FP Canada's Projection Assumption Guidelines for 2026 revised the long-term return assumptions for most asset classes. Use the steps below if you want your Planworth defaults to match those guidelines. Choosing a rate for a client stays with you.
Compared with 2025, most of the guideline returns are slightly lower. Cash interest is unchanged.
Asset class | 2025 | 2026 |
Cash Interest | 2.4% | 2.4% |
Fixed Income | 3.4% | 3.2% |
Canadian Equity | 6.6% | 6.3% |
US Equity | 6.6% | 6.4% |
International Equity | 6.9% | 6.6% |
Alternatives | 8.0% | 7.5% |
Alternatives are typically entered using emerging-market equity assumptions as a proxy. The guidelines are for long-term projections (10 or more years). They draw on CPP and QPP actuarial reports, historical market data, industry surveys, and market-based expected returns.
Planworth also stores a standard deviation for each asset class. Standard deviation is how much the return may vary from year to year. Monte Carlo uses it to model investment risk. The 2026 figures below follow FP Canada's historical standard deviations.
Update Advisor Settings
Select your profile picture at the top right, then Advisor Settings.
Under Financial Insights Settings, open Rate of Return.
Enter the 2026 Rate of Return and Standard Deviation for each asset class, using the table below.
Select Save. New plans use these defaults.
Asset class | Return | Standard deviation |
Cash Interest | 2.4% | 1.6% |
Fixed Income | 3.2% | 4.8% |
Canadian Equity | 6.3% | 16.3% |
US Equity | 6.4% | 15.5% |
International Equity | 6.6% | 14.6% |
Alternatives (emerging markets proxy) | 7.5% | 20% |
These are gross returns. You may reduce them for administrative or investment-management fees in your practice.
Only the return and standard deviation change. Dividend mix and capital-gains assumptions can stay as they are.
Update an existing plan
An existing plan keeps its previous rates until you sync it.
Open the client in Financial Insights.
Go to Assumptions → Rate of Return.
Select Sync at the top right.
If you do not sync, that plan continues on the previous rate-of-return assumptions.
The FP Canada guidelines are published at fpcanada.ca/projection-assumption-guidelines.