Yes, Taxes Suck — But Dying With Millions and Regret is Worse

Too many Canadians build retirement plans around minimizing taxes instead of maximizing life. At Optiml, we believe you should spend wisely, avoid overpaying, but never shrink your lifestyle just to pay less tax.

We talk to Canadians every day who are focused on one thing in retirement: avoiding tax.

And we get it, no one likes the idea of giving up hard-earned money. Whether it’s clawbacks on OAS, losing access to GIS, or crossing some arbitrary tax bracket, it can feel like the system is punishing you for doing well.

So people go out of their way to avoid taxes. They delay withdrawals, restrict spending, and keep income low, just to squeeze out a little more from government programs.

You Can Underpay in Taxes... and Still Lose

Let’s say you "win" the tax game. You minimize your withdrawals, keep your OAS and GIS, and die with $2 million in your RRIF. Great, except you spent the last 25 years living frugally, missing experiences, and worrying about every dollar.

You didn’t win. You just postponed the bill. And often, the final tax bill at death, especially on large registered accounts is much bigger than anything you avoided along the way.

Smart Planning ≠ Lifestyle Sacrifice

We’re not saying taxes don’t matter. At Optiml, we’re all about smart, legal tax avoidance. Our software helps Canadians structure withdrawals to reduce lifetime taxes across all account types, RRSPs, TFSAs, non-registered, even corporate assets.

But there’s a difference between tax-efficient planning and letting taxes dictate your life.

If spending $100,000 a year in retirement gives you the life you want, great. If that means paying $20K, $30K, or even $50K in taxes, that’s not a failure. That’s the cost of living well.

Your goal shouldn't be to die with the most money. Your goal should be to optimize your money so you can live the life you actually want.

Here’s What We Tell Our Users:

• Don’t spend your life trying to get every last dollar of OAS or GIS if it means living below your means.
• Don’t let tax avoidance become lifestyle avoidance.
• Use Optiml to find a balanced withdrawal strategy, one that reduces your total tax bill without shrinking your lifestyle.
• Spend confidently, knowing your plan is optimized.

The Bottom Line

Taxes suck. But being overly cautious, hoarding cash, and dying with regrets is worse.

Don’t just leave behind wealth, leave behind memories. Spend your money. Take the trip. Help your kids. Upgrade the car. Renovate the kitchen. Eat out more. Give generously.

Just make sure you're doing it smartly, and that’s exactly what Optiml helps with.

Try Optiml Free Today and live your retirement the way it was meant to be lived — fully.