A Man is Not a Plan and other hard truths.

Charlotte is a single woman who likes the finer things in life. She loves dining at nice restaurants and drinking fine wine. She loves the arts. She loves to travel. Charlotte also enjoys her career as a Television producer. It has provided her with a very comfortable lifestyle.

Time is running out for Charlotte. Even though she is 57, Charlotte admits she has never felt comfortable making decisions around her finances. It has created a lot of anxiety for Charlotte over the years. Charlotte could never figure out if she was doing the right things with her money and consequently, did not save very much. Should she put money in a TFSA, or RSP? Should she pay off debts or save? She is also afraid to lose money investing in the markets. Charlotte doesn’t know where to start. It was easier to just not deal with it. She decided she would spend time pursuing her many interests instead. Charlotte knows she has not saved much for her future and now as she approaches her 58th birthday, she is starting to wonder if she will ever be in a position to slow down anytime soon.

Samantha 46, is a married woman, who met her husband Barry in university. She fell in love with Barry soon after they met. It just felt right. Barry wanted to start a family as soon as he finished school. He asked her to marry him shortly after. He promised to take care of her. She wanted to be his wife, start a family and create a home life for them. For many years Barry kept his promise and took very good care of Samantha. Then one day, he broke his promise and left Samantha and their two kids to fend for themselves after squandering the family assets.