Maureen, age 20, figures she can save $325 each month; or she can keep frittering it away at the mall. She lives with her parents and they think she should save it. Dad says, 'Put it into an RRSP and get a tax break as well.' Her friends think RRSPs are for old fogies and she doesn't need to start thinking about retirement savings until she's 30.
Statistics show that about half of marriages end in divorce. Ed and Liz are ending theirs and are concerned about changes that will have to be made to their financial and estate plans. Some considerations, also in common-law relationships, are:
On May 25, 2009 Finance Canada announced some proposed changes to how Canada Pension Plan will work.
If approved, the changes will take effect over a period of time from
2011 to 2016, so they will affect anyone planning to retire after 2010.
Below is a brief summary of some of the most important changes:
Early retirement (before age 65) will result in a reduction in CPP benefits by 7.2% per year, which is up from the traditional 6%. This means that if you
begin to take your pension at age 60, your payments will be cut by 36%, not 30%.
Many believe that if they need long term care, either in their home or in a facility, that the cost will be covered by provincial health care or other government agencies. While there are certain programs available, a significant portion of these costs are the responsibility of the patient.
Retirement funding is a complex machine, with several moving parts. For many Canadians employer pensions and government benefits will make up the core of their retirement income.
A recent RBC survey found 54% of Canadians expect their pension will be the largest source of income, but when asked what kind of pension they have, 19% do not know.
Personal savings, whether in the form of an RRSP or non-registered savings, help pad out the post-career lifestyle, but only 18% of Canadians said personal investments would be their largest single source of income.
Glenn had thought of his life insurance purely as a protection plan. The anti-avoidance rules, risks and general restriction of tax benefits applicable to most shelters prompted him to take a new look at his life insurance for tax deferral as well.