|
 The
Companion Advisor: Retirement
Planning
Where retirement is concerned, borrow for
tomorrow
Trimark Investment Management Inc.
A Companion Advisor Article
The key to a comfortable retirement is all in the preparation.
One of the best strategies to achieve a financially secure retirement
is maximizing your RRSP
contribution every year and sticking to it throughout your working life.
However, for various personal reasons, many Canadians neglect to make
their maximum annual contributions. Research by Trimark Mutual Funds in
1997 found that only 24 per cent of us made our maximum allowable contribution
for 1996.*
This example compares an annual RRSP contribution of
$8,500 with one of $13,500 and assumes a nine per cent average annual
compounding
rate of return over 20 years. After a 20-year period, the additional
$5,000 contribution at the end of each year increases an investor’s
portfolio by almost 59 per cent.
This chart is for illustrative purposes only.
It's unfortunate that so few of us maximize our allowable
contribution because, as the graph shows, the value of time and compound
growth over the years provide the greatest potential.
By maximizing your contribution, you could be ahead
by more than $250,000 after 20 years. Certainly, in some years we may
not have the money to maximize our contributions and that is when an RRSP
loan makes sense. Yet only 12 per cent of Canadians took a loan in 1996
to finance all or part of their RRSP contributions.* And while you may
want to assess taking on “bad” debt (i.e., debt for consumer
purchases), you should carefully consider “good” debt (i.e.,
debt that will help you invest for the future).
With today’s low interest rates, an RRSP loan makes
even more financial sense. That’s because the actual cost of the
loan is relatively small compared to the savings growth you could achieve.
And, although the interest cost for the RRSP loan isn't tax deductible,
any income tax refund you get can be applied towards repayment of the
loan.
Using an RRSP loan to maximize your contribution is
a smart move that will open up your investment
options. Many financial institutions offer RRSP loans. Be sure to
use one that offers competitive features and lets you invest the proceeds
of the loan in RRSP-eligible investments that are right for your portfolio.
*Source: Trimark Monitor, 1997. ® Trademark of
Trimark Investment Management Inc.
Find a Calculator in
* * *
|
|
Use this link to load a printer-friendly
version of this document. |
Have a question regarding this article? Use our feedback form to send us a note.
© 1997, Fiscal
Agents Money Management Newsletter
25 Lakeshore Road, Oakville, On L6K 1C6.
(905)844-7700
|
