Use real retirement stories with clients

Most Canadians (82%) say having sufficient retirement income is crucial. They only value their health and debt repayment progress as more important, says a recent Manulife survey.

The problem is only one-in-five seek professional advice when they need help controlling their debts and cash flows.

So, Manulife Financial is launching a new campaign to help investors between the ages of 50 and 59. If these people are still without adequate savings, they can now learn from the stories of real Canadians who also had a late start in saving for their retirements.

Read:

• Canada vs. U.S: Does our retirement funding stack up?

• Growing income during retirement

The company wanted to highlight real goals and “real people because we thought [that was] the best way to find out what retirement really looks [for a] range of Canadians,” says Nicole Boivin, Manulife Financial’s chief branding and communications officer.

Meet the retirees

The retirement campaign will run from May 27 through to August 26. It will feature Canadian couples and singles from British Columbia, Nova Scotia and Ontario who starting saving in their 50s. They include:

Dennis and Willa: These two from B.C. are in their early 60s. Dennis will retire from his gas fitter position in July 2013. Willa, who retired in April 2013, worked in clerical positions throughout her career. The couple have two grown daughters, and they put off saving since they had no sense of urgency.

Joan: She’s 67, lives in Nova Scotia, and had children later in life. She and her husband were focused on raising their children, so weren’t thinking about retirement. She admits, “I was well below where I should have been in terms of retirement savings by age 50. I was still submerged in child-raising expenses.”

But when her husband died suddenly in 2004, Joan took early retirement from her marketing career to focus on raising her then-teenaged children. Even though she had a reduced income, a small mortgage, and children in school, a financial advisor helped her draw up a plan.

Read:

Retirement planning for older parents

Clients will exhaust retirement savings early

Fewer Canadians will retire at 66

Top 5 things clients need to know