Canadian Money Questions, Answered
Short, numbers-first articles on the money questions Canadians actually ask: what a salary is worth after tax, whether to choose TFSA or RRSP, how far a paycheque goes. Every figure is calculated for the 2026 tax year and sourced.
RRSP $33,810 Limit: The 18% Formula, Explained
$33,810 ÷ 18% = $187,833.33 — so $187,834 of earned income is the first whole-dollar income that fully tops out your new room. Worked examples from $50,000 to $250,000.
November 3, 2026 · 5 min read
Read article →Principal Residence Exemption Canada: The Full Guide
No dollar cap on the exemption — but the (1+years)/years formula, the one-home-a-year rule, and the 365-day flipping trap decide how much is actually tax-free.
November 2, 2026 · 6 min read
Read article →Capital Gains Inclusion Rate 2026: Still 50%
The 66.67% hike above $250,000 was cancelled March 21, 2025 — a $400,000 gain still adds $200,000 to income, not $225,000. Timeline, math, and what survived.
November 1, 2026 · 6 min read
Read article →Ontario Donation Credit 2026: 40.16% Explained
A $1,000 gift gets $359.38 back — 46.41% at surtax incomes. The $200 tier, the $94,907/$111,814 triggers, and the spouse-pooling trick worth $42.22.
October 31, 2026 · 6 min read
Read article →Medical Expense Tax Credit Ontario 2026: The 3% Rule
Only expenses above 3% of net income count — $2,891 federally, $2,940 in Ontario. A $60,000 income, $6,000 bills example saves $800.10.
October 30, 2026 · 6 min read
Read article →RDSP 2026: Up to $90,000 in Grants and Bonds
$3,500 a year in matching grants plus a $1,000 bond with no contribution needed — the 2026 income thresholds, the $1,500 sweet spot, and the 10-year holdback rule.
October 29, 2026 · 6 min read
Read article →Smith Manoeuvre: Make Mortgage Interest Deductible
Canada won't let you deduct home mortgage interest — but borrowed equity invested for income is different. The 65%/80% HELOC caps, line 22100, and the $1,880/year worked example.
October 28, 2026 · 6 min read
Read article →Toronto Land Transfer Tax: Why You Pay It Twice
$32,950 on a $1M Toronto home vs $16,475 outside the city — the brackets, the $8,475 stacked first-time rebate, and the 2026 luxury rates above $3M.
October 27, 2026 · 6 min read
Read article →Ontario Rent Increase Guideline 2026: 2.1% Max
2.1% is the most most landlords can raise a rent-controlled unit in 2026 — $42 a month on a $2,000 rent. The N1 form, 90-day notice, and the post-2018 exemption.
October 26, 2026 · 5 min read
Read article →RESP CESG: How to Get the Full $7,200 Grant (2026)
$500 a year on $2,500 contributed, $7,200 lifetime — the catch-up rule, the 2026 income thresholds, and the $50,000 lump-sum mistake.
October 25, 2026 · 6 min read
Read article →RRSP Deadline March 1, 2027: The First-60-Days Rule
March 1, 2027 is the last day to cut your 2026 tax bill. The $33,810 limit, the 18% formula, and the contribute-now-deduct-later trick.
October 24, 2026 · 6 min read
Read article →FHSA + HBP: Stack Both for a $100,000 Down Payment
$40,000 FHSA plus a $60,000 Home Buyers' Plan withdrawal — $100,000 per buyer, $200,000 per couple. The stacking order, the deduction timing trick worth $2,304, and the 2031 repayment start.
October 23, 2026 · 6 min read
Read article →EI Premiums 2026: Max $1,123.07, Explained
1.63% on the first $68,900 of pay. Why your EI went up even though the rate dropped, the 1.4x employer share, and Quebec's $895.70 cap.
October 23, 2026 · 5 min read
Read article →CPP2 in 2026: The $85,000 Second Ceiling, Explained
4% on earnings between $74,600 and $85,000 — max $416. Where the money goes, the pension it buys, and three worked salary examples.
October 22, 2026 · 6 min read
Read article →CCB 2026-27: $8,157 per Child Under 6, Explained
The 2026-27 benefit year pays up to $8,157/year ($679.75/month) per child under 6. The $38,237 phase-out formula, two worked examples, and the no-single-cutoff rule.
October 21, 2026 · 6 min read
Read article →GIS 2026: Up to $1,138.90 a Month — Who Qualifies?
Single seniors can get up to $1,138.90/month in GIS if income is under $23,112. Eligibility, the 50-cent clawback formula, and two worked examples.
October 20, 2026 · 5 min read
Read article →OAS Clawback 2026: The $93,454 Threshold, Explained
15 cents repaid per dollar over $93,454 of 2025 income. Worked examples, the $152,062 full-clawback point, and 5 legal ways to keep your pension.
October 19, 2026 · 6 min read
Read article →September CPI: 9 Days to the BoC Decision
September inflation prints Oct 19 — the last data before the Oct 28 rate call. Hot, in-line and cool scenarios, and what each means for your mortgage.
October 19, 2026 · 4 min read
Read article →BoC Oct 28 Rate Decision: What It Means for Your Mortgage
Policy rate now 2.50% after the October 28 hike, inflation 3.1%. What the first hike since July 2023 means for variable mortgages, HELOCs and renewals.
October 18, 2026 · Updated October 28, 2026
Read article →Rent vs Buy in the GTA: The 2026 Math
$4,298.71/month all-in to own vs $2,800 to rent. The 5-year cash comparison and the 5% rule sanity check.
October 16, 2026 · 7 min read
Read article →How Much House Can I Afford on $80,000 in Ontario? (2026)
GDS 32% math at 4.6%: the max mortgage, the max price at 5% and 20% down — and how long saving the down payment takes.
October 16, 2026 · 7 min read
Read article →Overpay Your Mortgage or Invest in 2026? The Math
$500 extra/month on a $500k mortgage saves $92,228 in interest; invested instead it grows to $81,940. Which wins depends on one number.
October 16, 2026 · 7 min read
Read article →The 50/30/20 Budget on a $65,000 Ontario Salary (2026)
$4,132.64/month take-home split three ways — and what the extra $262/month over a $60k salary actually unlocks.
October 16, 2026 · 6 min read
Read article →How Much Tax Do You Pay on a $10,000 Bonus in Ontario? (2026)
On a $60k salary, a $10k bonus nets $6,294.93 after 29.65% marginal tax plus CPP/EI. Why your employer's withholding is wrong.
October 16, 2026 · 6 min read
Read article →Income Splitting With a Spouse in Ontario: Pension Splitting Explained (2026)
A $90k/$30k couple splitting $20k of pension income saves $2,120 in tax. How it works and who qualifies.
October 16, 2026 · 6 min read
Read article →CPP and OAS in 2026: How Much Will You Actually Get?
Maximum CPP $1,507.65/month, OAS $762.50 — and why most people get far less. How each benefit is really calculated.
October 16, 2026 · 6 min read
Read article →Taking CPP at 60 vs 70: The 2026 Breakeven Math
Start at 60 and get $640/month; wait to 70 for $1,420. The breakeven ages are 73.9 and 81.9 — here's the full crossover math.
October 16, 2026 · 7 min read
Read article →FHSA: The $40,000 First-Home Account Most Renters Ignore
$8,000/year, $40,000 lifetime, 15-year window — the only account that gives you a deduction AND tax-free withdrawals. The full math.
October 16, 2026 · 6 min read
Read article →What Happens to Your TFSA When You Die in Canada?
Successor holder vs beneficiary vs estate: three paths, very different tax bills. Plus the Ontario probate math nobody shows you.
October 16, 2026 · 7 min read
Read article →Emergency Fund: How Much Do Ontarians Actually Need in 2026?
3 months = $11,613, 6 months = $23,227 on a $60k Ontario salary. Where to keep it and the $200/paycheque build plan.
October 16, 2026 · 5 min read
Read article →$35,000 Car in Ontario: Loan vs Cash — The Real Math (2026)
$39,550 out the door with HST. A 7% 5-year loan costs $7,438 in interest — here's the payment math and the cash alternative.
October 16, 2026 · 6 min read
Read article →GIC vs HISA in 2026: Where Should Your Cash Sit?
After-tax math at a 23.15% marginal rate, CDIC limits, and the one question that decides between locking in and staying flexible.
October 16, 2026 · 5 min read
Read article →How Much Do You Need to Retire in Toronto in 2026?
The 4% rule says $1.5M for a $60k/year retirement. Here's the monthly savings math at 30, 25 and 35-year horizons.
October 16, 2026 · 6 min read
Read article →How Much Life Insurance Do You Actually Need? (Canadian DIME Method)
Debt + Income + Mortgage + Education minus assets: a worked $1,275,000 example for an Ontario family. No product pitches.
October 16, 2026 · 6 min read
Read article →How Much Does It Cost to Raise a Child in Toronto in 2026?
CCB pays up to $8,157/year, RESP matching adds $500/year — and the real costs nobody budgets for. An honest framework.
October 16, 2026 · 7 min read
Read article →Canada Carbon Rebate in Ontario 2026: The Honest Update
The program ended in 2025 — there are no 2026 payments. But you can still claim missed years. What to do now.
October 16, 2026 · 5 min read
Read article →TFSA vs RRSP on a $55,000 Ontario Salary (2026)
At a 23.15% marginal rate, a $5,000 RRSP contribution saves $1,157.50 in tax — but the TFSA still wins in these cases.
October 18, 2026 · 6 min read
Read article →Alberta $100 Energy Rebate: Closed Oct 31, 2026 — What You Can Still Do
New applications closed October 31, 2026. Rejected applications can still be resubmitted until November 20, and application and payment details stay viewable until November 30.
October 17, 2026 · Updated November 3, 2026
Read article →$60,000 Salary in Ontario: A Real Monthly Budget for 2026
$3,871.09/month take-home. Here's what the 50/30/20 budget looks like with real Ontario numbers — and where Toronto breaks it.
October 17, 2026 · 7 min read
Read article →How Much Tax Do You Pay on $50,000 in Ontario in 2026?
$10,537.39 comes off a $50,000 Ontario salary. Full breakdown: federal tax, Ontario tax, CPP, EI — and why your marginal rate isn't your tax rate.
October 16, 2026 · 6 min read
Read article →How these articles are written
Every number is calculated using 2026 federal and Ontario tax brackets, CPP/QPP and EI figures, and cross-checked against CRA tax rates and the CRA payroll tables (T4032). Estimates are illustrative — your actual paycheque depends on your employer's payroll setup and any pre-tax deductions.
Want the raw numbers? Try the calculators or browse the Ontario salary examples.