What Smart Retirees Do Differently: 5 Lessons with Adam Bornn

This week, Mike and Vero are joined by certified financial planner and YouTube retirement educator Adam Bornn of Parallel Wealth for an episode packed with clarity, insight, and action.

Adam shares 5 lessons smart retirees follow—the kind that reduce stress, avoid regret, and put you in control of your financial future. The episode is packed with practical frameworks for building your retirement income plan and ends with a live Q&A that covers some of the most pressing concerns from real retirees.

Part 2

Register for the 6 Retirement Upgrades Webinar to attend live and get the replay for free: retirementloop.ca/webinar

You’ll Learn

Retirement Planning Is 90% Psychological, 10% Financial

Most retirees struggle with spending, not saving.
Many hold back out of fear and miss their best retirement years.
Solution: Build a plan that shows what’s possible and sustainable.

Lesson 1: Retirees Often Don’t Spend Enough

The “Go-Go” years (60–75) are when retirees are healthiest.
Under-spending leads to regret later: “If I had known, I would have…”
Use a “laddered” income approach: spend more now, less later.

Lesson 2: Taking CPP & OAS at the Wrong Time

The average Canadian takes CPP at 62, often leaving money on the table.
Delaying CPP (up to 70) yields an 8.4% annual increase – a rare guaranteed return.
Having cash or RSP strategy while delaying CPP allows smarter tax planning and higher long-term income.

Lesson 3: No Tax Plan = Big Tax Bill Later

Many retirees avoid taxes early on… and end up paying more later.
Smooth your average tax rate over time by drawing strategically from RSPs, TFSAs, etc.
Proper planning saves thousands, even hundreds of thousands.

Lesson 4: Lacking an Income Plan

It’s not just about how much you saved — it’s how you convert it to income.
Automate withdrawals. Think of your portfolio like your new employer, paying you bi-weekly.
A good income plan bridges planning and investing with mechanics and strategy.

Lesson 5: Don’t Go Too Conservative — It Can Backfire

As markets fluctuate or scary headlines make the rounds, many retirees instinctively shift to all-cash or GIC-heavy portfolios. But this can quietly sabotage long-term outcomes.

A 6% GIC sounds appealing — until it drops back to 2% and inflation is 4%.
Short-term safety can mean long-term underperformance, especially after tax and inflation.
Instead, use a cash wedge to manage risk and give the rest of your portfolio room to grow.
Retirement success is about controlling what you can — not reacting emotionally to every market dip.

“Markets are what got you here in the first place. Don’t let fear stop your future growth.” – Adam Bornn

Takeaways from the Live Q&A

Look for level average tax rates across retirement — this signals good tax planning.
Ask your advisor how they’re compensated to uncover biases in their recommendations.
Watch out for high-fee investments unless you fully understand what you’re buying.

About Adam Bornn

Adam Bornn is a Certified Financial Planner and founder of Parallel Wealth. He shares retirement-focused financial insights on his popular YouTube channel (100k+ subscribers), using real case studies to help Canadians think clearly and plan with purpose.

Watch his content: Parallel Wealth YouTube Channel

Parrallel Wealth YouTube Channel Banner.

BONUS: Free Webinar on 6 Retirement Upgrades

After helping hundreds of Canadians as a financial planner, Mike is now hosting a free, value-packed webinar to help you answer 6 of the most pressing retirement questions:

Do I have enough to retire?
How can I reduce fees?
How do I pay less tax?
How can I spend more and still have enough?
What if the market crashes?
How do I know I’m doing the right thing?

Thursday, May 22nd at 1PM ET – Online – free registration

Includes:

The full replay (even if you can’t attend live)
Handouts & tools for live attendees
A full hour of Q&A after the 50-minute presentation, 100% Canadian content
Limited to the first 500 participants live

Mike will walk you through 6 key retirement upgrades that can reshape your strategy and give you peace of mind, whether you’re a few years away or already retired.

Register now and get the replay for free: retirementloop.ca/webinar