Life Insurance can solve the final RRSP/RRIF tax bite

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Did you know that you cannot pass on your Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP) or Registered Retirement Income Fund (RRIF) holdings tax-free to your heirs? Once the second spouse dies, all monies in an RRSP or RRIF are taxable as income in your final tax return unless there are dependent children.

An eligible individual is a child or grandchild of a deceased annuitant under an RRSP or RRIF, or of a deceased member of a Registered Pension Plan (RPP) or a Specified Pension Plan (SPP) or Pooled Registered Pension Plan (PRPP), who was financially dependent on the deceased for support, at the time of the deceased’s death, because of an impairment in physical or mental functions. The eligible individual must also be the beneficiary under the Register Disability Savings Plan (RDSP), into which the eligible proceeds will be paid. ¹

In most cases, significant tax may be due, depending on your marginal tax rate and final calculations in your estate. Consider talking to your advisor about buying a joint last-to-die life insurance policy timed to pay after you and your spouse die. It can equate to a small percentage of your RRSP/RRIF holdings per year to make up for the taxes due on what has become, for some, a small fortune.

¹ RDSP – Canada.ca

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Life Insurance policies vary according to contract terms. Please read any Life Insurance policy contract provided, or the segregated fund summary information folder prospectus before the time of purchase. Full details of coverage, including limitations and exclusions that apply, are set out in the policy of insurance. Commissions, trailing commissions, management fees and expenses may be associated with segregated fund investments which may not be guaranteed and their market value changes daily and past performance is not indicative of future results. A description of the key features of a life insurance policy, a segregated fund; and any applicable individual variable annuity contract is contained in information provided by the company from which it is purchased. Talk to your advisor before making any financial decision. For specific situations, advice should be obtained from the appropriate legal, accounting, tax or other professional advisors. The information provided is accurate to the best of our knowledge as of the date of publication and is general in nature, intended for educational purposes only, and should not be relied upon as a substitute for advice in any specific situation. For specific situations, advice should be obtained from the appropriate legal, accounting, tax or other professional advisors. Rules and their interpretation may change, affecting the accuracy of the information.