Chrysalis: The Low-Cost Financial Planning Service That Helps You Feel More Confident About Your Retirement

Chrysalis is a low-cost retirement planning service designed specifically to help you feel more confident about your retirement plan.

Credit Canada is the country’s first and longest-standing non-profit credit counselling agency, helping Canadians get out of debt and back into life since 1966. We created Chrysalis because we know that once you finish the acute phase of hard work, reducing your credit card debt, you need a trusted, unbiased next step to build long-term financial stability without being pitched products.

Advice-only planning (AOP) is a model built entirely on objectivity and absolute transparency. Unlike traditional bank advisors, who are often compensated through product commissions or a percentage of the assets they manage, advice-only planners are paid exclusively by their clients for their time and expertise. They do not sell mutual funds, insurance, or annuities, which eliminates a major potential conflict of interest—their advice is solely in your best interest.

The benefits of an advice-only retirement plan include:

• Confidence:  A clear and comprehensive picture of your retirement plan can improve peace of mind and reduce stress.
• Unbiased Advice: Because compensation is not tied to the products, you can be confident that the advice you're receiving is solely in your best interest.
• Transparency: You know exactly what you are paying for—the planner's time and expertise, not hidden fees or commissions.
• Accessibility: This model can be a great option for people who do not meet the high asset minimums often required by traditional advisors.
• Empowerment: The focus is on educating and empowering you to take control of your own retirement plan. You get the expert guidance, but you remain in the driver's seat.

The objectives of the Chrysalis program are to help you:

• Gain new clarity in your thinking about money
• Build confidence in your future
• Develop a financial plan for your retirement
• Be inspired to take action

In the traditional marketplace, advice-only plans are expensive, costing anywhere from $3,500 to $7,000 or more, depending on complexity. The Chrysalis Group Program is $599, and the Individual Program is $799.

We are able to offer this incredibly low rate due to two core reasons:

• Our Non-Profit Mindset: Credit Canada is a non-profit agency. We aren't trying to make money; our goal is simply to break even so we can pass the savings directly on to you.
• Our Efficient Hybrid Delivery: To make advice-only planning more affordable, we designed a structured 6-week program format that combines self-paced learning resources or group workshops with direct, private, high-impact one-on-one time with a Certified Financial Planner.

Chrysalis is custom-built for self-motivated, low- to moderate-income Canadians who want to take control of their financial future. Our specific target criteria include:

• Age: 50 or older (as financial questions can shift significantly at this life stage).
• Income: An annual income of less than $72,000 per person.
• Manageable Debt: Less than $5,000 of unsecured credit card debt, with no subprime loans. The reason is that those with unsecured debt need to focus on reducing that first, before working on a retirement plan.
• Low Complexity: Assets under $300,000 (TFSAs, RRSPs, defined contribution pensions), and a straightforward Canadian tax profile (no complex US/foreign taxes, active corporate business structures, or complex estate trusts). 

No. A core tenet of Chrysalis is that the planner provides expert guidance, but you stay in the driver's seat. Credit Canada does not manage your portfolio, hold your assets, or make specific product recommendations. Your plan will be entirely objective and designed to work seamlessly across any investing platform you choose, such as a robo-advisor, a bank, or a credit union.

Your personalized financial roadmap will look at your life holistically—including your career, health, and retirement goals—to help you answer essential questions, such as:

• At what age will I be able to retire?
• How much income will I receive from government programs like CPP, OAS, and GIS?
• How much do I need to save on top of that to pay my expenses?
• How do I set realistic retirement goals that fit my exact circumstances?
• What is the best way for me to save for retirement?
• How do I choose low-cost, diversified investment products to maximize my returns while maintaining an acceptable level of risk?
• How can I manage my cash flow to balance my current and future needs?
• How can I protect my family and myself from running out of money?

The Chrysalis retirement plan includes a document that covers five core outputs: 

• Retirement income projections, including CPP, OAS, and other income sources.
• Cash flow projections to help you understand whether you're on track for retirement.
• Guidance on the most appropriate savings and investment approach for your situation.
• Key tax, estate, and debt planning considerations that could affect your retirement. 
• A personalized action plan with clear next steps.

We offer two distinct paths: the Group Program and the Individual Program. Each program requires a commitment of roughly 20 total hours over a 6-week period.

The program options include:

• Group Program ($599): A 6-week cohort-based model featuring five live, interactive 90-minute workshops, weekly group check-ins, an Accountability Buddy, and two private 1-hour consultations (via Zoom) with your Certified Financial Planner to review your personal goals, data, and finalize your retirement plan.
• Individual Program ($799): A 6-week fully personalized, flexible experience. Includes a 30-minute kickoff meet & greet with your Certified Financial Planner (CFP) via Zoom, pre-recorded learning modules, a self-paced workbook, and two private 1-hour consultations (via Zoom) with your CFP focused entirely on you. 

Participants who get the most value from Chrysalis are prepared to attend each session or complete the self-paced learning modules and workbook, complete the homework, gather their financial information, and actively engage throughout the program. We know this takes something – both in terms of time and energy, but also a willingness to stretch outside of your comfort zone.

Credit Canada adheres to strict privacy protocols in accordance with PIPEDA and Canadian privacy laws. You can read our full privacy policy here.

In the Individual Program, your information is strictly one-on-one, between you and your Certified Financial Planner. 

In the Group Program, the group sessions provide community accountability and shared learning, but no specific financial numbers are ever shared with the group. The only person who will see your private income, debts, and asset numbers is the Certified Financial Planner in preparation for your private 1:1 sessions and retirement plan.

This program is designed and delivered by Bruce Sellery. He is the CEO of Credit Canada, a well-known personal finance expert, CBC columnist, and bestselling author. He has been designing and delivering training for over 30 years.  

Bruce is joined by Zainab Williams, an experienced Certified Financial Planner (CFP®) and the founder of FundEvolve, a financial decision platform that helps people understand what to do next with their money and evaluate the financial advice they encounter online. She is a respected financial educator whose insights have been featured in The Globe and Mail, the Toronto Star, Investment Executive, and other publications, as well as on television and radio news programs. Zainab will support program delivery and develop each participant’s personalized retirement plan.

For the current phase of the program, we are focusing on participants with straightforward circumstances. We want to serve participants well, and the program isn’t structured to account for things like non-Canadian citizens or specialized tax planning. We will continue to evolve the program so we are able to do more sophisticated planning over time.

You can apply directly for our Individual Program to get started on your personalized plan today. If you are interested in the Group Program, you can join the waitlist to be notified when cohorts become available. Spaces for our group cohorts are strictly limited to ensure an intimate, high-quality experience. 

If you want to apply or get your name on the waitlist, you can fill out our online application form or email our intake team directly at chrysalis@creditcanada.com. Please note that registration fees are non-refundable; however, if you register and are ultimately unable to attend, we will gladly provide you with a spot in a future group cohort or Individual Program.

When applying, you will need to complete a quick eligibility checklist and provide a general, confidential baseline of your household income, assets (such as savings or home value), and liabilities (such as mortgage or credit card debt). This simple step helps us ensure the Chrysalis program is a perfect match for your current financial situation before we get started.

Once you submit your application, our intake team will review it to determine whether you meet the program's eligibility criteria. We'll contact you by email to let you know the outcome.

If you're accepted, you'll receive a program consent form to sign electronically. To confirm your spot, you'll need to return the signed consent form and pay the registration fee within 48 hours of receiving your acceptance email.

If you're not selected, don't worry. Depending on your application, we may offer you alternative options or provide feedback on why the program may not be the best fit for your current financial situation.

All registration fees are non-refundable. As a non-profit organization operating on a cost-recovery basis, we're unable to offer refunds once your registration has been confirmed.

If an emergency arises and you can no longer attend, please email us as soon as possible at chrysalis@creditcanada.com. If you notify us before your program begins, we'll gladly apply your registration fee as a credit and reserve your spot in a future group cohort or Individual Program.

Because spaces are limited in the Group Program, once the cohort has started, your spot cannot be reassigned to another participant. Letting us know as early as possible helps us support you and others waiting to join the program.