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How much money do you need to live the life you truly desire?

An Edward Jones survey suggests that $300,000 a year in pre-tax income is what Canadians need for a care-free lifestyle
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While being the target audience for $8 avocado on toast and $5 specialty coffees, it may come as a surprise to some that millennials are the most modest of adult Canadians when it comes to financial comfort.

Canadians feel an average pre-tax salary of $250,000 will pave the way to stress-free financial ease, according to a poll released by Edward Jones this week. The findings were based on results of an online survey conducted by Leger that saw 1,500 respondents across the country.

That’s in stark contrast to the the country’s median, after-tax income of $57,000, reported earlier this year by Statistics Canada.

Broken down by age, millennial respondents ages 18 to 34 were the most modest, the poll suggests. The average ideal income was just under $167,000.

READ MORE: Average millennial could wait 150+ years to buy home in one B.C. city

READ MORE: B.C. seniors’ poverty rate highest in Canada:

Respondents ages 35 to 54 said they need roughly $227,000. Edward Jones said this may be attributed to familial financial responsibilities.

Meanwhile, those planning for retirement – or ages 55 to 64 – said they need the highest amount of pre-tax income of $398,000.

“The research indicates that financial expectations and needs are continuously evolving through different stages of life,” said Patrick French, principal of solutions tools and consulting with Edward Jones.

When asked how much more money they’d need to have the lifestyle they truly desire, most respondents added another $50,000 to their ideal income, according to the poll. Millennials cited that they need about $90,000 more.

When asked how much they need for the lifestyle they want, senior respondents dropped the figure by over $70,000 to $325,066. This could signal this age group may be saddled with unwanted financial responsibilities, Edward Jones said.


@ashwadhwani
ashley.wadhwani@bpdigital.ca

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About the Author: Ashley Wadhwani-Smith

I began my journalistic journey at Black Press Media as a community reporter in my hometown of Maple Ridge, B.C.
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