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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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Market Turmoil: UnitedHealth's Plunge Sends Dow Spiraling Amid Weekly Losses

The stock market faced another turbulent session as UnitedHealth (UNH) shares plummeted over 22%, dragging the Dow Jones Industrial Average down by more than 500 points. The Nasdaq Composite and S&P 500 struggled to find footing, with both indexes sputtering after Wednesday’s tech-led sell-off.

UnitedHealth’s sharp decline followed a cut in its full-year profit forecast, making it the worst-performing Dow component of the day. The broader market also felt the weight of uncertainty surrounding trade policies and Federal Reserve decisions, as Fed Chair Jerome Powell warned of economic challenges ahead  due to tariffs.

Despite a slight rebound in the S&P 500, all three major indexes closed the week lower, with the Dow and Nasdaq falling over 2.5% and the S&P 500 down around 1.5%. Investors now turn their attention to upcoming earnings reports and economic indicators that could shape market sentiment in the coming weeks.


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