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Plan your RRSP Ahead to Reduce Taxable Income

It pays to plan your RRSP contributions before the end of the year to reduce your taxes that will be due on the current taxable year. To achieve this, assess your income and calculate how you can optimise the use of an RRSP to reduce your taxable income.

You may have Carry-forward Contribution Room

If you have not previously invested up to your maximum RRSP contribution limit, CRA allows you to carry over unused contribution room into future years for an indefinite period. Look on your Notice of Assessment.

What can you deduct on your tax return?

You can claim a deduction for:

contributions you made to your Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP), Pooled Registered Pension Plan (PRPP) or Specified Pension Plan (SPP)
contributions you made to your spouse’s or common-law partner’s RRSP or SPP
your unused RRSP, PRPP or SPP contributions from a previous year

You cannot claim a deduction for:

fees charged to buy and sell within a trusteed RRSP
amounts you pay for administration services for an RRSP
the interest you paid on money you borrowed to contribute to an RRSP, PRPP, or SPP
any capital losses within your RRSP
employer contributions to your PRPP

What is the deadline to contribute to an RRSP, PRPP, or SPP for the purpose of claiming a deduction on your tax return?

The Income Tax Act sets the deadline as “on or before the day that is 60 days after the end of the year”, which is March 1st except in a leap year, when it will be February 29th; or where the deadline falls on a weekend, it may be extended.

Can contributions be made to a deceased individual’s RRSP, PRPP, or SPP?

No one can contribute to a deceased individual’s RRSP, PRPP or SPP after the date of death. But, the deceased individual’s legal representative can make contributions to the surviving spouse’s or common-law partner’s RRSP and SPP. The contribution must be made within the year of death or during the first 60 days after the end of that year. Contributions made to a spouse’s or common-law partner’s RRSP or SPP can be claimed on the deceased individual’s tax return, up to that individual’s RRSP/PRPP deduction limit, for the year of death.

What is not considered an RRSP, PRPP, or SPP contribution?

The following are not considered to be an RRSP, PRPP, or SPP contribution for the purpose of claiming a deduction on your tax return. We can point out the special rules that apply if you:

repay funds that you withdrew under the Home Buyer’s Plan
repay funds that you withdrew under the Lifelong Learning Plan

Note: It is recommended that you get more information on this subject by calling our office or your accountant.

How is your RRSP/PRPP deduction limit determined?

The Canada Revenue Agency generally calculates your RRSP/PRPP deduction limit as follows:

The lesser of:

18% of your earned income in the previous year, and
the annual RRSP limit

Minus:

your pension adjustments (PA)
your past service pension adjustments (PSPA)

Plus:

your pension adjustment reversals (PAR), and
your unused RRSP, PRPP, or SPP contributions at the end of the previous year

Source: CRA

RRSP versus Non-Registered Investments

Let’s compare taxed and tax-free investment returns to see this advantage. First, let’s look at investing outside of your registered retirement savings plan (RRSP). If you have a marginal tax rate of 40% and invest $2,000 per year for the next 30 years at an average 7% annual return, you will accumulate $120,864.

Now consider if you invested the same money in the RRSP. If you contribute $2,000 every year to your RRSP for the next 30 years, and you earn an average 7% return, you will earn $202,146. The tax-advantaged growth empowers your RRSP as the growth is compounded over a long period of time.

Why is it important to save for retirement? RRSPs can give you the financial resources you need for a comfortable retirement that will meet your lifestyle requirements. Many Canadians are living for 30 years during retirement with a need to provide an income.

Investing is a strategic process, not the final goal

Investing is the strategic planning process, not the final goal It is important to realize that investing is not the goal. The goal is based on a future result that you aim for using mathematical calculations. Investing is what you do in the meantime while facing a multitude of circumstances in the world that affects the market where stocks and securities lose or gain potential to grow, which means, intermittently affecting your control of the end results in relation to your goal.

While you are young and have a family and/or close dependents, you also want to enjoy life and create memories. You want to live in the present to minimize fear of the future during the investment process, being mindful that preparing to retire means engaging in the process with an advisor using timeless principles.

Perhaps you’ve decided that you must accelerate your combined RRSP savings if you are to possibly realize your retirement dreams. Here is a strategic process that works all year round, well ahead of, and therefore, eliminating the annual RRSP deadline frenzy. This investment also works well when investing using TFSAs.

A systematic investment strategy called Dollar-Cost-Averaging (DCA). By pre-arranging a schedule of making equal monthly investment purchases of a mutual fund, you can realize big advantages:

1) Get your RRSP money working earlier. Every year, a good deal of money begins working long before the RRSP deadline. This gets part of your fund money invested earlier every year in small amounts you can afford. DCA allows for a convenient pre-payment of your annual RRSP contribution, instead of in the last anxious moments of February before the annual deadline.

2) You can profit from more gains after buying during market downturns. You needn’t worry about market-timing decisions when you buy your mutual fund units. Investing a fixed dollar amount every month adds a benefit over the year. You will purchase more mutual fund units when the price is lower, fewer when the price is higher. While consistently purchasing throughout market declines, when units cost less, you buy more units with the same dollar. Thus, fears of the market dropping in value are replaced with the knowledge that you will eventually own far more fund units over time, as long as you continue to invest in the same scheduled manner when the market is down. The purchases are scheduled, not “timed”. There is a vast difference.

Not even the experts know exactly when the market will peak, or stop declining. This means that by waiting to purchase at a lower unit price, an investor might miss buying lower if the market begins climbing back suddenly. But, if you schedule consistent buying, using DCA, you won’t miss buying the lower-priced units.

What is the upside of DCA in a lower priced market? Fund units purchased during temporary market downturns can be very profitable once the market recoups any loss. Subsequent upward moving markets will greatly increase the value of every unit held (especially with the addition of those lower-priced bargain units bought when the market value declined, and as it inclines above each unit price purchase during periods of market gains). More units bought at lower prices, both while a market loses value and while the market swings back gaining momentum during a major bull market growth spell, offer the potential for future profit.

3) One more benefit. You’ll be less influenced by market fear factors if you remember: Investing is a strategic process, not the final goal. Dollar-cost-averaging fund purchasers are isolated from negative market psychology. Contrary to the crowd, they now automatically buy through periods of opportunity when the price is low, the time when most people often do the opposite — sell out of fear. Dollar-cost-averaging encourages determined, intelligent, and disciplined investment behaviour.

Do your heirs expect to inherit?

Do your heirs expect to inherit an old homestead property, a family cottage, a residence, your farm, an art collection, furniture, or business shares? They may have to be liquidated by the estate, perhaps at a loss, to pay any existing tax liability. Life insurance proceeds may help to side-step probate, or estate administration tax, and can cover any estate liabilities that could impinge on bequests that you want to make.

Make sure that your gifts stay in your family. Deemed dispositions of capital assets at death occur even if an asset is willed directly to an heir. A capital gains tax liability remains in the deceased’s final tax return and reduces the value of the estate.

5 Methods to reduce taxes that will be due upon your death.

1. Use the spousal (and disabled child) rollover provisions of RRSPs or RRIFs.
2. Leave assets that have accrued capital gains to your spouse to defer tax.
3. Leave assets without capital gains to other (non-spouse) family members.
4. While you are alive, gradually sell assets having capital gains, to avoid dealing with the capital gains all at once in your estate.
5. Purchase life insurance to cover capital gains taxation in the estate.

Taxes may be payable on gains.

Income-producing real estate, a second residence, or cottage, and any other assets left to surviving family members, such as shares of a business, of stocks and investment funds may face capital gains taxation.

You may also want to consider charitable donations to lessen taxes in the estate. Hire an estate planning lawyer and make sure your Will is updated and includes your estate planning directives.

TFSAs can help transfer money to your heirs.

Money accumulated in a TFSA does not attract taxes at the time of death. If you want to create increased transferable after-tax wealth, consider moving money into TFSAs from non-registered investment accounts. Note: It is important to get an Advisor’s guidance, and perhaps an accountant to implement this in a careful tax plan.

Be careful, though to also consider taxable implications when considering selling non-registered assets. Ask your tax advisor if you will be triggering a taxable gain? Possibly utilize TFSAs to their maximum potential and monitor the comparative tax impact of transferring wealth from RRSPs/RRIFs to heirs of the estate.

Group Retirement and Savings Plans

Group Retirement & Savings Plans

We endeavour to deliver unparalleled service in group retirement and savings plans.

Canadian Defined Benefit Contribution plans and Group RRSPs have continued to play a growing role in Canada’s retirement landscape. We can help employers streamline and improve their retirement benefits for employees.

Pensions in Canadian Retirement

Statistics Canada recently released some good information on retirement savings trends in our country. For families in which the major income recipient was aged 55 to 64, 8 in 10 held either RRSPs or employer pension plans (EPPs). It is noteworthy that at each age level, median pension holdings were substantially higher, at $244,800, than those who only hold RRSPs.

A company that has a pension plan or assists employees to achieve their retirement is an employer of choice, particularly among high-quality seasoned and experienced employees.

We will work with you to develop the Group Retirement & Savings Plan best suited to your organisation’s needs.

Source: Statistics Canada

Life Insurance can solve the final RRSP/RRIF tax bite

Did you know that you cannot pass on your Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP) or Registered Retirement Income Fund (RRIF) holdings tax-free to your heirs? Once the second spouse dies, all monies in an RRSP or RRIF are taxable as income in your final tax return unless there are dependent children.

An eligible individual is a child or grandchild of a deceased annuitant under an RRSP or RRIF, or of a deceased member of a Registered Pension Plan (RPP) or a Specified Pension Plan (SPP) or Pooled Registered Pension Plan (PRPP), who was financially dependent on the deceased for support, at the time of the deceased’s death, because of an impairment in physical or mental functions. The eligible individual must also be the beneficiary under the Register Disability Savings Plan (RDSP), into which the eligible proceeds will be paid. ¹

In most cases, significant tax may be due, depending on your marginal tax rate and final calculations in your estate. Consider talking to your advisor about buying a joint last-to-die life insurance policy timed to pay after you and your spouse die. It can equate to a small percentage of your RRSP/RRIF holdings per year to make up for the taxes due on what has become, for some, a small fortune.

¹ RDSP – Canada.ca

How do you deal with RRSP transfers upon death?

When RRSP assets are present in an estate, there are a few steps to follow to assist transferal in the event of inheritance, death or separation.

A surviving spouse can transfer the full amount of a spouse’s RRSP as a refund of premium by rolling it into his or her RRSP or RRIF, life annuity or term annuity depending on age. Preferably, name your spouse as the beneficiary under all RRSP plans when you set them up, or make this provision in your will. Note: Your advisor will be able to look at your situation and advise you.

If you leave no surviving spouse but there is an adult child or grandchild who is ‘financially dependent’ upon the deceased at the time of death, the full RRSP can be transferred tax-free to the child’s RRSP or used to buy an annuity or RRIF. Minors, however, must use the funds to purchase an annuity with payments to age 18. Note: Your advisor should be consulted to determine if an individual is ‘financially dependent’.

In most cases outside of financial dependency, the funds are taxed in the hands of the deceased on his or her last tax return. Life insurance strategies can offset the large tax liabilities associated with RRSP/RRIF assets that seniors will face, thus increasing inheritances.

Parents: Do not make this mistake in your will

How does the Guardian Clause in your will protect children?

Caring for your priceless assets – your children.

Very few Canadians have a will, fewer have a currently updated will. Without a will, you cannot outline directives regarding your most priceless asset – your children. A will allow you to clarify your selection of a legal guardian for your children. Here are some steps to take in preparing for the transfer of parental responsibility while planning your will with your lawyer.

Choose an individual to be the guardian

Perhaps your parents, a brother, a sister, or a friend could assume the appropriate parental role in your absence. Consider living quarters, age, health, their ethics, financial means, and their current family stress load. Talk to them and get their approval first. Do not simply assume your parents or siblings will take the children.
Select a contingent guardian in case the first choice denies the guardianship, takes ill, or dies.
Ensure that the guardian will have sufficient capital to provide for the children, which may include the need for life insurance. Know your current financial net worth and how much income it can generate for your children.

The guardian clause is only an interim appointment.

In your will, you can insert a provision that you are appointing someone as your child’s guardian (which most lawyers do). It is important to remember that any such appointment is only good for 90 days as it is an interim appointment only. Therefore, it allows all interested people to get before the court (which makes the final decision about who will be the guardian). Why include the guardianship clause if it is only an interim appointment? Because it is strong evidence of who the parents wanted the guardian to be, though it is not determinative. That is up to the court.

Include these parameters in your will.

Choose a trustee to invest and manage any money that your children may inherit
- Consider having adequate life insurance to cover the children’s financial needs so as not to burden the new guardian.
Express your financial directives regarding the maintenance and education of your children, and the age when they may personally receive the balance of the inheritance.
Update your directives when your circumstances change, reflecting for example, changes in your net worth; a new child in the family; a deceased beneficiary or desired guardian; or special wishes regarding the transfer of certain assets to specific children.
Choose a competent, informed, and trustworthy executor with the patience to follow time-consuming legal detail.

What options does Buy-Sell Insurance give business owners?

When a co-owner/partner dies, the surviving business owners usually have five options in dealing with the deceased owner’s business interest:

1. Buy-out the heirs of the partner with Life Insurance proceeds: This is usually the most preferred option. After all, the surviving owners/partners know how to run their business. It usually makes sense to buy out the heirs who are not engaged in or lack expertise in the business and carry on business from there.

2. Keep the heirs in the business. This would only be advisable if the heir was actually involved in the business for some time, or has skills that can advance the cause and profitability of the business.

3. Take on an outsider who purchases the deceased’s business interest. A good buy-sell agreement can circumvent the need to have an outsider buy into your business if that arrangement would harm the current business partnership or the business. In some cases an outsider may already have an investment in, have expertise in, or a common business goal with your company that would mutually benefit everyone in the business. In this case, advance planning could allow such an individual to be part of buying side of the buy-sell agreement. The same individual may need to be a beneficiary on the insured lives of all the partners, in tandem with being written into the agreement.

4. Selling to the heirs may be an option. This may be an option when some of the heirs are involved and successful in the same line of business with primary senior family members of the earlier generation who began your business. In this case the considered heirs, should receive funding from the proceeds of a well-planned fund to cover capital gains taxes, and fund operations, and pay for the owners shares.

5. Liquidate the business or sell it to a third party. If this is the main goal, it is wise to involve discussions with the potential buyer long before one dies. If the business is large you may need to hire a firm that specializes in valuing and selling businesses. It is wise to estimate your capital gains exposure and cover any tax liabilities, as well as redeem business debts with the proceeds of life insurance which can be paid out tax-free.

In most cases, option #1 offers the business owners the best choice, with a small expenditure to buy life insurance that makes a payment to heirs with the use of a buy-sell agreement.

Remapping your mortgage finances

Plan your mortgage shopping. It is essential to plan regarding your mortgage. A mortgage specialist can help you review your needs looking at developing your most beneficial financial strategies. Over a year, you may have increased your credit card balances or taken on a car loan and find the increased payments difficult. A mortgage specialist can help you consolidate debt, and it may save you thousands.

Watch for your renewal date. When you get a letter indicating it is time for renewing your mortgage, call us for advice. You will have an opportunity to have us negotiate your best possible rate.

Work the math. We will work the numbers to guide you on getting more from your repayment process to build your home equity faster. Instead of paying your mortgage monthly, pay weekly or bi-weekly. A small change can save you thousands over time.

Are you looking for a bigger home? You may want to renovate or relocate. It is often less expensive to renovate than to relocate. Financing options are available to remodel a kitchen, bedroom, bathroom — whatever dream you may have in mind for your current home.

Consolidate wisely. When considering consolidating, good credit behaviours are essential. An excellent credit rating helps you qualify for the best mortgage rate. Don’t let your credit accounts exceed 30% of the credit available and pay your bills on time.

Significant goal planning prepares you. If you have substantial current needs such as funding education, a large purchase, investments, renovations, or paying down debt, your mortgage might be your most cost-effective financing option.

Source: Canada’s Economic Action Plan