High interest rates, falling real estate prices create a nation of savers

Remember the pandemic-era prediction that once things were “back to normal,” we’d all be madly spending through our stash of cash — built on years of being locked down with nothing to spend on?

Well, not so fast, reports the Sarnia Observer. We’re no longer facing COVID lockdowns and travel restrictions, perhaps, but the saving trend started a few years ago is continuing.

Canadians (particularly the top 40 per cent of earners) have now amassed $350 billion in savings as of the third quarter of 2022, compared to “$300 billion at the outset of the pandemic,” the Observer reports.

That’s a 28 per cent jump in the savings rate for the group, the newspaper adds.

And the trend towards saving is likely to continue, the Observer notes, because “consumer confidence has been shaken… (that) typically leads to more saving, not less.”

What’s got people gun shy, the newspaper explains, is the fact that “more than $1 trillion in assets were wiped out over the second and third quarters of last year as financial markets and housing retrenched.” Rising interest rates “pushed the average home price down by 12 per cent,” the Observer reports, and the S&P/TSX Composite Index was down by 8.7 per cent in 2022.

In plainer terms, both housing prices and stock markets took a bit of a haircut at around the same time.

Paradoxically, the newspaper adds, the top 40 per cent of earners now have more money — many are putting their dollars in safe, high-interest savings accounts and term deposits — but are feeling less wealthy, as the value of their real estate and financial holdings falls.

The news is not all bad, the Observer continues.

Even though savings increased, there was a bit of an uptick in discretionary spending when COVID restrictions wound down, the article notes. That led to the creation of 381,000 new jobs in 2022, and wages are up by about 5.1 per cent, the Observer reports. The article concludes by warning of a continued decline in spending growth if cash keeps getting hoarded.

It’s not surprising to see a return to Canada being a “nation of savers,” as it once was years ago when interest rates were even higher than they are now. Let’s not forget that after double-digit inflation and mortgage rates at the end of the ‘80s and into the ‘90s, we had decades of very low interest rates. Low rates are bad for savers, and great for borrowers. Now the teeter-totter has tipped the other way.

If you’re in saving mode, don’t forget about the need to put aside some cash today for your future self to spend in retirement. If you don’t have a retirement program at work, and are worried about retirement investing, the Saskatchewan Pension Plan (SPP) may offer the solution. SPP invests your contribution, at a very low cost, in a pooled fund managed by experts who are focused on the long-term. SPP will grow your savings into future retirement income — check them out today!

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Doing it yourself can lead to missteps, particularly for retirement planning

Let’s face it. More than likely, the person you see in the mirror each morning is also your “retirement planner.” And, writes noted financial columnist Jason Heath, writing in the Sarnia Observer, the best estimates of do-it-yourselfers can often miss the mark.

Here are some things to watch out for.

We may mess up the key question of how much is enough to save, he writes. The math is complicated, he explains. While one might think that one million dollars supports $50,000 a year withdrawals for 20 years, Heath points out that growth has to be factored in.

“$1 million invested at a four per cent return will generate $40,000 in the first year, meaning a $50,000 withdrawal will reduce the account balance by just $10,000. Depending how the money is invested, the investment fees payable, and other factors, $1 million may support $50,000 of annual withdrawals for 30 years or more,” he writes.

Tax rates in retirement are significantly lower in retirement, and most folks overestimate their tax bill. You’ll be earning less so that will chop your tax bill, and “income like eligible pension income, capital gains, and Canadian dividends are eligible for tax credits or reduced income inclusion rates. Married couples can also split income more easily in retirement to minimize their combined family tax,” he writes.

Expenses are usually overestimated. Heath notes that in most cases, once you are retired you won’t be paying off a mortgage, the kids will be educated and gone, and you’ll no longer be saving for retirement.

A common mistake people make is starting their government retirement benefits either at age 65 or earlier. “Deferring CPP or OAS after age 65 results in an increase in both pensions for every month of deferral. Retirees who live well into their 80s or 90s will receive more lifetime pension income for delaying their pensions to age 70 than starting early,” he writes.

Heath cites a 2018 research paper that questions the old “rule of thumb” that your current age equals the percentage of your investment portfolio that should be in fixed income. While he is not advocating going “all in” on stocks, “but holding a low allocation to stocks is unlikely to maximize a retiree’s spending or estate value.’

Lastly, he points out the risk of longevity – most people are living into their 80s, 90s and even beyond. People, he writes, “should plan for a 30-year retirement.”

Most of us boomers were raised by Depression-era parents who were brought up in a “make do” environment where costly things like medical, financial, and even home repair support were automatically shunned. Long-distance phone calls and cab rides were rare events, associated with the annual Christmas phone call to the grandparents or the extremely rare need to take a cab – usually, only done if the car needed to be left at home when travelling by train, for example.

However, we are not jacks and jills of all trades, so getting a little professional advice is not such a bad idea, especially with retirement planning. Why not consider the Saskatchewan Pension Plan – they’ll invest your retirement savings professionally, at a very reasonable cost, and when it’s time to live on those savings, you can choose annuity options that will ensure you never run out of money, no matter how long you live.

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“Mind shift” on taxation needed when you enter retirement

Writing in the Sarnia Observer, financial writer Christine Ibbotson notes that taxation – fairly straightforward before you retire – gets a lot more complicated after you retire.

“Managing your taxes during your working years is relatively generic,” she writes. “You maximize your registered retirement savings plan (RRSP) contributions, purchase investments that attract the least tax possible on investment income or buy real estate to increase your net worth.”  The goal with taxes is get them as low as possible, she explains.

It’s a different ball game in retirement, Ibbotson notes.

“As you transition into retirement, the tax planning process shifts onto withdrawing assets, and doing so in the most tax-efficient manner,” she explains. This requires what she calls a minor “mind shift” for most people, the article notes.

“Most are preoccupied with minimizing current taxes each year. But this cannot be at the expense of your long-term objective for maximizing after tax income for your entire retirement (often estimated at 25 to 40 years),” she notes.

For that reason, Ibbotson says retirees need to get a handle on how the various types of income they may receive are taxed.

“There are three main types of taxation to consider: interest income, dividend income, and capital gains. All are taxed differently, so this makes it easier to structure your portfolio more efficiently when you are creating your plan with your advisor,” Ibbotson writes.

“As a general rule you want to place income that is going to be unfavourably taxed, (interest income) into tax-sheltered products such as tax-free savings accounts (TFSAs) or RRSPs. Investment income that generates returns that receive more favourable tax treatments (dividends or capital gains) should be placed in non-registered accounts.”

If you are retiring, it’s critical that you know what your income is from all sources – government retirement benefits, a workplace pension, and “anticipated income” from your own savings. This knowledge can help you to “avoid clawbacks as much as possible,” she explains.

Other tax-saving suggestions from Ibbotson include the ideas of Canada Pension Plan/Quebec Pension Plan “sharing,” splitting employer pension plans for tax purposes with your spouse, and holding on to RRSPs, registered retirement income funds (RRIFs) or locked-in retirement accounts (LIRAs) to maturity. Those age 65 and older in receipt of a pension (including an SPP annuity) will qualify for the federal Pension Income Tax Credit, another little way to save a bit on the tax bill.

“Simply put, paying less tax translates into keeping more money in your pocket, allowing you to enjoy a better quality of life,” she concludes.

This is great advice. Save with SPP can attest to the unexpected complexity of having multiple sources of income in retirement after many years of having only one paycheque. You also have fewer levers to address taxes – while you might be able to contribute to an RRSP or your SPP account, it’s probably only on your earnings from part-time work or consulting. You can ask your pension plan to deduct additional taxes from your monthly cheque if you find you are paying the Canada Revenue Agency every year.

The older you get, the more you talk about taxes with friends and neighbours, and many a decumulation strategy has been mapped out on the back of a golf scorecard after input from the other players!

Wondering how much your Saskatchewan Pension Plan account will total when it’s time to retire? Have a look at SPP’s Wealth Calculator. Plug in your current account balance, your expected annual contributions, years to retirement and the interest rate you expect, and voila – there’s an estimate for you. It’s just another feature for members developed by SPP, who have been building retirement security for 35 years.

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