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The Ontario Securities Commission has released an extensive new report on how Canadians are dealing with retirement.
The good news is that most of us are coping well. The study found that 70% of respondents said their standard of living in retirement was as good as or better than it was when they were working. That’s an encouraging result, and it tells us that the existing retirement savings system is performing reasonably well.
But there are some cracks that need patching. The report says that 15% of retirees and 24% of pre-retirees rate their financial situation as poor. Among retirees, 34% do not own any investment products. That figure is 37% among pre-retirees.
These people obviously need guidance and motivation. Canada is fortunate to have a range of tax-advantaged programs that can be used to build a retirement nest egg. But having them available is one thing. Using them is another.
I’ve written several books on retirement planning over the years. All are out-of-print now, so I thought it would be useful to resurrect some of those ideas, along with some new ones. I’m sure most readers are in the “coping well” category. But some may be looking for direction. And some may have children or grandchildren who could benefit by reading these suggestions. So, let’s get to my five step RRSP plan.
Do you have a retirement savings program of any type already in place? This could include a workplace pension plan, an individual pension plan, an RRSP, and/or a Tax-Free Savings Account (TFSA). If you do, that’s your starting point. Make a broad stroke assessment of how much income it will likely generate at retirement. Then add the income you can expect from Old Age Security and the Canada Pension Plan. (The older you are, the easier this is). If you have a very generous pension plan, you may need to go no further. But most people will need supplementary income in retirement.
Assuming you have no pension plan (only 6.7 million Canadians do), you need to start now. The most effective method is by opening a Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP). I like TFSAs a lot, but I believe an RRSP works better for retirement for three reasons.
Even people with modest incomes can amass a large retirement nest egg over the years with careful management. A contribution of $100 a month over 35 years, compounding at a rate of 8% annually, would be worth almost $230,000 at the end of that time, according to the RRSP calculator on the Get Smarter About Money website, sponsored by the OSC. The 8% number is about what the model RRSP portfolio in my Internet Wealth Builder newsletter has generated over more than 10 years.
Increasing the contribution to $200 a month doubles your final total, to almost $459,000. These numbers assume the monthly contributions never increase, which is unlikely.
I’ve heard some people say it sounds like a great idea but where are they supposed to find money to put aside when rising prices make buying food or filling the gas tank a budget squeeze? I didn’t say it was going to be easy, but there are two things that may help.
Walk into your local bank and they’ll be delighted to open an RRSP for you, one that invests in their products. In many cases, they will suggest you fill the plan with their low-interest GICs and so-called “high interest” savings accounts (which sometimes offer rates as low as 0.05%). They may also recommend mutual funds (typically their own) which may, or may not, be strong performers.
This is not the way to go. Your RRSP should allow you to invest in the whole spectrum of securities: GICs, stocks, bonds, ETFs, mutual funds, options, limited partnerships, and more. For that, you need a brokerage account. If you are confident in your own investment skills, use a low-cost account from a discount broker. If you want AI to make the decisions for you, try a company like Wealthsimple. If you need hand holding, use a full-service broker, but it will cost more.
The main goal in RRSP management is consistent growth at reasonable risk. The first step to achieve that is asset mix. The worst thing an investor can do is to buy securities willy-nilly, with no specific goal in mind. That’s a ticket to financial ruin. So, before you spend a penny, decide on your asset mix – what percentages of stocks, bonds, and cash do you plan to hold?
A mix of 60% stocks, 35% bonds, and 5% cash is considered appropriate for a low-risk investor. But it doesn’t always work; 2022 saw normally conservative bonds post big losses. But that’s rare. With interest rates due to decline later this year, 2024 should see a bond market recovery. I think the formula still works over the long term.
Some younger readers may want more growth potential. They can afford the extra risk because they have long time horizons. A stock allocation as high as 75% might be suitable in these situations, assuming investors know what they’re doing. As retirement age approaches, the asset mix should be adjusted to reduce risk.
You’ve put everything in place. Now it’s time to start purchasing the securities for your plan. I’ll discuss how to go about it in next week’s column.
Gordon Pape is one of Canada’s best-known personal finance commentators and investment experts. He is the publisher of The Internet Wealth Builder and The Income Investor newsletters, which are available through the Building Wealth website.
Follow Gordon Pape on X at X.com/GPUpdates and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GordonPapeMoney.
Notes and Disclaimer
Content © 2024 by Gordon Pape Enterprises. All rights reserved. Reprinted with permission. The foregoing is for general information purposes only and is the opinion of the writer. Securities mentioned carry risk of loss, and no guarantee of performance is made or implied. This information is not intended to provide specific personalized advice including, without limitation, investment, financial, legal, accounting, or tax advice. Always seek advice from your own financial advisor before making investment decisions.
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