Personal finance written for Calgarians. Mortgages in a swinging market, RRSP versus TFSA in plain English, what it actually costs to live in different parts of the city, and how to think about money when oil prices move and they will.
Numbers are pulled from public data and refreshed when sources update. Treat them as rough orientation, not investment advice.
The honest answer depends on your tax bracket today versus your tax bracket in retirement. Slide the numbers and see for your situation.
Most Calgary retirees pay 18-28% effective. Higher if you have a pension or large RRIF.
Lean RRSP by $4,506 after tax. The bigger the gap between your tax rate now and in retirement, the more it matters.
Simplified model. Assumes constant contribution, single tax rate at withdrawal, and ignores OAS clawback, GIS interaction, and CCB / Alberta benefits. Not advice. Talk to a fee-only Calgary planner before deciding.
What that Calgary house actually costs month over month, and across the full mortgage. Default rate is roughly current 5-year fixed.
Excludes property taxes, home insurance, condo fees, CMHC insurance premiums, and Calgary utilities. Assumes a fixed rate held for the full amortization (most mortgages renew every 3-5 years at the prevailing rate). Not a quote. Talk to a Calgary mortgage broker for a real one.
Dusty is our AI assistant. He answers in real time, in plain language. Try a suggestion or type your own.
Howdy. Real-time Calgary, every question Ask away.
The pattern most Calgary residents under 50 know: a long-time local has lived through at least two big oil cycles. Salaries rise fast, layoffs come fast, the city rebuilds, again. The local money advice that holds up is conservative on debt, generous on emergency funds, and patient about real estate. If you are inside the cycle right now and it feels like the market will only go up, ask a long-time local. They have seen this before.
A short list of what we cover, and what is coming next.
How Calgary mortgage rates compare, what neighbourhoods cost to actually buy into, when to renew.
RRSPs, TFSAs, FHSAs explained for Albertans. Where to open an account and what to put inside it.
Calgary salary benchmarks, oil-and-gas swings, how to negotiate when the market moves.
Ask him about your situation. No advisor relationship, no sales. Just plain answers.
One yearly Calgary Pass works everywhere across the network: member discounts at participating venues, an ad-free Dusty, and member-only content on every site.
Reserve a spot