TFSA (Tax-Free Savings Account)
Contribution limit: $7,000/year (2026). Cumulative room: $109,000 since 2009.
Growth and withdrawals: tax-free. Withdrawals restore contribution room the following year.
US dividends: subject to 15% withholding tax.
Capital gains: tax-free. Over-contribution penalty: 1%/month.
RRSP (Registered Retirement Savings Plan)
Contribution limit: 18% of prior year earned income, max $33,810 (2026).
Contributions: tax-deductible. Growth: tax-deferred. Withdrawals: taxed as income.
US dividends: exempt from withholding tax (Canada-US tax treaty).
Capital gains: tax-free inside the account.
FHSA (First Home Savings Account)
Contribution limit: $8,000/year, $40,000 lifetime.
For first-time home buyers. Tax-deductible contributions. Tax-free withdrawals for qualifying home purchase.
Unused room carries forward (max $8,000).
The Cup of Life
"Luck = Opportunity Meeting Preparation"
Income
Source
Amount
Freq
Annual
Monthly
Notes
Total
The Price of Existence
Expense
Amount
Freq
Annual
Monthly
Daily
Due
Notes
Total
Balance
Zero-Based Balance (Monthly)
$0.00
Spectral Margin (m)
—
"Few things are necessary to make the wise happy while no amount of material wealth would satisfy a fool."
Derived Metrics
Cost of Living / Day
—
Annual exp / 365
Cost of Living / Hour
—
Daily / 24
Cost of Living / Min
—
Hourly / 60
Savings Rate
—
(Inc - Exp) / Inc
FI Number (25x)
—
Annual exp x 25
FI Ratio
—
Passive / Expenses
Employment Freedom / Day
—
Daily cost to exist
Hourly Wage Equiv
—
Annual inc / 1920h
Passive Income
Source
Monthly
Annual
Notes
Total
Passive Income Goal
Monthly Target $
Progress
0%
"Regret weighs tons. Discipline weighs ounces."
Core Values
Define the values that all decisions are filtered through.
Value
Description
Tools & Habits
Tool / Habit
How You Use It
"The happiness of your life depends upon the quality of your thoughts."
Self-Education
Resource
Type
Status
Notes
"Originality and a feeling of one's own dignity are achieved only through work and struggle."
Investment Accounts
Account Type
Institution
Status
Notes
Holdings
Ticker
Account
Sector
Shares
Cost Basis
Current
Notes
Total
Portfolio Summary
Total Cost
—
Total Value
—
Gain / Loss
—
Return
—
Risk Metrics
Metric
Value
Notes
"Prosperity is a mindset not an object."
Revenue
Stream
Amount
Freq
Annual
Monthly
Notes
Total
Business Expenses
Expense
Amount
Freq
Annual
Monthly
Category
Notes
Total
KPIs
Gross Profit Margin
—
(Rev - COGS) / Rev
Net Profit Margin
—
(Rev - Exp) / Rev
Monthly Profit
—
Business Margin
—
1 - (costs / rev)
Custom Metrics
Metric
Value
Notes
"Stand guard at the door of your mind."
The Cup of Life
"Imagination is more important than knowledge."
"Silence is the best answer to anger."
"Difficulty is the nurse of greatness."
"Kindness is the path to prosperity."
"Mercy is the twin sister of truth."
"Love is a universal language."
"Simplicity is perfection."
"Hope is not lost."
"Time heals."
"Life flows."
"Mind is the master."
Operational Invariants
"Few things are necessary to make the wise happy while no amount of material wealth would satisfy a fool."
"Stand guard at the door of your mind. Do not let just anything in. You have to live with the results."
"Originality and a feeling of one's own dignity are achieved only through work and struggle."
"Long suffering enables you to remain content even when you are under trial."
"Regret weighs tons. Discipline weighs ounces."
"Prosperity is a mindset not an object."
"The happiness of your life depends upon the quality of your thoughts."
10 Mental Concepts — Decision Curvature
Satisficing vs Maximizing
First acceptable option vs optimizing fully. Maximizing costs more time.
The Knowing Paradox
The more you admit you do not know, the more you will know.
Good and Bad Procrastination
Good: avoiding trivial work. Bad: avoiding the biggest things.
The Vulnerability Paradox
Showing your whole self draws others closer, not farther.
Attention Residue
Switching tasks leaves attention on the previous one. Deep work requires singular focus.
Nirvana Fallacy
Rejecting something because it falls short of an impossible ideal.
Introspection Illusion
We believe we understand our motivations. We fabricate. Dig deeper.
False Dichotomy
Only two options presented when more exist.
The Choice Paradox
More choices make you less happy with your final choice.
The Approval Paradox
The more you seek approval, the harder it is to get.
Spectral Margin Reference
Margin
Regime
Meaning
m > 0.30
Wide
Stable. Perturbations absorbed.
0.05 - 0.30
Thin
Admissible actions contract. Reduce expenses or increase income.
m < 0.05
Critical
Any perturbation risks collapse.
m = 0
Collapse
Expenses >= income. Immediate correction.
Admissibility Test
Before any financial decision: does this action increase or decrease rho?
rho = expenses / income. Higher rho = inadmissible. Lower rho = admissible.
m = 1 - rho. Protect your margin.
"Mind is the master."
Monthly Actuals
Log what you actually spent each month. Compare against your budget.
