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The 4% Rule Just Dropped to 3.9% — But Your RRIF Doesn't Care

  Published August 5, 2026 Morningstar's newest research says retirees can safely start withdrawing 3.9% a year. Ottawa's RRIF rules don't ask what's "safe" — they just tell you how much to take out, whether the math agrees or not. For years, the shortcut retirees leaned on was simple: take out 4% of your portfolio in your first year of retirement, bump it up with inflation every year after, and your savings should last three decades. Morningstar's 2026 State of Retirement Income report just trimmed that number to 3.9%. On its own, that's a small adjustment. On a $500,000 portfolio, it's the difference between withdrawing $19,500 or $20,000 in year one. But for Canadians, the number that actually controls the withdrawal isn't Morningstar's — it's the Canada Revenue Agency's. And once your RRSP becomes a Registered Retirement Income Fund, the CRA's required minimum can blow right past whatever a "safe" withdrawal rate i...

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Russia's Missile Barrage Forces Power Grid Shutdown in Ukraine

 


In a significant escalation of hostilities, Russia launched a major ballistic and cruise missile attack on regions across Ukraine on Wednesday. The assault targeted critical energy infrastructure, compelling Ukrainian authorities to shut down the power grid in several areas despite the freezing winter weather.

The Russian Defense Ministry claimed responsibility for the strike, stating that it aimed at "critically important facilities of gas and energy infrastructure that ensure the functioning of Ukraine’s military industrial complex". The barrage included 43 missiles and 74 drones, with Ukrainian air defenses managing to shoot down 30 missiles and 47 drones.

The attack spanned from the Lviv region in western Ukraine to Kharkiv in the northeast, causing emergency power outages in six regions. Ukrainian Energy Minister Herman Halushchenko condemned the attack, describing it as an ongoing effort by Russia to terrorize Ukrainians and disrupt the nation's energy grid.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged Western partners to accelerate the delivery of promised air defense weapons, emphasizing the need to protect Ukraine's energy infrastructure during the harsh winter months. The attack has further strained Ukraine's already eroded power generation capacity, with efforts to rebuild ongoing despite the relentless assaults.

The nearly three-year war has seen long-range attacks become a feature of the conflict, with both sides engaged in a war of attrition along a front line stretching about 1,000 kilometers from northeast to southern Ukraine. As the conflict continues, the resilience of the Ukrainian people and the support of international allies remain crucial in the face of ongoing aggression.



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