selected mix.

10. Income Requirements

_{Figure 14: Income Requirements - Constant Dollar}

_{Figure 15: Income Requirements - Flexible}

This panel defines baseline after-tax spending targets.

• Target annual income (after tax) Primary after-tax spending target in today’s dollars (real purchasing power).

• Income Withdrawal Strategy

  • Constant Dollar: stable real spending target year to year.
  • Flexible: spending can adjust between target and minimum based on return conditions.

• Minimal annual income (after tax) (shown in Flexible mode) Lower spending floor MayRetire attempts to protect in weak scenarios.

• Survivor Spending Need (%) (Couple mode) Percent of combined household budget the surviving spouse is expected to need. Common planning range is roughly 60% to 70%, because many fixed costs remain after one partner passes.

Practical guidance: - Start with Constant Dollar for baseline planning. - Add Flexible strategy for robustness testing. - Revisit survivor percentage carefully, as it meaningfully affects required assets.

11. Additional Withdrawals

_{Figure 16: Additional Withdrawals panel with multiple planned withdrawals}

This section lets you model discretionary or phase-specific spending that sits on top of your base income target. Typical use cases include travel phases, gifts, major purchases, family support, or one-time events.

Panel behavior: - Each withdrawal appears as a separate item with amount and timing summary. - Checkbox toggles include/exclude an item from the scenario without deleting it. - Trash icon deletes an item. - Add withdrawal creates a new item using the edit dialog.

11.1 Edit Dialog Fields

_{Figure 17: Additional Withdrawal edit dialog}

• Withdrawal name Use a descriptive label (for example: Go-Go, Slow-Go, Car purchase, Family support).

• Annual Withdrawal Amount Target yearly amount for this withdrawal item.

• Additional Withdrawal Strategy Choose one:

  • Constant Dollar: keeps the withdrawal amount fixed in real terms.
  • Flexible: allows the withdrawal to vary when needed, subject to a minimum floor.

• Minimal annual income (after tax) (shown when strategy is Flexible) Minimum after-tax amount you still want to preserve for this withdrawal category.

• Starts from (years into retirement) Offset from retirement start.

  • 1 means first retirement year.
  • 11 means withdrawal starts in year 11 of retirement.

• Withdrawal repeats Choose recurrence mode:

  • Once: one-time withdrawal.
  • Indefinitely: repeats every year for the full remaining plan.
  • Fixed Term: repeats for a specified number of years.

• Withdrawal is made for (years) (shown for Fixed Term) Number of years the withdrawal repeats.

Practical guidance: - Use multiple items instead of one large blended amount when goals occur at different times. - Keep optional spending separate from core lifestyle spending (configured under Income Requirements) for clearer stress testing. - Enable/disable items to run quick what-if comparisons without re-entering data.

12. Additional Incomes

_{Figure 18: Additional Incomes panel with recurring and one-time income items}

This section models non-portfolio income sources you expect during retirement. Common examples include part-time work, annuities, a business sale, inheritances, and other cash inflows.

Panel behavior: - Each income source is listed with amount, timing, tax category, and attribution summary. - Checkbox toggles include/exclude an item without deleting it. - Trash icon removes an item. - Add Income opens the edit dialog.

12.1 Edit Dialog Fields

_{Figure 19: Additional Income edit dialog}

• Income name Use a clear label (for example: Part-time work, Annuity, Home sale, Inheritance).

• Annual Income Amount Annual amount for this income stream. For one-time events, this is the one-time value.

• Annual Income Adjustment Choose how the amount evolves over time:

  • Indexed (keeps pace with inflation): preserves purchasing power in real terms.
  • Fixed nominal (if selected): amount stays flat in dollars and loses real value over time.

• Income Taxation Category Controls how the income is taxed in projections (for example regular income vs tax-favoured categories). Choose the category that best matches the real tax treatment of this source.

• Income attribution Assign income to Yourself, Spouse, or both, depending on who receives it. This matters for personal tax calculations and cash-flow allocation in couple plans.

• Starts from (years into retirement) Timing offset from retirement start.

  • 1 means first retirement year.
  • 12 means year 12 of retirement.

• Income repeats Choose recurrence pattern:

  • Once: one-time income event.
  • Indefinitely: repeats every year through the remaining plan.
  • Fixed Term: repeats for a selected number of years.

• Income is made for (years) (shown for Fixed Term) Number of years that the income repeats.

Practical guidance: - Enter each income source separately so you can enable/disable scenarios quickly. - Confirm taxation category and attribution carefully; both can materially change net after-tax outcomes. - Use one-time items for events (for example business/home sale) and fixed-term items for phased earnings.

13. Defined Benefit Pensions

_{Figure 20: Defined Benefit Pensions panel with multiple pension records}

Use this section for employer pensions that provide predictable lifetime income. Properly entering bridge benefits, indexation, and survivor percentage is important because these settings directly affect long-term cash flow and estate outcomes.

Panel behavior: - Each pension item shows key terms: annual amount, start age, bridge details, indexation mode, survivor benefit, and owner. - Checkbox toggles include/exclude a pension from the scenario without deleting it. - Trash icon deletes a pension record. - Add DB Pension opens the pension edit dialog.

13.1 Edit Dialog Fields

_{Figure 21: Defined Benefit Pension edit dialog}

• Pension Name Use a clear plan name (for example: HOOPP, OMERS, Teachers, Employer DB Plan).

• Pension Owner Select who receives this pension (Yourself or Spouse). Owner selection affects tax calculation and survivor planning in couple scenarios.

• Pension Start Age Age when payments begin.

• DB Annual Payment Base annual lifetime payment (excluding temporary bridge benefit).

• Bridge Benefit Until Age 65 Enable this if the plan pays a temporary top-up before age 65.

• Total Annual Payment (with Bridge) (shown when bridge is enabled) Combined annual payment before age 65, including base pension plus bridge amount.

• DB Pension Indexation Defines how pension payments change over time. Common options include:

  • Indexed (keeps pace with inflation): payment rises with CPI to preserve purchasing power.
  • Not indexed: payment is flat in nominal dollars.
  • Partially indexed: payment tracks only part of CPI.
  • Custom fixed rate: payment rises by a fixed nominal percentage each year.

• Partial indexing (%) (shown when Partially indexed is selected) Percent of CPI passed through to pension increases (for example 50% of CPI).

• Fixed annual increase (%) (shown when Custom fixed rate is selected) Nominal annual increase applied each year.

• Survivor Benefit % Portion of pension that continues to the survivor after first death. Typical values are 0, 50, 60, 66, 75, or 100, depending on plan option.

Practical guidance: - Enter gross annual pension amounts and let MayRetire handle taxes in projections. - Verify whether bridge payments stop at age 65 and capture that using bridge fields. - Confirm indexation terms from your pension statement; this can materially change late-retirement purchasing power. - Survivor percentage has a large effect on spouse security in couple plans, so match plan documents carefully.

14. Rentals

_{Figure 22: Rentals panel with multiple properties}

This section captures rental-property cash flow, financing, planned disposition, and tax treatment so projections include both ongoing rental income and eventual sale/estate outcomes.

Panel behavior: - Each property card summarizes market value, cost base, rental income, debt terms, sale plan, and CCA usage. - Checkbox toggles include/exclude a property from the scenario without deleting it. - Trash icon deletes a property record. - Add Rental opens the multi-tab rental property dialog.

14.1 Rental Tab

_{Figure 23: Rental Property dialog - Rental tab}

• Property name Descriptive label for the property (for example: Townhouse, Condo, Duplex).

• Adjusted cost base (purchase price and associated expenses) Your tax cost base, including purchase price and eligible acquisition/capital-improvement costs. Used to estimate capital gains when the property is sold.

• Market property price Current estimated market value of the property.

• Price Appreciation Rate % (inflation adjusted) Expected long-term real appreciation rate. 0% means the property grows with inflation only.

• Monthly rental income Gross monthly rent before expenses.

• Income Change Rate % (inflation adjusted) Real growth rate of rental income. 0% means rent keeps pace with inflation. Negative values mean rent lags inflation; positive values mean it grows faster than inflation.

• Annual Expense (as % of property price) Operating costs as a percentage of property value (for example maintenance, condo fees, insurance, vacancy, property tax, and management).

14.2 Sale Tab

_{Figure 24: Rental Property dialog - Sale tab}

• Property name Shown on each tab for context.

• Sale Expense (as % of property price) Estimated transaction costs at sale (for example realtor commissions and legal fees).

• Rental Property Sale Toggle whether this property is planned to be sold during the planning horizon.

• Property sale (years into retirement) (shown when sale is enabled) Timing of sale relative to retirement start. 10 means planned sale in year 10 of retirement.

14.3 Debt Tab

_{Figure 25: Rental Property dialog - Debt tab}

• Property name Shown on each tab for context.

• Does this property have a mortgage Toggle mortgage financing on/off for this property.

• Mortgage balance (shown when mortgage is enabled) Current outstanding mortgage principal.

• Mortgage interest (shown when mortgage is enabled) Annual interest rate on the mortgage.

• Remaining mortgage payment years (shown when mortgage is enabled) Years left to repay the mortgage.

14.4 CCA Tab

_{Figure 26: Rental Property dialog - CCA tab}

• Property name Shown on each tab for context.

• Have you claimed CCA for this property Indicates whether CCA was claimed historically.

• Are you planning to claim CCA for this property Controls whether future CCA claims are modeled.

• Building cost (initial unused capital cost) Original building component used as the starting CCA basis.

• Current UCC (unused capital cost) Remaining depreciable balance for future CCA claims.

Practical guidance: - Keep market value and cost base updated; these drive sale proceeds and capital-gain tax. - Enter realistic expense and rent-growth assumptions, since small rate changes can materially shift long-term net cash flow. - Use Sale tab timing for planned liquidations; leave sale disabled for hold-to-estate scenarios. - Model debt terms carefully because interest cost and amortization materially affect early-retirement cash needs. - Use CCA settings only when they reflect your tax filing strategy; CCA can improve current cash flow but may increase recapture/capital-gain tax on sale.

15. Corporate Account

_{Figure 27: Corporate Account panel with account summary}

Use this section for a Canadian Controlled Private Corporation (CCPC) investment account that supports retirement funding through dividends and tax-efficient corporate distributions.

Panel behavior: - Displays a compact summary of account value, tax/notional accounts, ownership split, distribution settings, and asset mix. - Edit Corporate Account opens a 3-tab dialog (Account, Assets, Dividends). - Remove Corporate Account deletes the corporate-account setup from the plan. - If no corporate account is configured, the panel shows an add action instead of summary details.

_{Figure 28: Corporate Account panel when no corporate account is configured}

15.1 Account Tab

_{Figure 29: Corporate Account dialog - Account tab}

• Account balance Current market value of the corporation’s investment portfolio.

• Adjusted Cost Base Tax cost base of corporate investments (purchase cost plus acquisition costs), used to calculate capital gains when assets are sold.

• CDA Balance Capital Dividend Account balance available for tax-free capital dividends.

• NERDTOH Balance Non-Eligible Refundable Dividend Tax on Hand. Represents refundable corporate tax generally recovered when non-eligible dividends are paid.

• ERDTOH Balance Eligible Refundable Dividend Tax on Hand. Represents refundable corporate tax generally recovered when eligible dividends are paid.

• GRIP Balance General Rate Income Pool balance. Determines how much can be paid as eligible dividends.

• Your share of corp (%) Your ownership percentage. In couple mode, the remainder is treated as spouse ownership for attribution purposes.

15.2 Assets Tab

_{Figure 30: Corporate Account dialog - Assets tab}

• Asset allocation inputs Set corporate portfolio mix across: Cash, Fixed Income/Bonds, Canadian Equity, US Equity, International Equity, and Emerging Market Equity.

• ETF shortcuts Quick presets for common ETF-style allocations.

• Total % check Allocation must total 100%.

• Implied return display Dialog shows implied adjusted/nominal return from the selected mix. In asset-allocation mode, MayRetire derives expected returns from asset-class assumptions (aligned with FP Canada projection guidelines), rather than asking you to enter a single return manually.

15.3 Dividends Tab

_{Figure 31: Corporate Account dialog - Dividends tab}

• Annual Distribution Base annual dividend amount to distribute from the corporation. MayRetire determines a tax-efficient composition of capital/eligible/non-eligible dividends for this payout.

• Adjust Dividends Distribution When enabled, MayRetire adjusts annual corporate dividends to help bridge income needs (instead of using only a fixed dividend amount).

• Enforce Account Depletion When enabled, MayRetire targets a payout path that fully depletes the corporate account by plan end.

Practical guidance: - Pull CDA, RDTOH, and GRIP balances from current corporate tax records (for example T2 schedules) to avoid tax-projection distortion. - Keep ownership percentage aligned with legal/economic ownership because it affects income attribution and taxes. - Use fixed annual distribution for stable policy; enable adjustment when you want the corporation to actively fill household income gaps. - Use depletion mode intentionally; it can improve spending support but may increase near-term taxable distributions.

16. Plan Analysis Actions

_{Figure 32: Main planning action buttons - Calculate, Simulate, Backtest}

These commands run your plan using different analysis methods. Use them together: start fast with Calculate, validate robustness with Simulate, then test historical stress periods with Backtest.

• Calculate Quick deterministic projection using a constant-return assumption. Best for rapid iteration while adjusting inputs. It does not model year-to-year market randomness.

• Simulate Monte Carlo analysis (500 scenarios) that introduces return variability and sequence risk. Use this as the primary realism check after baseline setup. Confidence level reflects the share of scenarios where your plan remains sustainable for the full horizon. In many plans, a more flexible withdrawal approach and a less aggressive asset mix can improve simulation success rates.

• Backtest Runs your plan through historical market regimes instead of randomized scenarios. Useful for stress testing against known high-inflation and severe drawdown periods. A depletion event in a historical path highlights vulnerability to that return sequence.

Note: Each button’s Learn more link opens focused guidance for interpreting that method’s outputs and limitations.

17. Top Action Bar Actions

The top-right action bar provides quick access to navigation, file operations, sharing, and account actions.

_{Figure 33: Top Action Bar icon row}

1. Scroll to the top Jumps to the top of the page.

2. Scroll to the bottom Jumps to the bottom of the page.

3. Open MayRetire GPT Opens the MayRetire GPT assistant.

4. Compare retirement plans Loads one or more .json plan files and opens plan comparison. Detailed workflow is covered in Section 18 (Compare Plans).

5. Check Survivor Safety Visible only when planning for a couple and both start/end ages cross the age-75 safety check window. Runs survivor safety analysis. Detailed workflow is covered in Section 19 (Check Survivor Safety).

6. Load retirement parameters from a file Loads saved plan parameters from file and resets current results.

7. Save retirement parameters to a file Prompts for a file name, then saves current plan parameters as JSON.

8. Save calculator screenshot to a file Prompts for a file name, then captures and saves a full-page screenshot.

9. Create PDF report Prompts for a file name, then generates and saves a PDF report.

10. Send feedback Opens feedback flow to contact support.

11. Open Facebook page Opens the MayRetire Facebook page.

12. Open subreddit Opens the MayRetire subreddit.

13. Open home page Redirects to the MayRetire home page.

14. Sign Out Shows a confirmation dialog. On confirm, clears current saved plan state and signs out.

18. Compare Plans

_{Figure 34: Compare Retirement Plans dialog with metric chips and multi-plan chart}

Use this dialog to compare multiple saved plan scenarios against each other and optionally against your currently loaded plan.

18.1 File Selection And Plan Set

• Start from Top Action Bar -> Compare retirement plans.
• A file picker opens for .json plan files. Typical usage is 1 to 4 files.
• If 1 file is selected:
  • Comparison is between the selected file and the Current Plan.
• If 2 to 4 files are selected:
  • Selected plans are compared together.
  • You can still enable Include Current Plan to add your active plan to the chart.
• Plan labels are taken from file names (without extension).
• Each selected plan is recalculated with the current engine logic before plotting.

18.2 Metrics And Controls

• Metric chips (top row(s)) switch the charted outcome:
  • After Tax Estate
  • Liquid Assets
  • Net Income
  • CPP Collected
  • OAS Collected
  • DB Collected
  • Add. Income Collected
  • Corp. Div. Collected
  • RRSP/RRIF/LIF Balance
  • TFSA Balance
  • Unreg. Acc. Balance
  • Corporate Balance
  • Total Tax Paid
  • Estate Tax
• Include Current Plan
  • Available when multiple external plans are loaded.
  • Lets you overlay the currently active plan on the same chart.
• Zoom Y-Axis
  • Tightens Y-axis scaling to highlight differences between plans.
  • Turn off for broader absolute-scale context.
• Learn more
  • Opens chart guidance describing that this view compares projected values across selected plans to visualize outcome differences over time.
• Legend and line markers
  • Each line represents one plan.
  • Hover/trackball shows point values by age/year.
• Close
  • Closes the comparison dialog.

Practical guidance: - Use clear file names (CPP60, CPP65, CPP70, etc.) so legend labels are immediately meaningful. - Start with After Tax Estate, then review Net Income and Total Tax Paid to understand trade-offs. - Keep Zoom Y-Axis on for fine differences; turn it off to evaluate absolute magnitude.

19. Check Survivor Safety

_{Figure 35: Check Survivor Safety dialog (Compare Plans framework with survivor scenarios)}

This action reuses the Compare Plans charting framework, but instead of loading external files it auto-generates survivor scenarios to test household resilience.

19.1 Availability And Scenario Setup

• Available from Top Action Bar -> Check Survivor Safety.
• This action is shown only in Couple planning mode and only when timeline settings allow a meaningful age-75 survivor check.
• No file picker is used.
• MayRetire automatically creates and compares three scenarios:
  • Both Alive (base plan).
  • Survivor (Spouse) (you pass away at age 75).
  • Survivor (You) (spouse passes away at age 75).

19.2 Metrics And Interpretation

• Uses the same metric chips as Compare Plans:
  • After Tax Estate, Liquid Assets, Net Income, CPP Collected, OAS Collected, DB Collected, Add. Income Collected, Corp. Div. Collected, RRSP/RRIF/LIF Balance, TFSA Balance, Unreg. Acc. Balance, Corporate Balance, Total Tax Paid, Estate Tax.
• Include Current Plan toggle is not shown here because the generated set already includes the base scenario (Both Alive).
• Zoom Y-Axis works the same way as in Compare Plans to focus on differences.
• Learn more explains the survivor-specific interpretation.

Interpretation guidance: - Higher survivor lines can occur because household spending usually drops after one spouse passes. - If any survivor trajectory drops to zero, the survivor safety check has failed and the plan should be adjusted.

Practical guidance: - Start with After Tax Estate and Net Income to confirm survivor sufficiency. - If survivor paths weaken, test adjustments to spending flexibility, drawdown strategy, and asset mix. - Re-run this check after major plan changes (income targets, pensions, CPP/OAS timing, or withdrawal strategy).

20. Calculate Results

This section documents the results area shown after running Calculate. The same results UI pattern is also reused in Simulate and Backtest when you focus on a specific return sequence.

20.1 Funded Outcome And Main Stats

_{Figure 36: Fully funded outcome with projected net estate and summary cards}

_{Figure 37: Partially funded outcome (funded until a specific age) with the same summary-card layout}

20.1.1 Outcome Banner (Top Line)

• Fully funded outcome
  • Banner text indicates full plan sustainability across the full planning horizon.
  • It also shows projected Net Estate (after-tax estate value at plan end).
• Partially funded outcome
  • Banner reports the age until which the plan remains funded (for you, or spouse context in couple plans).
  • This is an early warning that spending, withdrawals, risk assumptions, or timeline may need adjustment.

20.1.2 Main Stats Cards (Two-Column Summary)

The summary block provides a quick top-level diagnostic before you dive into charts or detailed yearly rows.

Left-side card (income/assets/benefits focus) includes: - Annual after-tax income range (max, min, average). - Remaining balances near plan end (TFSA, non-registered, RRSP/RRIF/LIF). - Distributions/dividends collected. - Total government benefits collected (CPP/QPP, OAS; GIS when applicable). - Total additional income collected (and DB pension totals when applicable).

Right-side card (tax/estate/returns focus) includes: - Total tax paid (you/spouse in couple mode). - Maximum observed combined average and marginal tax rates. - Total OAS clawback (you/spouse). - Capital loss carryover at plan end. - Compound price return and compound total return (inflation-adjusted, fixed-return context for Calculate). - Estate totals: gross estate, after-tax estate, estate tax, and estate tax-rate measures.

How to use this section effectively: - Read the banner first for pass/fail framing. - Then check Min annual after tax income and After Tax Estate Amount together to judge income stability vs legacy outcome. - If funded only to a certain age, inspect tax burden and remaining registered balances before tuning strategy.

20.2 Charts

This subsection will cover all results charts that appear below the summary cards. Each chart will be documented in its own sub-subsection (20.2.x) with: - What the chart shows. - How to read the axes and series. - What to watch for when interpreting plan quality. - Key Learn more guidance (when available).

20.2.1 Common Chart Interaction Tips

• Charts show only relevant series MayRetire hides series that are not applicable to the current plan/scenario. Example: if no GIS is received in the plan, a GIS series will not be shown.

• Toggle series from legend Click a legend item to show/hide that series. Use this to isolate one account, one spouse, or one metric line.

• Hover for exact values Move the cursor over chart points to see detailed values for that specific year/age.

• Collapse/expand chart sections Use the chart section chevron to collapse charts you are not using and expand them again when needed.

• Use chart-specific Learn more links Most charts include a Learn more action that explains intent and interpretation nuances.

• Read trends, not only endpoints Two plans can finish similarly but differ substantially in mid-retirement stress years.

• Use complementary views Charts, summary cards, and the detailed projections table present the same plan through different lenses: trend view, headline metrics, and year-by-year detail.

20.2.2 Gross Income Breakdown: Spending, Taxes, Savings

_{Figure 38: Gross income breakdown chart (spending, taxes, OAS clawback, savings)}

What this chart shows: - A Gross Income line across retirement years. - A stacked annual breakdown showing where gross income is used: - Spending - Tax - OAS clawback - Savings flows (TFSA contribution / Unregistered deposit) - A Target line for after-tax income comparison.

How to read it: - Use the line trend to spot periods where gross income rises/falls materially. - Use bar composition to understand whether changes are driven by taxes, clawback, or savings redirection. - Hover tooltips provide year-specific values for each component.

20.2.3 Income Sources

_{Figure 39: Income Sources chart (stacked annual income by source plus target line)}

What this chart shows: - Annual stacked bars by income source, such as: - CPP/QPP and OAS - RRSP/RRIF withdrawals - TFSA and non-registered flows - DB pension, additional incomes, and corporate dividends (when applicable) - A Target line for income-goal context.

How to read it: - Track how income composition transitions over time (for example, from registered withdrawals to government benefits). - Compare stack height to target line to see when income mix is tight or comfortably above target. - Hide/show specific sources from the legend to isolate dependency on one source.

20.2.4 Projected Account Balances Over Time

_{Figure 40: Projected account balances over time (stacked by account type)}

What this chart shows: - Stacked annual portfolio balances by account type (for example RRSP/RRIF/LIF, TFSA, non-registered, corporate). - Total stack height reflects total investable balance in each year.

How to read it: - Focus first on overall stack trajectory (depleting, stable, or rising). - Then inspect account mix shifts (e.g., registered balances depleting while TFSA/non-reg/corporate remain). - Use legend toggles to isolate individual account paths.

20.2.5 RRSP/RRIF Withdrawals, DB Pensions, And Taxable Attribution (Annual + Total)

This chart block is available for couple plans, where cross-spouse taxable attribution and splitting effects can be shown.

_{Figure 41: Annual attribution chart (top) and total-withdrawal/taxation summary pies (bottom)}

What this chart block shows: - Top chart (annual view): - Year-by-year RRSP/RRIF withdrawals and DB pension amounts for each spouse. - Year-by-year taxable attribution split between spouses. - Bottom charts (total-period summary): - Left pie: total RRSP/RRIF withdrawals by spouse. - Right pie: how that income was ultimately taxed between spouses.

How to read it: - Use the top annual chart to see when attribution changes over time (especially around age 65+ pension-splitting years). - Use the bottom pies to evaluate cumulative balance between who withdrew and who was taxed. - It is normal to see one spouse withdraw more while taxable attribution is closer to balanced due to pension-income splitting optimization.

Interpretation note for this example: - Taxable attribution is nearly equal between spouses, which indicates tax-sharing logic is actively balancing household tax burden.

20.2.6 Corporate Dividends Breakdown

_{Figure 42: Corporate dividends composition and refundable-tax flow over time}

What this chart shows: - Annual corporate dividend mix by type: - CDA (Tax Free) - Eligible Dividends - Non-Eligible Dividends - Dividends Refund series showing refundable-tax recovery flow (RDTOH refund effect).

How to read it: - Track how the dividend mix changes as notional accounts are used through retirement. - Watch whether payouts shift from eligible/non-eligible toward CDA or vice versa. - Use the refund series to understand how distribution choices influence corporate tax recovery.

20.2.7 Projected Estate Over Time

_{Figure 43: Projected estate over time (total, after-tax, and estate-tax components)}

What this chart shows: - Estate trajectory over retirement with separation of: - After Tax Estate - Estate Tax - Total Estate - Optional overlays may appear when relevant (for example taxable-estate or unrealized-gain components).

How to read it: - Use the gap between total and after-tax estate to gauge estate-tax drag over time. - Observe whether estate tax pressure grows or stabilizes late in retirement. - Compare this chart with summary-card estate metrics for headline end-state context.

20.2.8 Investment Return (Annual And Compound Views)

_{Figure 44: Investment return chart in Annual + Real-return view}

_{Figure 45: Investment return chart in Compound + Real-return view}

What this chart shows: - Portfolio return behavior over time, with controls for: - Return family: Total or Price - Time lens: Annual or Compound - Value basis: Real return (inflation-adjusted) or Nominal return

How to read the two views shown: - Annual view (Figure 44): - Highlights year-by-year return variability. - Useful for identifying volatility and sequence-of-returns pressure years. - Compound view (Figure 45): - Shows cumulative growth path over time. - Useful for understanding long-horizon growth outcomes and divergence between price-only and total-return accumulation.

Interpretation guidance: - Real-return mode is best for purchasing-power planning. - Nominal mode is useful when comparing to statement-style or market-quoted return figures. - Compare Price vs Total to understand the role of distributions/dividends in overall growth.

20.2.9 Tax Rates

_{Figure 46: Tax rates chart (cash-flow, average, effective marginal, and bracket rates)}

What this chart shows: - Four tax lenses over time: - Cash Flow Tax Rate (%) - Average Tax Rate (%) - Effective Marginal Tax Rate (%) - Marginal Tax Bracket (%)

How to read it: - Compare Average vs Marginal lines to understand incremental-tax pressure relative to blended-tax burden. - Use Effective Marginal Tax Rate to evaluate withdrawal-attribution and income-composition impact. - Use Cash Flow Tax Rate to see practical year-level tax drag against available spending cash flow.

Interpretation guidance: - Large divergence between average and marginal rates can indicate sensitivity to additional withdrawals in that period. - Step changes often reflect transitions in income mix (for example, changing RRIF/DB attribution, pension splitting effects, or account depletion patterns).

20.2.10 Rental Equity Over Time

This chart appears only when at least one rental property is configured in the plan.

_{Figure 47: Rental equity chart (market value, mortgage balance, and resulting equity)}

What this chart shows: - Rental-property value structure over time: - Market Value - Mortgage Balance - Equity

How to read it: - Equity reflects the difference between market value and mortgage balance. - Sharp shifts may reflect a planned sale year, mortgage payoff milestones, or major financing transitions. - Use this chart to see whether rental wealth is being built through appreciation, debt paydown, or both.

Interpretation guidance: - Rising equity with a stable/declining mortgage usually indicates deleveraging and/or property appreciation. - If a property is planned for sale, the post-sale profile should align with the rental cash-flow and estate charts.

20.2.11 Rental Cash Flow Over Time

This chart appears only when at least one rental property is configured in the plan.

_{Figure 48: Rental cash-flow chart (income, expenses, mortgage interest, and mortgage principal)}

What this chart shows: - Annual rental cash-flow components: - Rental Income - Rental Expenses - Mortgage Interest - Mortgage Principal

How to read it: - Compare income vs combined costs to see net contribution pressure from rentals each year. - Watch the interest/principal mix change over time as mortgages amortize. - Step changes can occur when a mortgage ends, a property is sold, or rent/expense growth assumptions shift.

Interpretation guidance: - Improving net rental cash flow over time often comes from declining financing costs and ongoing rent growth. - Use together with the Rental Equity chart to evaluate both liquidity impact and balance-sheet growth.

20.3 Detailed Projections Table

The detailed table is the year-by-year numeric companion to the summary cards and charts. It lets you inspect exact values for each age and each major planning component.

20.3.1 Table Layout And Controls

_{Figure 49: Detailed annual retirement financial projections table with grouped columns and top actions}

What this section shows: - A yearly projection grid with grouped column families (for example benefits, withdrawals, balances, taxes, estate, rentals, and corporate-account metrics). - Ages for you and spouse in the left-most columns. - One row per projection year, so you can track transitions and milestones precisely.

Top actions above the table: - Columns...: open the column-group picker to simplify the view. - Export to Excel: download the projections for spreadsheet analysis and sharing. - Export to JSON: download structured projection data for integrations or custom analysis. - Today's dollars / Future dollars: switch display basis to inflation-adjusted or nominal-dollar views.

Usage tips: - Use the table when you need exact annual values instead of trend-level chart patterns. - Use this view to verify timing details (for example start ages, withdrawal transitions, sale years, and depletion points).

20.3.2 Show/Hide Columns Dialog

_{Figure 50: Show/Hide Columns dialog for selecting table column groups}

What this dialog does: - Lets you include only the column groups relevant to your review task. - Helps reduce horizontal scrolling by hiding unrelated groups.

Typical workflow: - Enable the groups you want to focus on. - Save the selection to refresh the table layout. - Export to Excel or JSON if you need to share or analyze that view outside MayRetire.

20.4 RRSP Withdrawal Strategy Evaluation

MayRetire can evaluate multiple RRSP/RRIF withdrawal strategies for the currently selected return sequence and show the outcome tradeoffs side by side.

_{Figure 52: Entry link to evaluate RRSP withdrawal strategies for the active sequence}

_{Figure 53: Withdrawal strategy evaluation table with strategy settings and key outcome metrics}

How it works: - Click Evaluate different withdrawal strategies for this sequence of returns. - MayRetire generates a comparison table of strategy variants. - Use View/Apply on any row to load that strategy and immediately inspect its full output in charts and the detailed annual projections table for the same sequence.

What the evaluation table includes: - Strategy controls (for example RRSP Meltdown, Gradual RRIF Depletion, target average tax rate, withdrawal rate, OAS-clawback handling, and CPP/OAS bridge options). - Outcome metrics such as average net income, after-tax estate values, gap vs best result, remaining RRSP/LIF balance, and depletion age.

When to use it: - After initial Calculate/Backtest/sequence review, to optimize withdrawal design without manually testing each variant one by one. - To balance spending stability, tax efficiency, and estate goals based on your priorities.

21. Backtesting Results

Backtesting runs your plan through many historical return windows. The backtesting screen shows all tested periods together, highlights strongest and weakest outcomes, and lets you drill into any specific period.

_{Figure 51: Backtesting outcomes with historical-period tiles and selected-sequence focus}

What this view shows: - A multi-line chart of asset paths across historical periods. - Summary success/failure count across tested periods. - Clickable period tiles (green/red) for each historical start-end window.

How to use it: - Start with the overall success line to understand robustness across history. - Click any specific historical period tile to focus that exact sequence. - After selecting a period, MayRetire opens the full results view for that sequence, including all charts and the detailed projections table, so you can inspect year-by-year mechanics.

Interpretation guidance: - Use strong/weak outlier periods to test plan sensitivity to sequence risk. - Compare selected backtest sequences using the same chart/table workflow you use for Calculate results.

22. Simulate Results

The Simulate run summarizes retirement sustainability across 500 randomized return scenarios, then surfaces key risk/opportunity patterns.

22.1 Confidence Level (Success Rate)

_{Figure 54: Simulation confidence-level gauge (success-rate summary)}

What this view shows: - A confidence-level headline (for example, 89%) indicating the share of simulation paths where retirement income remained sustainable through the plan horizon. - A visual gauge from weaker to stronger outcome bands.

How to read it: - Treat this as the top-level success-rate indicator for the current plan assumptions. - Use it together with scenario highlights and charts to understand why paths failed or succeeded.

22.2 Simulation Highlights

_{Figure 55: Simulation highlights cards (frequency of important risk and outcome patterns)}

What this view shows: - A set of cards that quantify how often specific conditions occurred across 500 simulations. - Examples include: - Large End Portfolio Value - Small End Portfolio Value - Substantial OAS Clawback - High Estate Tax - TFSA Depleted Early - RRSP Dominant End Portfolio

How to use it: - Use the percentages to identify dominant plan risks and tail outcomes, not just median behavior. - Prioritize adjustments based on cards with material frequencies (for example meaningful OAS clawback or small-end-portfolio rates). - Re-run Simulate after changes and compare card shifts to validate improvement direction.

22.3 Charts

These charts provide distribution-aware views of simulation outcomes across age, instead of a single deterministic path.

22.3.1 Retirement Portfolio Success

_{Figure 56: Retirement portfolio success curve by age under Monte Carlo simulation}

What this chart shows: - Success probability trajectory by age for the simulated retirement horizon. - The y-axis expresses success percentage (0%-100%).

How to read it: - A flatter, high line indicates stronger robustness across most of retirement. - A late-life decline indicates higher probability of depletion in advanced ages. - Use this with the confidence-level gauge: the gauge summarizes overall success, while this chart shows where success pressure appears over time.

22.3.2 Monte Carlo Portfolio Outcomes (Percentile Paths)

_{Figure 57: Monte Carlo portfolio outcomes with percentile paths (10th, 25th, 50th, 75th, 90th)}

What this chart shows: - Portfolio-value paths across key percentiles: - 10th percentile (stress path) - 25th percentile - 50th percentile (median) - 75th percentile - 90th percentile (strong path)

What “percentile” means (plain language): - A percentile tells you where a result sits relative to all simulation outcomes. - At any age point: - 10th percentile means 10% of simulations were at or below that value (and 90% were above it). - 50th percentile means the median outcome: half of simulations were below and half were above. - 90th percentile means only 10% of simulations were above that value. - With 500 simulations, this is roughly: - 10th percentile: around the 50th weakest outcome. - 50th percentile: around the middle (250th) outcome. - 90th percentile: around the 50th strongest outcome. - MayRetire smooths percentile curves by averaging nearby ranked outcomes around each percentile point, so lines are easier to read and less noisy year to year. - These percentile lines are summary envelopes by age, not single real-world predictions.

How to read it: - The spread between percentile lines reflects uncertainty/dispersion over time. - The 10th/25th paths indicate downside vulnerability and sequencing pressure. - The 75th/90th paths indicate upside potential and legacy/estate headroom.

22.3.3 Income And Asset Projections By Confidence Level (Tabbed Chart)

This is one chart component with multiple tabs. The two views below are different tabs of the same chart: - Closing balance tab - Estate tab

_{Figure 58: Confidence-level chart in Closing balance tab}

_{Figure 59: Confidence-level chart in Estate tab}

What this chart shows: - Outcomes organized by confidence level bands (for example 10% through 90%). - Different composition breakdowns depending on selected tab: - Closing balance: closing asset mix by account/category. - Estate: after-tax estate and estate-tax composition.

How to read it: - Lower confidence levels represent stronger/optimistic portions of the distribution. - Higher confidence levels represent more conservative/lower-bound portions of the distribution. - Use tab switching to compare how end-state composition changes across confidence levels without leaving the same chart context.

22.3.4 Real Investment Returns Distribution And Inflation (Tabbed Chart)

This chart is also tabbed. The examples below show: - Inflation tab - An equity tab (US Equity) showing return distributions for that asset class

_{Figure 63: Real investment returns distribution chart - Inflation tab}

_{Figure 64: Real investment returns distribution chart - Asset class tab example (US Equity)}

What this chart shows: - Simulated annual return distributions used by the engine. - Inflation distribution in the inflation tab. - Asset-level return distributions in asset tabs (with price and total return views where applicable).

Advanced modeling note (technical/internal): - In the current version of MayRetire, each year’s vector of simulated returns is drawn independently from the same multivariate distribution (Normal or Student-T). - This preserves cross-asset correlations within each year, but assumes independence from one year to the next (no Markov or temporal inter-year correlation). - This design aligns with FP Canada long-term projection assumptions, which treat annual returns as identically and independently distributed to represent long-run averages rather than short-term momentum or mean-reversion dynamics.

Why this matters for interpretation: - Simulation results are best read as long-run planning ranges and reliability estimates, not as forecasts of short-term market regimes or multi-year streak behavior.

22.4 Confidence-Level Slider (Calculate-Style View)

The confidence slider lets you pick a specific confidence level and immediately view one corresponding retirement outcome in the same style as Calculate (funded banner, charts, and detailed table for that selected level).

_{Figure 60: Confidence slider example at 20%}

_{Figure 61: Confidence slider example at 80%}

_{Figure 62: Confidence slider example at 96%}

What “confidence level” means in this context: - The selected confidence level is a reliability target for the shown outcome. - Example interpretation: - 80% confidence means the displayed result is expected to be met or exceeded in about 80% of simulation scenarios. - 96% confidence is more conservative: it reflects a tougher, lower-bound style outcome that most scenarios still meet. - 20% confidence is less conservative: it reflects a stronger/optimistic slice of outcomes that fewer scenarios achieve.

How to use it: - Drag the slider to the confidence level you want to plan against. - After selection, MayRetire updates the result view for that level, using the same structure as Calculate outputs. - Use higher confidence when prioritizing robustness; use lower confidence to inspect upside potential.

23. Income Source Priority And Fallback Logic

MayRetire uses a flexible withdrawal engine to meet your required retirement income while respecting your strategy settings and tax-efficiency rules.

_{Figure 65: Income source priority and fallback sequence}

Default priority sequence:

1. Core income sources
   • CPP, OAS, GIS (when eligible), DB Pension, plus Additional Incomes and Rental Income.
2. Corporate distributions
   • Start with tax-efficient corporate pools (for example CDA/RDTOH-style optimization), then continue if more cash is needed up to configured and safe tax-efficiency limits.
3. Strategic RRSP/RRIF/LIF withdrawals
   • Follow your selected RRSP Withdrawal Strategy (for example target tax bracket, bridge behavior, or clawback control settings).
4. Unregistered and conditional TFSA mix
   • Draw from personal non-registered savings; MayRetire may mix TFSA withdrawals when configured to manage taxable income and, in some cases, preserve GIS eligibility.
5. TFSA remainder
   • If non-registered assets are depleted, continue withdrawals from remaining TFSA balances.
6. Shortfall fallback (last resort)
   • If required income is still not met, MayRetire escalates by fully draining corporate assets (overriding tax-efficiency limits) and then taking additional registered/corporate withdrawals as needed.

Important interpretation note: - This is the default decision order, but final yearly behavior is conditional on account availability, legal minimums, selected strategy toggles, and tax/clawback constraints. - Some steps only apply when the relevant source exists (for example, corporate-distribution logic appears only when a Corporate Account is configured). - GIS eligibility is determined using GIS-eligibility taxable income from the prior year.

24. Final Note

Thank you for reading the MayRetire tutorial.

If you have feedback, ideas, or feature suggestions, please contact us at support@mayretire.com.

We wish you successful retirement planning with MayRetire: https://mayretire.com

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