What should I gather before entering my first plan?

Allow roughly 15–45 minutes to enter a first plan, with more time for a complex household or detailed review. The time needed depends on how much information you have ready and how much detail you choose to enter. You can begin with estimates and refine them as you gather the information.

Gather the items that apply to you: recent pay slips and last year’s T4s; employer pension and benefit information; defined-benefit pension statements; annuity and life-insurance terms; mortgage, loan and credit agreements; government-benefit payment information; CPP/QPP pensionable-earnings histories if the pensions have not started; RRSP and TFSA contribution room; current account statements; FHSA, RESP and RDSP opening dates and contribution, grant and withdrawal histories; property values and rental information; Home Buyers’ Plan balances; and a spending budget if available. For a CCPC, have its revenues and notional tax-account balances available. Include U.S. Social Security information where applicable.

Enter the relevant figures in the forms; you do not need to send these documents to MRA. Follow the side menu in order, and use Help for this page in the top navigation for instructions about the current screen. The eBook is the full manual.

Use non-identifying names for people, employers, accounts and properties. MRA does not need bank account numbers or real addresses to calculate a plan. Securities’ symbols and names can still be used to identify holdings for market-price updates.