Home » News & Events » Financial Planning » QUESTIONS FROM CLIENTS: WHAT IS A RIF & HOW DOES IT WORK?

QUESTIONS FROM CLIENTS: WHAT IS A RIF & HOW DOES IT WORK?

by | Dec 30, 2022 | Financial Planning, Retirement Planning, Tax Planning | 0 comments

Today we’re talking about another common question from clients – what is a RIF and how does it work?

A RIF is simply a conversion from your Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP) to a Registered Retirement Income Fund. So the income version of the tax sheltering that you receive from a registered account. A RIF is set up so you can continue to enjoy growth on your assets without paying tax as the assets grow.

Of course, you are going to be taxed when you take money out of your RIF. So how does that work?

You have to convert your RRSP to a RIF at age 71, and you must begin to draw income out of the RIF at age 72.

You can convert to a RIF prior to that if you choose to. You can also convert partially to a RIF from your RRSP account if you choose to, which can be a great way for you to use the pension tax credit for example.

So how much do you take out of a RIF when it’s time to convert? You have to take out a designated amount that’s specified by the Government as a percentage of your assets. Your assets will be calculated on December 31 of the previous calendar year and a percentage applied to it based on what CRA determines. This will give the minimum amount that you have to take out of your RIF once it’s in RIF format. You can always take more out of your RIF if you choose.

When you take money out of your RIF, it is taxed as ordinary income. The RIF minimum will not be taxed immediately, but you need to consider it in your tax planning for the year. Anything over and above RIF minimum will incur a withholding tax, and that portion will be taxed as you go. You can ask to have your RIF minimum taxed as you go as well, but it’s not automatic.

Another common question we get asked is whether you are taxed twice on a RIF? And the answer to that is absolutely not.

When you make a contribution to your RRSP in your working years, typically you are at a much higher income than you are in your retirement years. Often this means you get a great tax benefit throughout your working career to make those RRSP contributions. Following that up, you pay a much lower rate of tax when you draw that money out from your RIF.

So are you taxed on your RIF? Absolutely, but you’re certainly not double-taxed. And typically, you are seeing a significant benefit in terms of tax planning from your working career to your retirement years.

If you have any questions about how your RIF fits into your financial plan, please contact your advisor or give us a call.