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Self-employed with no pension Aug 16th
The year 1975 was the high water mark for bell bottoms, soul music and workplace pensions. Back then, around half of Canadian workers had some sort of pension plan through their employers to save for retirement. These days, just under 40%. For the roughly 2.6 million Canadians who work for.... More »
How does age affect life insurance rates? + MORE Sep 14th
Most of us go through life assuming we’ll reach a ripe old age—and that’s fair, because most of us do. But if you have dependents, it’s wise to protect them from the financial fallout of your death—even if you’re still young and healthy—by getting life insurance. Your age is a pretty b.... More »
How much money do you need to retire in Canada? Is it really $1.7 million? + MORE Mar 1st
Retired Money highlights
Canadians think they need $1.7 million to retire, according to a BMO pollHow to save $1.7 million in RRSPsOther factors for determining how much you need to save for retirement
If you’re just starting out on the long road to saving for retirement, you may have heard ab.... More »
What is RetireMint? The Canadian online platform shows retirement planning isn’t just about finances Sep 27th
I have to admit that when I first heard about RetireMint, it was the clever name that initially got my attention. At first glance, it seems like a misspelling of the ubiquitous term retirement. However, those who follow personal finance news and use the numerous tools and apps devoted to it will pro.... More »
How does an executor pay estate expenses during the probate process? + MORE May 4th
I’ve realized that my large RRSP would generate a very large income tax bill if I die in the near future. I don’t have a spouse, or anyone who qualifies as a beneficiary to my RRSP on a tax-deferred basis. How can my executor pay my income taxes if it takes a year to get probated?—Carol
.... More »
The ins and outs of tax and estate planning for a RRIF
– moneysense.ca
Q: I’m 81, single, female, with around $265,000 in a RRIF (invested in two different financial institutions, both mutual funds). My withdrawal is about $12,000 a year.
How can I minimize tax payable (by my beneficiaries) at death?
— Lydia
A: The tax savings and deferral from contributing to a Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP) can be a good thing. But in retirement, and on death, the tax payable on withdrawals from a registered account is an important tax and estate consideration.
As you may know, Lydia, a Registered Retirement Income Fund (RRIF) can be left on your death to a surviving spouse or common-law partner on a tax-deferred basis. In certain instances, a RRIF can also be left to a financially dependent child or grandchild. They must live with you, be dependent upon you, and have an income below the basic personal exemption in the year of your death. If these conditions apply, some or all of the value of your RRIF can be taxed on their tax return instead of having all of it taxed on your tax return…
How can I minimize tax payable (by my beneficiaries) at death?
— Lydia
A: The tax savings and deferral from contributing to a Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP) can be a good thing. But in retirement, and on death, the tax payable on withdrawals from a registered account is an important tax and estate consideration.
As you may know, Lydia, a Registered Retirement Income Fund (RRIF) can be left on your death to a surviving spouse or common-law partner on a tax-deferred basis. In certain instances, a RRIF can also be left to a financially dependent child or grandchild. They must live with you, be dependent upon you, and have an income below the basic personal exemption in the year of your death. If these conditions apply, some or all of the value of your RRIF can be taxed on their tax return instead of having all of it taxed on your tax return…
How will a pension buyback impact your income tax return?
– moneysense.ca
Q. I plan to do a pension buyback for my service with the Government of Canada. Can I deduct the lump sum payment from my total income if I fully pay the amount at once? And will the total income reported on my T4 be reduced if I choose to deduct a certain amount from each pay stub? Looking forward to your reply. Thank you.
— Alice
A. You’re asking about how your pension buyback will impact your yearly income tax return. Great questions!
First, some background: As a participant in the federal government’s defined-benefit pension plan, public sector employees accumulate years of “pensionable service,” which build credits toward an eventual retirement pension.
Then, at retirement, your total pensionable service is used to calculate your pension benefits. This total can include current service (all of the full and partial years you’ve worked while enrolled in the pension plan you’re retiring from), service that you’ve transferred from one plan to another (if you switched jobs and were able to take your pension with you to your new job), and service you have “bought back” to cover a period when you were not contributing to the pension (such as during maternity or parental leave, for example)…
— Alice
A. You’re asking about how your pension buyback will impact your yearly income tax return. Great questions!
First, some background: As a participant in the federal government’s defined-benefit pension plan, public sector employees accumulate years of “pensionable service,” which build credits toward an eventual retirement pension.
Then, at retirement, your total pensionable service is used to calculate your pension benefits. This total can include current service (all of the full and partial years you’ve worked while enrolled in the pension plan you’re retiring from), service that you’ve transferred from one plan to another (if you switched jobs and were able to take your pension with you to your new job), and service you have “bought back” to cover a period when you were not contributing to the pension (such as during maternity or parental leave, for example)…
The Liberals have raised the amount you can borrow from your RRSP to buy a home, but there are costs, writes Gordon Pape.
