A REGISTERED RETIREMENT SAVINGS PLAN (RRSP) PROVIDES ONE OF THE FEW ways in which Canadians can shelter their income from taxes. Still, the vast majority of Canadians don’t take full advantage of their RRSP eligibility. According to Statistics Canada, less than one in five Canadians contributed to an RRSP in 2002. And the amount they contributed represented only about nine per cent of the total room available.
We often hear people say that “I don’t like RRSP’s” or that they are “not good to invest in.” But when you look at the big picture, the math is clear, for most Canadians, there is no better place to save for your retirement. Where else can a person earning $60,000 a year, paying income taxes at a rate of 40 per cent, put away $10,000 and get a $4,000 gift in return?
Not only do you get an immediate deduction from your annual tax bill,
but your investment within an RRSP grows tax deferred. And when you reach the age of 71 and have to convert your plan to another tax-deferred investment vehicle such as a registered retirement income fund (RRIF), only the money you withdraw is subject to income tax. The rest remains within the tax-free environment until you need it. The key is pay less in taxes during retirement than you were paying while you were working.
The federal government introduced RRSP’s in Canada in 1957 to encourage Canadians to save for retirement. Before RRSP’s, only individuals who belonged to employer-sponsored registered pension plans could deduct pension contributions from their taxable income. Several legislative changes have occurred over the decades that have encouraged larger RRSP contributions. Today, annual RRSP room is a calculation of 18% of your earned income minus a “pension adjustment” up to a maximum of $19,000 as of this year (it will be $20,000 next year). If that is not used up it is carried forward and added to next year’s room. A section on your Notice of Assessment you receive back from the government when you submit your income tax will outline what RRSP contribution room you currently have.
In today’s modern work environment, many people do not have the option to join in a company pension plan. As companies cut back on their pension plans, people have fewer opportunities to help them save for retirement. It’s crucial that people put something away to supplement their income in their retirement years. RRSPs are an excellent option to save for retirement.
Another misconception that we often see is the client who is looking to “buy an RRSP?” It’s important to understand that RRSPs are not something you can actually buy or invest in, but rather a name or title given to any type of investments such as a GIC’s, mutual funds, stocks or bonds, that is held within the plan. You can hold the exact same investments ‘outside’ your RRSP in a non-registered plan, but you will not get tax deduction or tax deferred growth. Think of an RRSP as a tax-saving box that you put your investment into. In a future article, we will touch on the different tax consequences of money held ‘outside’ your RRSPs.
For now however, if you have an RRSP, you have until February 29 to “top it up” to save on your 2007 tax return. But if you don’t have one, make it your month to start! Don’t be afraid to look for professional advice on what investments you should hold inside your RRSP….this decision will have the biggest impact on your retirement savings.
For most people easiest way to contribute to your RRSP is by arranging for automatic monthly withdrawals throughout the year rather than investing a single lump sum. Paying your self first is an old principle but very practical and easy to do, and has many benefits along the way. Some day you will want to retire, plan for it.
