The Retirement Landscape

Lesson One: Introduction to Retirement Plans

1. Retirement
2. Retirement Income
3. Retirement Income Factors
4. Income Replacement Ratios
5. Major Sources of Retirement Income
6. Retirement Plans
7. Stages of a Retirement Plan
8. Key Retirement Plan Decisions
9. Benefits of Longer Accumulation Stage and Compounding
10. Registered Retirement or Registered Savings Plan
11. Maximum Contribution Limits
12. Benefits of Tax-Deferred Contributions in a Retirement Plan
13. Benefits of Tax-Sheltered Investment Returns in a Retirement Plan
14. Benefits of Tax-Sheltered Investment Growth and Tax-Deferred Contributions in a Retirement Plan

Lesson Two: Introduction to Investments

1. Investment Selection
2. Retirement Plan Investment Types
3. Cash or Cash Equivalent Investments
4. Fixed Income Investments
5. Equity Investments
6. Classes of Stocks
7. Investment Fund
8. Common Investment Funds
9. Investment Fund Units
10. Mutual Funds and Segregated Funds
11. Investment Selection Factors
12. Questionnaires
13. Risk and Return
14. Components of Risk
15. Risk-Return Relationships
16. Risk-Return Relationships of Common Investment Funds
17. Diversification
18. Diversification of Investment Styles
19. Investment Objectives
20. Common Asset Allocation Strategies
21. Secondary Investment Objectives
22. Investment Horizon

Lesson Three: Government Programs and Individual Approaches to Retirement Saving

1. The Role of Government
2. Old Age Security (OAS)
3. Canada/Quebec Pension Plan (C/QPP) Contributions
4. Canada/Quebec Pension Plan (C/QPP) Benefits
5. CPP Pension
6. OAS and CPP Differences
7. Government-Sponsored Pension Programs vs. Retirement Programs
8. Individual Retirement and Savings Approaches
9. Individual Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP)
10. Individual RRSP Funds
11. Maximum Contribution Limits of an Individual RRSP
12. Earned Income
13. RRSP Contribution Room
14. Spousal RRSP
15. Investments Allowed for an Individual RRSP
16. Tax Implications on Withdrawals From an RRSP
17. Home Buyers’ Plan (HBP) and the Lifelong Learning Plan (LLP)
18. Decumulation Options

Lesson Four: Group Retirement and Savings Plans

1. Who Makes the Decision to Offer a Group Retirement or Savings Plan?
2. Plan Sponsor’s Role
3. Categories of Registered Plan Types
4. Registered Pension Plan (RPP)
5. Defined Benefit Registered Pension Plan (DB RPP)
6. Defined Contribution Registered Pension Plan (DC RPP)
7. Deferred Profit-Sharing Plan (DPSP)
8. Group Registered Retirement Savings Plan (Group RRSP)
9. Main Types of Nonregistered Plans Used by Employers
10. Retirement and Savings Plan Types
11. Tax-Free Savings Account (TFSA)
12. Plan Sponsor Legislative Requirements
13. Why Employers Offer Group Retirement and Savings Plans
14. Who Can Be a Plan Sponsor?
15. Private Sector vs. Public Sector Employers
16. Multi-Employer Plans
17. Plan Members
18. Plan Member Responsibilities
19. Service Provider Responsibilities
20. Primary Functions of Service Providers
21. Plan Governance
22. Sound Governance Practices

Lesson Five: Registered Pension Plans (RPPs)

1. Characteristics of Registered Pension Plans (RPPs)
2. How Does Pension Standards Legislation Impact the Terms and Conditions of RPPs?
3. Minimum Standards of Eligibility for Plan Membership
4. Minimum Standards of Eligibility for Pension Benefits
5. Minimum Standards Relating to Employer Contributions
6. Minimum Standards Relating to Employee Contributions
7. Protection of Spouses and Other Family Members
8. Locking In the Benefit
9. Pension Plan Text
10. Plan Text Provisions
11. Service Measures in a Pension Plan
12. RPP Eligibility and Membership Provisions
13. Possible Retirement Dates in an RPP
14. Vesting Provisions in an RPP
15. Other Provisions in a Pension Plan Text
16. Why Do Pension Regulations Set Minimum Standards for RPP Provisions?