Those of us who are now retired will remember wondering what the heck we would get up to once we handed in our security badge and logged off forever.  It’s a mystery. We remember asking retired friends what it would be like, and were told “you’ll never believe you found the time to work.” A cryptic and mysterious answer, that.

So, what are retired folks getting up to? Save with SPP had a look around to see.

US News and World Report sets out the list of things folks ought to do in retirement. They suggest activities like fitness, “being financially savvy,” establishing routines, caring for pets, staying social, and to “commit to your health.”

Other ideas in the article include travel, getting new hobbies, working (part-time), considering relocating, studying your family tree, and so on. 

They recommend starting off with a retirement bucket list.  “Jot down the wishes you’ve been waiting to fulfill, ranging from travel spots to hobbies. Whenever you’re unsure of what to do next, you can revisit the list. Just be sure to keep the items within your reach, meaning they are financially feasible for your budget and fit your mobility range,” the article advises.

A colourful graphic on the Age UK site adds a few additional ideas, such as going on cruises, “seeing the Northern Lights,” enjoying time with the grandbabies, and the 60-ish notion of travelling the world in a VW mini-bus.

OK, so these are all great ideas. But are people doing them?

The Satisfying Retirement blogspot reports that “worries about having enough to do and not being bored are very much top-of-mind” for retirees. “After several decades of having time dictated by work, the thought of unplanned days stretching into the future is a little unsettling,” the post continues.

A number of retirees interviewed for this post say they do a lot of the same things, but can now take their time. Two hours at the gym provides time for talking to people and reading the paper, the post notes, whereas before, you had to rush through a working in 30-35 minutes to make time for shopping.

“I’ve had three boring days in two years,” retiree Jane P tells the blog. “We have an exercise or swimming class every weekday morning. We have a garden. I try to meet one of several friends for coffee or lunch each week. I’m a mediator in training and I try to have one mediation event set up each week. I have a blog and a blogging community. I play games on Facebook.”

According to the Intentional Retirement blog, maybe retirement doesn’t look night-and-day different from pre-retirement. The blog reviewed U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data that found that “those in retirement spent less time on things like working, educational activities, and caring for others like their children. They spent more time on things like personal care, eating, household activities, shopping, leisure, civic activities and talking on the phone.”

The U.S. data, the blog notes, say it boils down to an average 2.5 hours per week more, for retirees, on leisure activities than their working cousins.

Time to try new things is the dividend that retirement pays. We wouldn’t have thought we would be spending hours and hours per week line dancing, but it’s opened up a lot of new friendships, is fun, and helps us stay sharper. All good. Try to take advantage of all the free time to try new things.

Having a little more retirement income will give you more options in retirement. Consider joining the Saskatchewan Pension Plan to help boost your savings efforts. As of December 31, 2021, SPP has 32,409 members, manages $604.6 million in assets, has been delivering retirement security to Canadians since 1986, and is open to any Canadian with registered retirement savings plan room. Check them out today!

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How will Canadians spend their $180 billion pandemic nest egg?

While the pandemic, now into its second year, has been brutal for most people’s finances, some of us – for instance, those able to keep working – have experienced a savings boom of historic proportions.

According to a recent article in US News and World Report, Canadians are sitting on a record $180 billion – what the article calls a “pandemic nest egg.”

“The pandemic put more than three million Canadians out of work at the depth of the crisis. With travel and social outings on hold, spending plunged, while stimulus and government aid boosted disposable income and the household savings rate soared,” the article tells us.

“A year later, most Canadians are back at work and many have saved like never before,” the article reports. In fact, the piece adds, by late winter 2021 a record number of new jobs had been added to the Canadian economy.

So what are people planning to spend this money on?

According to the article, there’s a long to-do list. After all, the publication advises us, “if 15 per cent of the cash hoard is spent through 2023, it would speed up Canada’s recovery.”

The article mentions backyard renos, domestic (i.e., within Canada) travel plans for the summer, and “sales of pleasure vehicles” all being up.

A Harley-Davidson dealership in Toronto says sales are up 50 per cent over last year, the article reports. As well, the article says, people expect to let their hair down a little bit once pandemic restrictions are over.

“Canadians are getting ready to return to restaurants, bars and theatres once vaccinations become widespread,” the article predicts. “Generally, when people buy clothing, it’s almost like they’re preparing for better days,” states RBC economist Rannella Billy-Ochieng in the article. She says there is “pent up demand” for restaurants and bars, in person movies, live theatre and of course, travel.

A whopping two-thirds of Canadians hope to travel once the coast is clear, the article explains.

Let’s hope some of us are able to hang on to a bit of the “nest egg” for our retirement.

According to the Edmonton Journal, research from RBC shows that “70 per cent of Canadians felt they are behind in saving for retirement.”

The article says only about 14 per cent of Albertans surveyed feel their cash flow has improved during the pandemic – 33 per cent say it got worse. The article says that the pandemic and its financial repercussions represent a good reason for people to seek financial advice on managing debt, cash flow, and retirement savings.

Saving for retirement is not always top of mind, especially during what is becoming an unprecedented national public health crisis. But even if you have to take small steps to start your plan, you’ll appreciate the effort later on. If your retirement savings program has stalled, or needs to get started, an excellent program to consider is the Saskatchewan Pension Plan. SPP has helped deliver retirement security for 35 years – check them out today!

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A look at the best of the Internet, from an SPP point of view

Half of retirees plan to bring debt into retirement – those with written plans remain optimistic

Half – 46 per cent, to be exact – of Canadian pre-retirees expect to “have long-term IOUs heading into retirement,” but those with a written retirement plan are still optimistic about life in retirement, new research finds.

Fidelity Investments Canada ULC put together this research in their annual study, called Retirement 20/20, according to a recent media release.

“For Canadians, the path to retirement is becoming more complex. With higher debt loads and longer than ever life expectancy, those approaching retirement must think critically, plan ahead and take action today,” states Michelle Munro, Director, Tax and Retirement Research, in the release. “Our latest research findings show that working with a professional financial advisor and putting a plan on paper is the best way to navigate this new environment.”

The study found that 87 per cent of those surveyed who had a written retirement plan were optimistic things would be fine in retirement – for those without such a plan, 42 per cent had a negative outlook about retirement, the release notes.

Other key findings from the research:

• About three in four of those surveyed (70 per cent) say they believe they will be working in retirement
• More retirees (34 per cent) are working to keep mentally and physically active
• Those with a written retirement plan feel better prepared “emotionally, socially and physically” for retirement

Save with SPP used a written plan to prepare for retirement. It certainly helped cement the choice of when to leave full-time work behind. The key things were to note all sources of retirement income (income at the start, and then later, government programs and so on) and at the same time, to note all expenses. Five years later, this plan is still working, and of course there have been unexpected expenses that messed up the plan occasionally. But the ship is still sailing on course.

One of our friends actually prepared for retirement by figuring out what the retirement income was and then living on it – in practice mode – for a few months prior to the big day. That took all the surprises out of it for he and his spouse. Clever.

12 great things about retirement

Many of us (certainly this writer) obsess about the financial side of retirement, but there’s a lot of other less tangible aspects about it that we must not lose sight of.

US News and World Report lists a dozen great things about retirement, including “newfound freedom,” being able to “quit the rat race,” catching up on all the movies you didn’t have time to see, being able to work if you like (but not work if you don’t like), time with kids and grandbabies, volunteering, and time for travel.

You can’t put a dollar value on these things – in a sense, the time to do what you wish is priceless. So no matter how the finances work out, you’ll still benefit from being away from the office on permanent hiatus.

Written by Martin Biefer
	Martin Biefer is Senior Pension Writer at Avery & Kerr Communications in Nepean, Ontario. A veteran reporter, editor and pension communicator, he’s now a freelancer. Interests include golf, line dancing, classic rock, and darts. You can follow him on Twitter – his handle is @AveryKerr22

A look at the best of the Internet, from an SPP point of view

Feds roll out concept of deferred annuity to age 85

An interesting retirement idea in the recent federal budget that hasn’t garnered a lot of attention is the advanced life deferred annuity, or ALDA, option.

While there’s still lots that needs to be done to take an idea from the budget and make it into an actual product people can choose, it’s an intriguing choice.

With an ALDA, reports Advisor’s Edge, a person would be able to move some of their retirement savings from a RRIF into a deferred annuity that would start at age 85.

Right now, the article notes, “the tax rules generally require an annuity purchased with registered funds to begin after the annuitant turns 71.” This option may be a hit with those folks who don’t like the current registered retirement income fund (RRIF) rules that require you, at age 71, to either cash out their RRSP, buy an immediate annuity, or withdraw a set amount of money each year from your RRIF (which is subject to taxation). Currently, the article notes, people can choose one or all (a combination) of these options.

In the article, Doug Carroll of Meridian Credit Union says the financial industry “has for years asked to push back the age at which RRIFs have to be drawn down.”

This proposed change, “addresses that to a large extent. It limits the amount that would be subject to the RRIF minimum, and it also pushes off the time period to just short of age 85,” he states in the article.

Will we see the ALDA option soon? Well, not this year, the article states. “The ALDAs, which will apply beginning in the 2020 tax year, will be qualifying annuity purchases under an RRSP, RRIF, deferred profit sharing plan, pooled registered pension plan and defined contribution pension plan,” the article notes.

The best things to do in retirement – more work?

There’s more to retirement than just money, of course.

According to US News and World Report, the so-called “golden years” should feature more time with friends and family, travel, home improvements, volunteering, new learning, exercise and experiencing other cultures.

There’s also the idea of work – huh? “Just over a third (34 per cent) of workers envision a retirement in which they continue to work in some capacity. And 12 per cent of working Americans would like to start a business in retirement. Perhaps you can scale back to part time, take on consulting or seasonal work, or otherwise find a work schedule that also offers plenty of time for leisure pursuits,” the article advises.

Rounding out the list of retirement “to-dos” are rewarding yourself with a big-ticket car or “other expensive item,” and writing a book. Time to dust off that old Underwood!

Whatever you choose to do with the buckets of free time you experience after retiring, savings from the time you were working will be a plus. The Saskatchewan Pension Plan is like the Swiss Army Knife of retirement savings products, because it has a feature for every aspect of the cycle. You have professional investment at a low cost, flexible ways to contribute, and many options at retirement including lifetime income via an annuity. Check out www.saskpension.com today!

Written by Martin Biefer
	Martin Biefer is Senior Pension Writer at Avery & Kerr Communications in Nepean, Ontario. A veteran reporter, editor and pension communicator, he’s now a freelancer. Interests include golf, line dancing, classic rock, and darts. You can follow him on Twitter – his handle is @AveryKerr22

What’s your “saving resolution” for 2019?

Let’s face it, January is always an optimistic month. We’re going to lose weight, we’re going to take that trip, we’re going to de-clutter the house, and so on.

But what are people’s “saving resolutions” for this brave new year? Save with SPP set out to find out.

Over at the Meridian Good Sense blog, writer Cindy Waxer sees several great financial ways to start off the New Year.  First, she writes, “tackle credit card debt.” Use some of your Christmas money gifts, or a bonus from work, to pay down higher-interest debt, she advises. Other ideas include saving for retirement, “getting aggressive” with your mortgage, fine-tuning your budget and to “assess your financial situation – honestly.” If you are getting too far into the debt side of the ledger, it’s time to make changes, she notes.

At the Money Aware blog in the UK, ideas include writing down savings goals, sticking to a budget, and “saving in a way that works” for you. If making automated savings withdrawals doesn’t work for you, try anything that works, including “shoving coins in a special money tin” that must be pried open with a can opener.

Save with SPP personally endorses the money tin concept. All our change goes into a little metal piggy bank, and when the bank gets heavy, we dump the coins in one of those money counting machines at the grocery store, deposit the bills in the bank, and then make an SPP contribution. It adds up!

Ideas from US News and World Report include having “no spend” days, spending time to “get healthy… without joining a club,” and using a “fast track” approach to manage debt. “Instead of saying, `I’m going to repay all my debt this year,’ which is a lofty goal, commit to fast-tracking the payoff process. That may mean contributing an extra $50 per month to your debt bill,” the newspaper advises. If possible, use automated bill payments to make the whole process simpler, and build “more” into your debt repayment plans, the article suggests.

When you look at these various articles, a theme emerges. You need to be aware of where your money is going in order to be able to save any of it. Gain control of your spending and you’ll find savings a breeze. And, as we say, socking away even small amounts of money into your Saskatchewan Pension Plan account is something your future you will thank you for – every month!

Here’s wishing everyone a very happy, prosperous, and savings-friendly 2019!

Written by Martin Biefer

Martin Biefer is Senior Pension Writer at Avery & Kerr Communications in Nepean, Ontario. After a 35-year career as a reporter, editor and pension communicator, Martin is enjoying life as a freelance writer. He’s a mediocre golfer, hopeful darts player and beginner line dancer who enjoys classic rock and sports, especially football. He and his wife Laura live with their Sheltie, Duncan, and their cat, Toobins. You can follow him on Twitter – his handle is @AveryKerr22

A look at the best of the Internet, from an SPP point of view

Retirement may be good for your health
While most of us focus on the financial side of retirement – the question of saving enough for the “golden years” and then making it last to the finish line – there is arguably an even more important factor to take into account. That factor is the relationship between retirement and good health.

A recent University of Sydney (Australia) study found that retirees “become more active, sleep better, and reduce their sitting time” once they have left the workplace behind.

The retirees followed were also less likely to smoke, the study found.

An earlier U.S. study found “the retirement effect on health is beneficial and significant,” reports CTV News. This study linked a reduction of stress (no more work) to a reduction in smoking, and more time for exercise.

The National Bureau of Economic Research found “positive long-run effects both in subjective well-being, or happiness, and in the objective health measures,” reports The Fiscal Times via Yahoo!

“Retirement is a good time in life that many people look forward to,” states Aspen Gorry, one of the study’s authors, in The Fiscal Times article.

Less stress, more time to take care of your health, better sleep – you can’t put a dollar value on that. So when planning for retirement, take into account the fact that getting out of the workforce may be the best thing you’ve ever done for your health.

Changing things up in retirement
An article in US News and World Report lists “10 Retirement Lifestyles Worth Trying.” And what are some of them?

Going back to school, the article notes, is so popular south of the border that “a growing number of colleges are building retirement communities on or near campus.”

Retirement also lets you stay at home, to “experience what the days feel like when you don’t have to hurry,” the article points out. Other ideas include volunteering, starting a second career, or enjoying the thrill of become a devoted frugality buff.

What you do with retirement is of course up to you. Having a good retirement savings plan is an important underpinning for those years of freedom. If you don’t have a plan at work or on your own, the Saskatchewan Pension Plan can help.

Written by Martin Biefer

Martin Biefer is Senior Pension Writer at Avery & Kerr Communications in Nepean, Ontario. After a 35-year career as a reporter, editor and pension communicator, Martin is enjoying life as a freelance writer. He’s a mediocre golfer, hopeful darts player and beginner line dancer who enjoys classic rock and sports, especially football. He and his wife Laura live with their Sheltie, Duncan, and their cat, Toobins. You can follow him on Twitter – his handle is @AveryKerr22

 

A look at the best of the Internet, from an SPP point of view

No generation is winning at retirement savings: research
You might think that one segment of society – the young, perhaps, or the middle aged, or even the old – would be on top of things with retirement saving.

But research suggests that ALL generations are having a tough time with it. According to recent research from Franklin Templeton Investments Canada – reported by the Canadian Press — all generations “appear to be facing challenges saving for and financing their retirement.”

What are the challenges? The article says longevity – the fact that everyone is living longer – is a big one. Parents of Gen Xers, the article notes, are “living longer and spending more of their money on things like health and travel.” That means there will be less to leave to their kids, the article reports.

Interest rates are the second problem. “Canadians have increasingly large levels of debt which become harder to carry as interest rates rise,” the article quotes Franklin Templeton Canada’s Matthew Williams as saying. More expensive debt repayment means less money for saving, the article suggests.

Finally, many of us just aren’t saving. “A quarter of Canadian Gen Xers haven’t saved anything for retirement,” the article notes. Barriers to saving for them include low income, high living costs, student loans and mortgages, the article reports. But it’s not just Gen Xers who are having problems. A surprising 23 per cent of pre-retiree boomers have saved nothing for retirement, the article states, with that figure rising to 50 per cent among younger millennials.

It’s never too late to start saving for retirement, and no amount is too little. A great way to help fund your retirement is to sign up for the Saskatchewan Pension Plan. If you’re already a member, bump up your contributions a little bit each year. You’ll be happy you did when life after work arrives.

What’s best about being retired?
For most of us, it is almost impossible to visualize what life will be like once we have punched the timeclock for the very last time.

A great blog post by Dave Bernard for US News and World Report breaks it down, listing three chief changes retirees will notice.

First, the post notes, you will finally have time to exercise. Bernard writes that now he can control “when and how” he exercises, rather than having to sneak off to do it at lunch. A second point is the sudden unimportance of weekends – they are just another day when you aren’t working. And finally, he says his creative energy has never been higher. It’s not so bad living on the other side of the fence!

 

Written by Martin Biefer

Martin Biefer is Senior Pension Writer at Avery & Kerr Communications in Nepean, Ontario. After a 35-year career as a reporter, editor and pension communicator, Martin is enjoying life as a freelance writer. He’s a mediocre golfer, hopeful darts player and beginner line dancer who enjoys classic rock and sports, especially football. He and his wife Laura live with their Sheltie, Duncan, and their cat, Toobins. You can follow him on Twitter – his handle is @AveryKerr22