Welcome back to Your Life and Money, the podcast where financial planning goes beyond the spreadsheets to focus on what truly matters: your life. Hosts Tim Borody and Brad Smith continue their Q&A series, tackling complex questions about budgeting, debt, saving for a first home, and optimizing government pension benefits.

Beyond the Budget: Saving, Buying a Home, and Maximizing Your Pension

• Cash Flow Clarity: Uncover the five essential categories you need to track to gain control of your cash flow and how simplifying your budget helps you redirect funds toward key goals like eliminating debt or building an emergency fund.
• The Homeownership Playbook: Learn how to strategically use specialized savings plans like the First Home Savings Account (FHSA) and the RRSP Home Buyers’ Plan (HBP) to accumulate a down payment, including the little-known details on how non-first-time buyers can reuse the HBP.
• The CPP/OAS Timing Trap: Delve into the pros and cons of taking Canada Pension Plan (CPP) and Old Age Security (OAS) benefits early versus deferring them, discussing the break-even math, and how working income or pension bridges factor into this crucial retirement decision.

Stop wondering if you're making the right financial decisions—this episode delivers the clarity and actionable advice you need to feel secure about your future