Accounting, Tax Resources
Here we have provided a list of accounting and tax resources, that can help you in achieving your financial goal. Contact our accountants at Can-Am CPA Professional Corporation in Weston, Toronto to book a free consultation.
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RRSP Exit Strategy
What’s your RRSP exit strategy?
For Canadians, RRSP’s have been a great avenue for tax deferral for many years. So when in comes time to withdrawal and/or unwind from your RRSP how can you do it the most tax advantageous way? If not done properly you will certainly lose most if not all of the tax benefits that you gained from investing for all those years.
This article will outline some strategies that will keep some of the tax dollars that you deferred in the past in your pocket.
Before we get into the strategies it’s important to note that there is always a tax liability on retirement income (including your RRSP savings). It’s treated in most respects like regular income. When unwinding your RRSP there is also a minimum requirement that must be taken out every year. This minimum amount may be more than you need. RRSP’s can also be passed between spouses in a tax-free rollover. There are also special rules for RRSPs left for dependant minors or disabled beneficiaries.
On to the strategies!
1. Asset allocation
This strategy is to eliminate any capital gains/dividends within the RRSP. Since these assets provide a more favourable tax liability outside of a registered account, consider putting these assets in non-registered accounts. Capital gains arising from stocks, funds, mutual funds that hold stocks, dividends bearing Canadian stocks are some examples of assets that should not be held in your RRSPs. The reason for this is that capital gains held in a non-registered account get a 50% deduction for taxes. Canadian dividends receive a federal dividend tax credit provided that they are not in a registered account. Capital gains and dividend benefits fall by the wayside and are taxed at the highest marginal rate within a registered account.
Things that should go into your RRSP are all interest-bearing assets. These are going to be taxed at the highest rate no matter what, so they might as well go into an RRSP and receive the benefits that they provide. Interest bearing assets include cash, treasury bills, GIC’s, commercial paper, money market funds, and bonds.
Here is an example of what we are talking about:
Capital Gain – $100,000
| Non-registered tax liability | Registered tax liability |
| Approximately $23, 200 | Approximately $46,400 |
The amount is double because you don’t receive the 50% capital gains deductions for distributions within an RRSP.
2. Tax bracket management
Knowing your tax bracket is necessary to effectively manage how much taxes you ultimately pay in the year. Below is the marginal tax chart for the current year. It shows how much tax you could possibly pay in the year. Please note that any non-refundable tax credits that you have will reduce your taxes owing.
Let’s consider that in your retirement you need $45,000 to live comfortably. For 2018, for incomes between $42,960 to 46,605 the marginal tax rate is 24.15% (In Ontario). This means that if you’re taxable income falls anywhere between these two numbers you will be taxed at the same rate. To effectively remove money out of your RRSP you should consider removing income up to the top of your marginal tax rate because it’s taxed at the same rate. If you still want to keep the money invested consider a TFSA (tax free savings account). The interest generated from this account is completely tax free.
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Combined Federal and Ontario Brackets 2018 |
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|
Marginal Tax Rate % |
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|
Income |
Other (Regular Income) |
Capital Gains1 |
Canadian Dividends2 |
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|
Eligible |
Non-Eligible |
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|
First $42,960 |
20.05% |
10.03% |
-6.86% |
8.00% |
|
|
$42,960 - $46,605 |
24.15% |
12.08% |
-1.20% |
12.76% |
|
|
$46,605 - $75,657 |
29.65% |
14.83% |
6.39% |
19.14% |
|
|
$75,657 - $85,923 |
31.48% |
15.74% |
8.92% |
21.26% |
|
|
$85,923 - $89,131 |
33.89% |
16.95% |
12.24% |
24.06% |
|
|
$89,131 - $93,208 |
37.91% |
18.95% |
17.79% |
28.72% |
|
|
$93,208 up to $144,489 |
43.41% |
21.70% |
25.38% |
35.10% |
|
|
$144,489 up to $150,000 |
46.41% |
23.20% |
29.52% |
38.58% |
|
|
$150,000 up to $205,842 |
47.97% |
23.98% |
31.67% |
40.39% |
|
|
$205,842 up to $220,000 |
51.97% |
25.98% |
37.19% |
45.03% |
|
|
Over $220,000 |
53.53% |
26.76% |
39.34% |
46.84% |
|
1 Marginal Rate for Capital Gain, not taxable amounts (50%)
2 Marginal Rate of actual dividends, not taxable amounts
2018 Gross-up on dividends is 16% on non-eligible amounts and 38% on eligible amounts.
3. Permanent insurance
When considering one of the best ways to pass on your RRSP/RRIF upon death consider using permanent insurance. As permanent insurance passed upon death is tax-free consider how this can be used in your portfolio. Permanent insurance uses concepts from tax bracket management in that if you consider the extra $16,544 that you withdrew from your RRSP/RRIF and use it to fund a term 20 insurance policy with a cash value. The after tax value leaves a significant tax savings for your estate and beneficiaries.
What is important about these strategies, for any RRSP/RRIF strategy (yes there are more!), is the recognition that simply putting your money into RRSP with no exit strategy is not beneficial. A good RRSP/RRIF strategy with the proper understanding of your tax rate will save you and your estate money.
If you like any further clarification about this topic drop us a line by clicking here.
Links
Canada Revenue Agency
www.canada.ca
Service Canada – For Unemployment Insurance, CPP, Old Age Security, and more…
www.servicecanada.gc.ca
WSIB – For work-related insurance claims
www.wsib.on.ca
Forms
Below are a number of commonly used forms. If the form you require is not here, please visit CRA’s Forms and Publications site.
- RC59 – Business Consent Form
- T1013 – Authorizing a Representative
- RC66 – Child Tax Benefit Application Form
- T2201 E – Disability Tax Credit Certificate
- T2200 – Declarations of Conditions of Employment
- TL2 – Claim for Meals and Lodging
- TL11A – Tuition, Education, and Textbook Amounts Certificate – University Outside Canada