If you read the papers and listen to the “experts,” you’ve heard the usual pitches about retirement: you’ll need a million dollars so you better start an RRSP early and maximize your contributions, trust the stock market and mutual funds for the best returns and put your faith in a financial advisor. But what if this advice is wrong? By reading this book, you will learn the truth about these myths. You will also be given six free spreadsheets to figure out where you really stand, including the latest “Retirement Optimizer” that allows you to compute your retirement income year-by-year and the “Personal Rate of Return Calculator” so you can determine just how well your investments have done. Find out if you are saving enough … or too little. Smoke and Mirrors dispels the five main retirement myths: 1) If I had $1,000,000 I could retire. Find out why you might be fine with much less; 2) RRSPs are the holy grail of retirement. Discover what is more important than the size of your RRSP; 3) Don’t worry about your investments; you’ll be fine in the long run. You’ll learn how to figure out the truth about how well your investments are really doing; 4) We have met the enemy, and he is the tax collector. You may be interested in reducing your taxes, but find out why tax shelters may be dangerous to your financial health. 5) Secure your financial future – buy life insurance. Find out who needs it, who doesn’t and how to get it cheap.

David Trahair is a Chartered Accountant, speaker and author of five books on personal financial issues. Two of his books are National Bestsellers – the one you are holding and Enough Bull: How to Retire Well Without the Stock Market, Mutual Funds or Even an Investment Advisor. He is a straight shooter able to explain the often-confusing world of personal finance in plain English. Canadians appreciate David's no-nonsense style and the fact that his views are totally independent. There are no sponsors behind the scenes shaping what he says and he does not sell any financial products. David says and writes what he wants to – unfiltered advice for the hard-working Canadian. David currently operates his own public accounting firm and gives half- and full-day seminars on his books to CAs in B.C., Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Ontario. He has also delivered seminars to the Certified Management Accountants of Ontario (CMAs) and the Certified General Accountants of Ontario (CGAs). He belongs to the Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants (CICA) and the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Ontario (ICAO). He is a frequent speaker, appears regularly in the media and contributes regularly to financial publications. He is also a former director of Credit Canada, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping people deal with credit problems. His website is www.trahair.com.

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