We can design your employee retirement plan to incorporate the following:

• Analysis of available investment vehicles and associated yields
• Investment tracking and reinvestment alternatives
• Individual financial and investment consulting
• Establishment and management of individual registered and non-registered retirement savings plans
• Self-directed RRSPs, group RRSPs, and RESPs

Group Retirement Options

We offer the expertise and services to ease the transition to retirement for your retirees:

• Retirement consulting
• Retirement income projections
• Establishment of retirement income vehicles—RRSPs, RRIFs, LIRAs, LIFs, annuities

Individual Group Investment Products

Whether you are making investment contributions to save for future expenses or retirement, the Group Investment Program allows you to take control of your personal portfolio and achieve your financial goals with peace of mind.

• Lower investment management fees
• No front- or back-end sales charges
• No deferred sales charges (DSCs)
• No minimum investment
• Pre-authorized cheque (PAC)
• Spousal RRSPs
• Self-directed RRSPs
• No annual administration fees
• Consolidated statements

This information is intended to general educative reference only. This group material is not a specific piece of advice for any one situation as every solution is different.

Instant Tax Savings

With a group plan the contributing employee gains similar benefits to a regular RRSP as contributions can be deducted from the employee's income, thus lowering his or her taxable income. A Group RRSP reduces taxes at source, allowing the employee to have a higher income issued by payroll.

Investment Options

Part of implementing an excellent Group RRSP plan is to have a wide selection of investments available for employees.

Fees

Group RRSP fees can be lessened because of the buying power of a group of investors, translating to better returns for the employee over time.

Administration

It is easy to add employees to a Group RRSP. If the company winds down the plan in the future, or if employees are terminated, they can move their money to their own individual RRSP plans. Conversely, pension rules are more strictly regulated.

Employee Vesting

Once the employee and/or additionally the employer makes contributions to an employee's plan, the ownership then is attributed to the employee.

This information is intended to general educative reference only. This group material is not a specific piece of advice for any one situation as every solution is different.

Group Retirement Service Providers will make sure of the following:

We offer careful analysis of pension and retirement vehicles as our Group Retirement consulting team applies their knowledgeable experience of the financial services industry, including the following areas:

Communicating with Your Employees

We can coordinate, develop, and deliver seminars for your employees.

Monitoring Your Program

We monitor your program so it continues to work optimally for you with respect to:

• The plan's pricing according to your needs
• Investment fund selection and ongoing performance
• Technological advancements that ease your administrative duties
• Communication with you and your members

Reviewing Your Program

We will tender your Group Retirement program to several providers to ensure that your arrangement is the best in the industry. A complete analysis of competitive quotes will be presented by potential providers.

This information is intended to general educative reference only. This group material is not a specific piece of advice for any one situation as every solution is different.

If you own a business, pay yourself enough income before the year-end. Focus on allowing for your desired level of RRSP contribution room for the next tax year, perhaps even the maximum.

Keep your tax records for seven years because if you are audited, CRA can back-review your personal income tax returns for up to seven years. Copies of returns, RRSP contribution slips, medical receipts, support for self-employed revenue and receipts, all preparatory source documents, and T-slips may be requested to summarily assess your taxable income. Do your taxes right, and keep the proof. Avoid paying for past income tax, penalties and interest.

Be detailed in your record-keeping regarding your expenses to make sure they are allowed. CRA may investigate whether you have deducted expenses that were for personal use or for business use. So long as you can support these deductions with proper documentation, such as detailed receipts, you'll not create a tax liability

Another advantage is that you will not need to photocopy and send receipts with your tax return. But caution, the downside is that you are more likely to be contacted for a formal review to verify income and expenses not previously articulated by sending a paper return (you may need verification for up to seven years). Discuss this with your accountant.

Capital Cost Allowance

Business owners and some employees may claim capital cost allowance on depreciable business assets such as automobiles, aircraft and musical instruments required to be used in their business or employment. It makes sense to make the purchase prior to December 31 and take the first deduction in the current year versus purchasing early in the next year. Because you can claim the capital cost all year, this allows for a speedier use of the first deduction.

Year-end sensitive tax planning

Year-end tax planning ideas may need to be implemented all year round, because some of the planning may require expenditures on a monthly basis in order to benefit you by year-end.

Disclaimer: A tax and/or legal expert such as an accountant or tax lawyer can help you in special tax areas, and can give you guidance about various topics for which we often can provide a financial product to solve. You should consult a lawyer or accountant to get detailed tax information, especially if you own a business.