Consider the age-old question of how much you should save to enjoy a comfortable retirement: Are your knees knocking? Are you nervously biting your nails?

In The Rule of 30 personal finance expert Frederick Vettese provides a surprising — and hopeful — answer. Through conversations between a young couple and their neighbor, a retired actuary, the couple and the reader discover:

• How they would have fared had they been saving over various periods in the past, and how the future investment climate will differ
• The problem with saving a constant percentage of pay
• The Rule of 30 and why it is a more rational way to save
• Whether investing in real estate is a viable alternative to investing in stocks

The Rule of 30 changes the mindset from saving the same flat percentage of pay to saving when it is most convenient to your situation. In most cases, it means less saving early on while mortgage payments are high and children are costly, and more saving later.

Saving for retirement is a high priority, but it is not the only priority in life. It is time to dispense with old myths like “just save 10% of your take-home pay.” The truth is we should save differently throughout our pre-retirement years — and The Rule of 30 is a road map for doing so.

Frederick Vettese is Chief Actuary of Morneau Shepell, a position he has held since 1991. He has written op-eds for the National Post and The Globe and Mail, and is frequently quoted regarding pension matters in various media. A prolific author of pension articles for a number of magazines and journals, he is also the author of two other books on retirement and has presented at various national conferences, such as the Conference Board of Canada and the Canadian Institute. Fred is a member of the C.D. Howe Institute Pension Policy Council and a Fellow of the Canadian Institute of Actuaries (FCIA). He provides consulting services to some of Morneau Shepell's largest clients and also oversees professional standards for the firm's 150 actuaries

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“Vettese’s superpower is to look at personal finance from a new perspective. In The Rule of 30 he strikes again, offering up a new, empowering and action-oriented approach to retirement savings.” — Bruce Sellery, CEO, Credit Canada and Money Columnist, CBC Radio

“The Rule of 30 offers new ideas and timeless wisdom for retirement saving, conversationally delivered by the friendly retired actuary next door. This is a must-read for anyone wondering how they can possibly save enough for retirement.” — Ben Felix & Cameron Passmore, Hosts, The Rational Reminder Podcast

“Do you want to retire comfortably? Start planning and executing now. Fred’s book, The Rule of 30, is a good blueprint to follow and reads like a story. Your future self will thank you.” — Robin R. Speziale, National Bestselling Author, Market Masters

“The Rule of 30 answers the question we’ve all been asking about expensive housing: How will young couples with big mortgages and daycare bills carve out room for retirement saving?” — Rob Carrick, Personal Finance Columnist, The Globe and Mail