2026 Canadian Life Annuity & Retirement Income Study
Study Overview
The 2026 Canadian Life Annuity & Retirement Income Study analyzes 1,166 completed responses to the LifeAnnuities.com “Is a Life Annuity Right for You?” assessment collected between January 1 and August 24, 2026.
The study examines how respondents think about guaranteed lifetime income, retirement priorities, pensions, liquidity, longevity and estate considerations.
All 1,166 respondents selected a Canadian province or territory as part of the assessment.
Key Findings
- 73.4% said income for life is their priority.
- 60.4% rated guaranteed lifetime income as Very Important.
- 35.3% rated guaranteed lifetime income as Somewhat Important.
- 76.6% of respondents nearing retirement prioritized income for life.
- 67.0% of female respondents rated guaranteed lifetime income as Very Important, compared with 57.9% of male respondents.
Income for Life Is the Top Priority
73.4% of respondents said income for life is their priority, compared with 22.8% who preferred a balance between income and estate value and 3.8% who prioritized leaving as much as possible to heirs.
- Income for Life Is the Priority — 73.4%
- A Balance of Income and Estate — 22.8%
- Leaving as Much as Possible to Heirs — 3.8%
Guaranteed Lifetime Income Is Important to Most Respondents
60.4% of respondents rated guaranteed lifetime income as Very Important, while another 35.3% said it is Somewhat Important. Only 4.3% said it is Not Important.
- Very Important — 60.4%
- Somewhat Important — 35.3%
- Not Important — 4.3%
Guaranteed Lifetime Income by Age
A majority of respondents in every age group rated guaranteed lifetime income as Very Important.
- Under 45 — 72.3%
- 45–54 — 61.5%
- 55–59 — 62.1%
- 60–64 — 55.4%
- 65–69 — 57.5%
- 70+ — 63.8%
Note: The Under 45 group had a smaller sample size (n=47).
Income Priorities by Retirement Stage
Income for life remained the leading priority among respondents who were working, nearing retirement and already retired.
- Working — 69.0%
- Nearing Retirement — 76.6%
- Retired — 73.7%
Guaranteed Lifetime Income by Gender
Female respondents were more likely than male respondents to rate guaranteed lifetime income as Very Important.
- Female — 67.0% Very Important
- Male — 57.9% Very Important
Who Responded
Language
English — 1,028 (88.2%)
French — 138 (11.8%)
Age
Under 45 — 4.0%
45–54 — 8.9%
55–59 — 15.6%
60–64 — 22.3%
65–69 — 22.4%
70+ — 26.8%
Status
Working — 23.2%
Nearing Retirement - 27.5%
Retired — 49.2%
Gender
Male — 72.7%
Female — 27.3%
About the Study
The 2026 Canadian Life Annuity & Retirement Income Study is based on responses to the English and French versions of the LifeAnnuities.com assessment: “Is a Life Annuity Right for You?” and “Une rente viagère vous convient-elle ?”
English and French assessment responses were combined for analysis.
The final study sample included 1,166 completed assessments collected between January 1 and August 24, 2026.
Methodology
The study is based on a self-selected sample of LifeAnnuities.com assessment respondents and should not be considered representative of the Canadian population as a whole.
Responses were generated through voluntary completion of the LifeAnnuities.com assessment by website users.