[CliffFletcher]

Another good indicator of class is whether the Globe and Mail would consider you for one of their retirement planning articles. You know, the ones where she's a professor and he's a former civil servant who now works as a consultant. The're both in their mid 50s and earning $130k and $150k. Both have a defined benefit pension. They have half share of a vacation property at a lake, and a million dollar home in a leafy Toronto neighbourhood that's paid off. They want to know if they can retire before 60, and the G&M columnist says maybe, but first they'll have to pay off the Audi, stop paying the rent for their 26 year old daughter, and maybe restrict themselves to one overseas vacation a year.

I've always thought it would be good for a laugh if the G&M did a retirement planning article for a more typical middle-class family. He's an electrician making $65k. She makes $48k at a license registry. They're in their mid-50s and neither have a pension. Mortgage on their $400k bungalow won't be paid off for another five years (second marriage for each). They have about $100k in RRSPs between the two of them. When can they retire and what kind of lifestyle will they have?