Many of us look forward to retirement as an opportunity to travel, pursue new goals or refocus on life-long interests. By staying informed and taking steps to manage and protect your savings, you can set yourself on the path to becoming a money-smart retiree. Here are some tips to help you get started:

1. Review your investments regularly and be aware of when you plan to start withdrawing from your retirement savings. As you approach retirement, talk to your investment advisor about your needs and objectives and, any changes that could affect them.
2. Maximize your pension, retirement savings and tax free savings account contributions while you are still working, to give your savings a boost.
3. Review your will and power of attorney documents periodically to make sure they continue to reflect your wishes. Make sure you have appointed someone you trust to handle matters on your behalf.
4. Learn about tax credits and tax planning strategies available to retirees, including pension income credits, income splitting opportunities and disability credits.
5. Educate yourself on financial fraud and elder abuse. Common forms include theft, telephone fraud and identity theft. Sadly, most financial fraud committed against older adults involves friends, family, caregivers or social contacts. The more you know, the better you can protect yourself. You can visit the Canadian Securities Administrators (CSA) website to learn about avoiding fraud.