ATA Group RRSP Details

Details about the Capital Estate Planning Group RRSP Program

There are literally thousands of potential investment opportunities for those seeking to secure a worry-free retirement. We understand the amount of choices can be overwhelming at times. You may know the final destination, but charting the proper course often requires in-depth financial knowledge that a lot people are too busy to obtain. So you may end up procrastinating, or investing your money blindly under the pressure to "do something" for your retirement.

Capital Estate Planning has used its expertise in the investment industry to make life a little simpler for all of our clients. We have done extensive research to identify some of the best investment performers on a consistent basis over time. From our analyses, we have assembled a collection of 17 investment companies and over 57 funds that represent the best of the field. We continually monitor our portfolio of offerings to ensure that sub-standard performers are removed and also to watch for new funds that would complement our existing package of offerings.

Our current program includes well-respected investment companies such as Mackenzie, Trimark, Templeton, Renaissance, Jarislowsky Fraser and AGF. Because we are an objective, third-party brokerage firm, you have the assurance that Capital Estate Planning's investment choices are made with your best interests in mind. Unlike a bank or another type of financial institution, we are not limited by a proprietary, in-house product that we are forced to promote. We have the flexibility of selecting the very best investment opportunities from a variety of institutions and offer them all under one umbrella.

Key Features of the Program
No annual service, set-up, or withdrawal fees.
Many other RRSPs on the market have fees required to get in to, out of, or maintain the plan over the years. This is especially evident if the program allows you to select investments outside of the company's proprietary products. Our Group RRSP offers you investment alternatives from a wide range of well-known money managers, and the best part is that it does't involve any setup, withdrawal or annual service fees to enjoy this benefit.

No front or rear sales fees ("no load" funds)
Due to the volume purchasing power of the Capital Estate Planning Client Group, all of the investment companies represented in the Group RRSP have agreed to waive their customary front and/or rear end sales fees. That means that more of your money goes to work for you immediately.

Total inter-fund transfer switching at no charge
You are never "stuck" with the funds you chose at the start of the plan. If you feel that certain investment funds may more accurately reflect your changing financial needs and goals, it's easy and free to make course corrections along the way. Want to switch from a Mackenzie fund to a Templeton fund? No problem and no charge-try doing that in another RRSP!

No minimum contribution to 1, 3, and 5 year term certificates
GICs are good investments for the ultra conservative investor, but one of the down sides has always been the restrictive barrier of entry. Minimum contributions of $500, $1,000, $2,000, and even $5,000 are often required even to access these investment vehicles. The GIC products available in our Group RRSP have no such restrictions. Want to put in $25/month into a GIC via payroll deduction? Go right ahead.

All deposits to Guaranteed Interest Accounts plus all interest are paid out at retirement, termination of employment / membership or death, regardless of term period selected
If there is a major change to your circumstances such as retirement, termination of employment / membership, or even death, any GIC products you currently hold will be paid out to either you (retirement / termination) or your beneficiary (death). What good is your money if you can't access it when you need it the most, or have to pay a fee in order to withdraw it early from the "prescribed" term?

24-hour online access to a safe and secure website
Contributors to the Group RRSP can login with their own ID and password allowing them to log on from anywhere at any time, obtain account balances, or review their plan statement on a current basis.

Payroll deduction authorization provides immediate reduction in income taxes
Raise your hand if you enjoy giving a tax-free loan to the Federal government every year until you get your tax return. For those of you with your hands down, how does it sound to have immediate tax relief when you make your contribution? As an example, if you are in a 40% tax bracket and authorize a payroll deduction of $100/month, you will receive a refund from Revenue Canada on that same pay cheque for $40. Now your $100 is being put to work for you immediately and the effective cost to you was only $60. See more examples in our RRSP Investment tips article (PDF, 970 KB). If only all tax minimization strategies were this simple.

Contributions can either be submitted in a lump-sum or deposited through a convenient pre-authorized cheque system. Payroll deduction can also be used where permitted by local school board systems
We have made it as easy and painless as possible to plan for your retirement future. Prefer to contribute at sporadic intervals when you're able? No problem, we take lump sum deposits. Want to automate the process so you don't have to think about it all the time? No problem, we can set up a pre-authorized chequing plan ($25.00/month minimum contribution). Most school boards in the province have also agreed to take contributions via payroll deduction to give you an even easier way to "pay yourself first".

All retirement assets are creditor proof in the event of bankruptcy or lawsuit if spouse, child, or parent is named as the beneficiary
The investment management of the Group RRSP is provided by Great West Life (formerly Group Retirement Services / London Life). Your Group RRSP is offered potential creditor proof status as the investments are managed by a Canadian pension company.

At retirement, a plan member may elect an RRIF or an annuity at special rates
Saving for retirement with the Group RRSP is not the end of the story. When you're ready to retire, Capital Estate Planning can assist you with RRIF and annuity income planning and advice. We offer a seamless financial transition from your working life as a teacher to your "golden" years as a retiree.

Investment Options
In general, we have found two distinct sentiments when it comes to investing in an RRSP. They are:

• Those who want to keep life simple, but at the same time maximize their returns and minimize their risks through the power of diversification. If this sounds reasonable to you, check out our Portfolio Fund Program.
• Those who want comprehensive information on all of the various investment offerings under the Group RRSP program as they feel they have the knowledge and the experience to make their own investment decisions. If this sounds like you, please take a look at our various Group RRSP Investment Options.

If you would like to learn more about investment terms in general, such as what the differences are between a fixed income fund and an equity fund, or what is meant by the term asset allocation balanced fund, we suggest you visit our Detailed Fund Descriptions page. There, you will find explanations that will help you become a more informed investor.

In addition to the core offerings of GICs and mutual funds in the Group RRSP, Capital Estate Planning has also added a lineup of C.I. Segregated Funds for those investors who want the safety of a GIC and the growth potential of a mutual fund. If you are interested in the perfect combination of risk and reward that segregated funds can offer, please call our office for further information.

Enrolment Forms
For your convenience, we have made all of our forms available online so you can enrol as a new member or make changes to your plan if you are an existing member.

New Enrollees
If you are a new enrollee, you may want a little bit of coaching through the process of choosing the right investments. If you would like to keep life simple and choose a concept that matches your investment choices with your investment personality, check the Detailed Fund Descriptions page regarding the Portfolio Fund approach, our new and exciting investment program.

Existing Members
If you are an existing plan member and would like to do any of the following:

• Change your address
• Change your beneficiary
• Change your payroll deduction amount
• Change your investment allocation for future deposits
• Change your reinvestment instructions for maturing GICs
• Make a new lump sum contribution
• Transfer money in from another RRSP
• Transfer money between funds within your Group RRSP

You can proceed directly to the appropriate change forms.