Your Business Retirement Solutions
If you offer your employees an employer-sponsored retirement plan, then, as the employer, you have responsibilities in ensuring that employees have the available information and tools to assist them in properly preparing for their retirement.
Plan Sponsor Services
We provide expert advice for employer-sponsored Defined Contribution Pension Plans, Deferred Profit Sharing Plans and Group RRSPs in the following specific areas:
Plan Design
One of the most important and stressful decisions an employer considering implementing a retirement program faces is deciding which plan is best suited to meet the needs of both the employer (plan sponsor) and members of the plan. We have designed a specific process that will help you, as the employer, make the right plan decision.
Plan Implementation
Whether a retirement program is being established for the first time, or an existing one is changing providers, we have the experience to manage the process effectively and efficiently. We provide guidance and support to all stakeholders including the plan sponsor, members and plan providers, ensuring they understand what is needed and expected of them to complete the implementation process.
Benchmarking
As a member of the Benefits Alliance Group we have access to a proprietary database of over 3,000 Group Pension/RRSP/DPSP clients of all sizes, representing many industries and geographic areas of Canada.
Capital Accumulation Plan (CAP) Guidelines – Compliance and Governance
All stakeholders of a CAP program have specific roles and responsibilities as well as rights. While there is some legislation addressing these, the CAP Guidelines provide specific structure and direction in the establishment and ongoing management of a CAP plan. We developed a customized Governance Document and process that fulfills the necessary compliance needs.
Annual Plan Reviews
Good Governance dictates that every Pension/RRSP/DPSP be reviewed using a specific set of criteria each and every year to maintain the competitiveness and relevance of the program. We use a combination of the external and internally generated reports to conduct the review.
Legislative
We ensure that all clients’ retirement programs are up to date with respect to registration and legislative requirements as well as providing timely advice and information with respect to any proposed or pending legislative changes governing retirement programs.
Market Surveys
Market surveys are an effective means to determine the competitiveness of an existing group retirement program. Frequent changes in providers is not recommended and the decision to move from one provider to another should be taken with great care and only be considered once the proper due diligence has been completed. We can help make this process a simple and efficient one.
Plan Member Services
We believe that holding regularly scheduled educational seminars and member information meetings contributes to the overall success and satisfaction of any retirement or savings program.
Our range of services directed to plan members include:
Educational Seminars and Member Information Meetings
Member financial literacy is a key component to the success of any retirement program. We believe that helping members understand how to mitigate risk using the tools available to them is a vital part of financial literacy. We developed a series of educational seminars that empowers members with the basic knowledge needed to succeed. We back this series up with ongoing access and support for each member.
Asset Accumulation Strategies
Plan members are given the tools to help them develop a retirement strategy that can easily be measured and monitored. Topics covered will include: How much will I need to retire comfortably? How can I manage risk in my investments? How does my employer sponsored retirement plan help me in successfully planning for my retirement?
Asset Decumulation Strategies
While everyone including plan members and advisors focus on the accumulation of assets, we also spend time on the decummulation strategies for those preparing for retirement. Understanding what decisions a member will be faced with at retirement will help them in the planning process during the accumulation stage of their life.
Individual Employee Meetings
While group seminars are valuable in communicating and improving financial literacy, we believe that the one-on-one sessions with plan members provides them with an opportunity to discuss private matters or concerns. It also fosters a real appreciation towards the plan sponsor for the opportunity given to them during working hours to review their investments. During these one-on-one sessions, we take time to understand the person's goals and to make sure that their strategy is consistent with their stated goals. If required, we help them establish goals using the strategies covered in the group seminars. One-on-one meetings average 15 to 20 minutes.
Annuities
Annuities are discussed as one possible tool to draw an income at retirement. They are an important tool especially for those looking for a guaranteed income and those who are not prepared to weather market risks. Annuities can be used alone or to form part of a more detailed decummulation strategy.
Registered Retirement Income Funds (RRIFs)
RRIF’s are commonly used by plan members to draw down their RRSP funds. However retiring individuals considering a RRIF soon realize that there are several risk factors that need to be addressed before moving forward. These factors include: fees, investment risk, longevity risk and budgeting risk. We work with your retiring employees and apply our decummulation strategy/process to help them resolve these issues and alleviate their concerns.
Life Income Funds (LIFs)
LIF’s are commonly used by plan members to draw down their Pension or Locked-in RRSP funds. However retiring individuals considering a LIF soon realize that there are several risk factors that need to be addressed before moving forward. These factors include: fees, investment risk, longevity risk and budgeting risk. We work with your retiring employees and apply our decummulation strategy/process to help them resolve these issues and alleviate their concerns.