Save for retirement 

Registered retirement savings plans (RRSPs) are still one of the most popular ways to save for your retirement. Contributions are tax deductible and taxes are deferred until you withdraw your money. 

Grow your money tax-free 

With a tax-free savings account (TFSA), you don’t pay tax on any money earned or withdrawn. You can contribute to a TFSA at any time, and your unused contribution room is carried forward each year. Use these savings for education, a down payment on a home or other large expenses. 

Ask an advisor: RRSP or TFSA? – Canada Life

Find out the reasons to invest in a registered retirement savings plan (RRSP) or tax-free savings account (TFSA) and why an advisor should help you decide.

 

 


View video script

 

Description: This animated video introduces a character named Hinata and his advisor with illustrated graphics to show the difference between an RRSP and TFSA.

Text “Ask an advisor” appears. The camera zooms out as the text lands in an outlined square. “RRSP or TFSA?” fades in below. An illustration of a vault draws on the right side of the frame.

Hinata: How do I choose between investing in an RRSP or a TFSA?

Description: Hinata sits in his advisor’s office with a cup of coffee on the desk in front of him. His advisor’s head nods to the right of the frame. A laptop is placed in between them.

Advisor: Well, first off, it depends on several things,

Description: Cut to Hinata and his advisor sitting behind her desk. She leans in and gestures towards the laptop.

Advisor: including your age, income, tax rate, the goal you’re saving for, and how long it’ll be until you need to use the money.

Description: Cut to five squares with icons and text, labelled “Age,” “Income,” “Tax rate,” “Goal” and “Time.”

Advisor: A registered retirement savings plan or RRSP is used to save for retirement.

Description: A pie graph labelled “RRSP” animates into the frame. An illustration of a Muskoka chair appears in the middle of the graph.

Advisor: When you put money into an RRSP, you get a tax receipt that can offset your income taxes.

Description: The advisor’s hand enters the frame and moves a coin into the pie graph. Cut to an illustration of a receipt. The advisor's hand brings the coin over to the receipt.

Advisor: You only pay tax on this money when you withdraw, and in retirement, you generally pay less tax than in your working years.

Description: Cut to line graph showing age from 20 to 90. The line representing income rises until retirement at age 65, then decreases gradually afterwards.

Advisor: A tax-free savings account or TFSA can be used to save for retirement

Description: A pie graph labelled “TFSA” animates into the frame. An illustration of a Muskoka chair appears in the middle of the graph.

Advisor: or any other goal.

Description: The camera zooms out to show two more pie graphs, one with an illustration of a new home, the other with an airplane.

Advisor: When you put money into a TFSA, you don’t get a tax-receipt like with an RRSP.

Description: The graph in the middle of the frame grows larger. The advisor’s hand enters and moves a coin into the pie graph.

Advisor: However, you also don’t pay tax on any increase in value in your TFSA,

Description: The hand pulls the coin out of the pie graph as the camera pans to a line graph representing savings over 15 years.

Advisor: or on money you withdraw from it at any date.

Description: An illustration of a receipt with scissors fades in as the graph drops slightly at the 15-year mark to show a withdrawal. The line graph continues to increase over another 10 years, another drop appears at 25 years, then finishes growing at 35 years.

Advisor: RRSP or TFSA or both? I can help you choose the best option for you.

Description: The camera zooms out of the laptop to return to Hinata and his advisor in her office.

Text “Let’s talk. Contact me today.” appears onscreen with the Canada Life logo and legal line: “Canada Life and design are trademarks of The Canada Life Assurance Company. canadalife.com 1-204-946-1190.”

Help your kids get a great education 

Registered education savings plans (RESPs) offer an effective, tax-free way to maximize the money available to your children or grandchildren when they enrol in a full-time post-secondary program. Parents, grandparents, other family members and friends can open an RESP for a child. As the cost of post-secondary education continues to rise, it’s becoming even more important to start saving early for their future education. 

Mutual funds: a flexible way to invest your money 

Mutual funds allow you to invest in a portfolio of assets that are managed by professionals. They let you diversify your portfolio more widely than you may be able to do when investing in individual stocks and bonds on your own. Together we can select a fund that gives you the right balance of risk and reward for your financial plan.