Good afternoon! This week, the cost isn't in what you spend, it's in what you miss: a pension choice you can't undo, a government pitch that could reshape where jobs land, and a tax form that's quietly outdated. None of these show up as a line item on a bill, and none of them come with a warning label, they just sit there until the moment you need them to go your way. By then, the decision's already been made for you.
On The Money Today:
Why picking the wrong pension payout could quietly cost retirees thousands
What Carney's $1 trillion investor pitch means for your job and your wallet
The CRA form that gets rejected if you haven't updated it
Let's dive in.
RETIREMENT
'This seems like free money': Retiree confused by defined benefit pension fears their payout is an error. What's really happening?
Many defined benefit pensions offer a lump sum or a lifetime monthly payment, and most retirees don't realize the choice is permanent once it's made. The right answer often depends on your health, your spouse's income needs and how long you expect the pension to last. Here's how to tell which option actually protects your retirement income the longest, and what to ask before you sign anything.
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ECONOMY
Worried the trade war could cost you or your kids their jobs? Ottawa has a $1-trillion plan
Ottawa's new investment chair is pitching Canada as a trillion-dollar opportunity for foreign capital, and the money could land in infrastructure, energy and manufacturing jobs. The pitch comes as Ottawa tries to offset the trade war with the US, betting that foreign capital can backfill jobs in exposed sectors before the tariff fight does more damage. What you watch for as Ottawa courts investors, and where that money is most likely to show up first.
MUST READ
Applying for the Disability Tax Credit? Your old form won't work starting Sept 8 — here's what to do instead
Canadians using pre-2023 disability tax credit forms could see their applications denied today, even if they've qualified for years. The CRA updated the form back in 2023, but plenty of people, including some who've claimed the credit for years without issue, are still filing the old version without realizing it. Check which version you have and update it before it costs you the credit.
MONEY IQ
ALSO MAKING THE ROUNDS TODAY
INVESTING: Kevin O'Leary calls the tariff chaos a buying opportunity, and what he's watching before the window closes
NEWS: A romance scam that bilked 5 women out of $1M started at the gym, not a dating app, and the financial red flags to watch for
INVESTING: Canada's $51B infrastructure fund just landed its first flare in Calgary, a signal worth tracking for investors
EMPLOYMENT: Canadian employers plan average 3.1% raises for 2027, which works out to roughly $2,015 more a year for the average worker
MONEY IQ: HOW'D YOU DO?
Answer: A) 1874 — the Grand Trunk Railway created it, decades before CPP existed.
That's a wrap for today! Before you go, we'd love to know what you thought of today's newsletter. Hit REPLY if you have more to share — we read every reply.
