Worksheet: Canadian earnings chart

Charts like these can give clients a sense of where they stand on the earnings spectrum vis-a-vis their peers.

And, they help you point out how income levels tend to hold up in the years just after children leave the nest. That means you can help clients maximize returns in those years, provided you make it clear that retirement remains several years away.

Include it as a handout when you have discussions about asset mixes, investment options, or household cash flow.

When your earnings peak

While everyone’s different, Statistics Canada finds a majority of Canadians hit their earnings peak somewhere between ages 35 and 54. That age range, though, tends to coincide with the period when most are raising and educating children. So, while cash flow may be positive, the expense side of the ledger is also crowded.

Source: Statistics Canada