How to go about securing the best Retirement Plan in Canada.
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Is the Longevity Pension Fund a cure for retirement income worries? Jun 15th
Many retirees and near-retirees are enthused about the June 1 release of Purpose Investments Inc.’s Longevity Pension Fund. (For the sake of space, we’ll refer to it as LPF henceforth.)
Taking on the challenge of providing retirement income for the vast army of people who don’t have classica.... More »
Online “finfluencers” grow up + MORE Jul 4th
If you’re someone near or at retirement, has a column like the one you’re now reading ever “finfluenced” any of your financial decisions? Increasingly, many Canadian investors are turning to a new generation of voices online, a trend that regulators are starting to watch more closely.
.... More »
How does a spousal RRSP withdrawal work? Feb 8th
I bought a spousal RRSP in December 2019 and I plan to withdraw from it this week. Is it considered to be my income or my spousal income? I called CRA four times but no one could answer this question for me.—Tom
Spousal RRSP withdrawal rules: Timing matters
Tom, the rules around the ti.... More »
Are Canadian pension buybacks worth it? Jul 20th
Ask MoneySense
I am currently transferring my pension from a provincial to a federal government pension plan. I’m trying to determine if it is worth purchasing the balance of service and, if so, should I use my RRSP or TFSA funds. Here’s some relevant info:
Service Credited: 7 years, 140 days.... More »
Should you buy back pension service from your employer? Jun 22nd
While defined benefit (DB) pensions are the Cadillac of retirement plans, they also entail a unique set of decisions. Buybacks are one of them.
There are a few ways to build up the value of your DB pension: by working to accumulate years of “pensionable service,” of course; by transferring servi.... More »
Does a spouse’s real estate ownership cancel out first-time homebuyer qualifications?
– moneysense.ca
Q. My husband and I married recently, and we have lived together in a rental apartment since we got engaged and married. He has a condo, which he purchased seven years ago, but he has not lived there for the past three years. I’ve never lived in that condo and he didn’t use the Home Buyers’ Plan to purchase it. If we were to purchase a property together, to live in as our matrimonial home:
Am I eligible to use first-time homebuyer programs? How about my husband?
If I am eligible, but my husband is not, can I buy a joint property and I still use first-time homebuyer benefits?
–Meredith
A. There are a few first-time home buyer incentives from the federal and provincial governments. The Home Buyers’ Plan (HBP) allows a withdrawal of up to $35,000 from your Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP) to use towards the purchase of a qualifying home. Both spouses can utilize the $35,000 limit if they qualify.
And to qualify, you must be a first-time home buyer, meaning you did not occupy a home that you or your spouse owned in the four years prior to buying a home…
Q. A few years ago, I joined a public sector employer with a hybrid defined-benefit, minimum-guarantee pension plan that will allow me to move RRSP contributions made elsewhere, into the employer’s plan.
I have been told that the transferred money would have to remain locked-in until I retire or leave the organization. The total value of the pension plan, including the contribution of employees, employer and returns, is around $2 billion.
Recently, I compared the last 10 years of performance of my RRSP investments with my employer’s DB pension returns, and I noticed the DB pension plan would have offered around 36% more accumulated growth on the original starting capital.
I have 10 to 12 years until retirement and I am seriously considering having my RRSP money transferred to the pension plan. Should I be taking anything else into consideration before making this decision?
–Jaspal
A. Jaspal, great that you are paying attention to your investments and doing a double-check before making a big change…
I have been told that the transferred money would have to remain locked-in until I retire or leave the organization. The total value of the pension plan, including the contribution of employees, employer and returns, is around $2 billion.
Recently, I compared the last 10 years of performance of my RRSP investments with my employer’s DB pension returns, and I noticed the DB pension plan would have offered around 36% more accumulated growth on the original starting capital.
I have 10 to 12 years until retirement and I am seriously considering having my RRSP money transferred to the pension plan. Should I be taking anything else into consideration before making this decision?
–Jaspal
A. Jaspal, great that you are paying attention to your investments and doing a double-check before making a big change…
