Retirement Investing

The Top 5 Reasons To Stay Totally Committed To Investing for a Happy Retirement

As an investor working to build your portfolio, you face many day-to-day demands on your money. It's not always easy to determine what your financial priorities should be, or to stay committed to them – especially when markets are volatile.

There's one priority, however, that should always be at the top of your list, explains Lisa Li, a Mississauga, Ontario-based CIBC Imperial Service financial adviser: Contributing to a Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP). With its powerful combination of tax deductions and long-term, tax-sheltered growth, the RRSP is still one of the most effective ways for most Canadians to build the financial security they need in retirement.

Li shares the following five reasons to stay committed to your retirement plan:

• Time and tax sheltering. By contributing early to your RRSP, your savings can grow and compound over a longer period of time. Your financial adviser can help you determine how best to allocate your savings between non-registered portfolios and tax-sheltered RRSPs in order to achieve greater tax savings.

• Avoid the catch-up crunch. Many people take advantage of the RRSP "carry forward" provisions, fully intending to make up the difference next year. Delaying your contribution for even one year, however, can have a significant effect over the long term. If you don't have the ready cash to contribute or catch up, you may be able to draw on non-registered savings, make an in-kind contribution, or borrow at a low interest rate. An even better solution is to make sure you reach your maximum contribution each year by committing to a Regular Investment Plan that automatically invests a specific amount into your RRSP on a regular basis, taking advantage of dollar-cost averaging.