Saskatchewan residents need to save more for retirement

November 5, 2015

By Sheryl Smolkin

A National payroll survey conducted in September 2015 by the Canadian Payroll Association finds three-quarters of working Canadians have saved just 25% or less of their retirement goal, and many expect to work longer. In Saskatchewan, many employees are living pay cheque to pay cheque, most are not saving enough and economic pessimism is high.

The study reveals that the vast majority of employees are nowhere near reaching their retirement savings goals, and more than one-third (35%) expect to work longer than they had originally planned five years ago, with their average target retirement age rising from 58 to 63 over that period.

Nearly one-quarter (21%) say they’ll now need to work an additional four years or more. “I am not saving enough money” was the top reason for delayed retirement.

Far behind retirement goals

Nationally, three-quarters (76%) of working Canadians say they have put aside a quarter or less of what they will need in retirement (up from an average of 74% over the past three years). In Saskatchewan, the number is 71%. And even among those closer to retirement (50 and older), a disturbing 48% are still less than a quarter of the way to their retirement savings goal.

Not only are employed Canadians finding it difficult to save for their retirement, many think they will need a big nest-egg. Half nationally (and 61% in Saskatchewan) think they will need more than $1 million in savings when they exit the workforce.

Most Canadian employees do not expect their financial situation to get better any time soon. Just 33% nationally and 36% in Saskatchewan expect the economy to improve over the next year. That’s down an average of 8% nationally, and down a noteworthy 24% in Saskatchewan, over the past three years.

Living pay cheque to pay cheque

Nationally, a large proportion (48%) report that it would be difficult to meet their financial obligations if their pay cheque was delayed by a single week. In Saskatchewan, 43% say they are living pay cheque to pay cheque.

Illustrating just how strapped some employees are, 24% nationally and 17% in Saskatchewan report that they probably could not come up with $2,000 if an emergency arose within the next month.

While more employees nationally say they are trying to save more (71% now, up from 66% over the previous three years), fewer are actually able to do so, with 62% succeeding in their savings efforts (down from an average of 66% over the past three years). In Saskatchewan, just 56% are succeeding in their savings efforts (the lowest of all the provinces/regions).

And savings rates continue to be meagre. About half (47%) of employed Canadians are putting away just 5% or less of their pay. In Saskatchewan, the number is 53% (the top province for number of employees who are under-saving for retirement). Financial planning experts generally recommend a retirement savings rate of at least 10% of net pay.

Nationally, 36% of employees (and 38% in Saskatchewan) say they feel overwhelmed by their level of debt.

“Canadians are saying they are having a difficult time making ends meet, and they are not putting enough aside to reach their own retirement goals,” notes Canadian Payroll Association President and CEO, Patrick Culhane. Edna Stack, Canadian Payroll Association Board Chair, explains: “Payroll professionals can help by setting up automatic deductions from an employee’s pay cheque to a savings plan or retirement program. This is the most effective way for an employee to save, so they can get on the path to a more secure financial future.”

The Saskatchewan Pension Plan allows Canadians with sufficient RRSP contribution room to save up to $2,500/year and transfer in an additional $10,000/year from another RRSP. Members can contribute online using a Visa or MasterCard. SPP contributions can also be made automatically from a member’s bank account.

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2 thoughts on “Saskatchewan residents need to save more for retirement

  1. Thanks for this… There’s a lot of points this article is making, but I want to comment on one in particular. You state that “(Canadians) think they will need more than $1 million in savings when they exit the workforce.” I’m not sure where this data comes from, but it’s true that 1 million dollars is the number financial planners put out to the public as the magic retirement number. If Canadians actually do say they think they need one million, it’s probably because this is the number they’ve been told over and over again. My feeling is it discourages a lot of people from even starting to save, and it is not based on any hard evidence – probably it is based on a need to scare people into handing over their cash to financial advisors. The truth is there is no magic number, everybody’s personal situation is so different, and the future so unpredictable, that there’s no way to tell how much you will actually need for your retirement. I’d like to see some research on the finances of actual retirees who are living a happy retirement on less than a million dollar nest egg. What are their actual expenses? How does it vary, urban to rural and between provinces?

    1. You make excellent points. Take a look at BOOK REVIEW: THE REAL RETIREMENT Why you could be better off than you think (http://savewithspp.com/?s=Fred+Vettese&submit=Search). actuary Fred vettese agrees with you people can live well on much more than they think. We will be reviewing his new book “The Essential Retirement Guide: A Contrarian’s Perspective” in the new year.

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