INTEGRIS for Accountants

A pension plan is a retirement plan that requires an employer to make contributions to a pool of funds set aside for a worker's future benefit. The pool of funds is invested on the employee's behalf, and the earnings on the investments generate income to the worker upon retirement.

In addition to an employer's required contributions, some pension plans have a voluntary investment component. A pension plan may allow a worker to contribute part of his current income from wages into an investment plan to help fund retirement. The employer may also match a portion of the worker’s annual contributions, up to a specific percentage or dollar amount.

From Investopedia.com

No, you do not, however, you will need an employment relationship with a T4 income to qualify.

A Limited Partnership, General Partnership, Joint Partnership (example, law firm) or even a Sole Proprietor could offer a PPP to its employee (ie. wife, kid) if the employee is receiving T4 income. However, the partners themselves or the sole proprietor would not be eligible for a PPP.  Why? because they cannot employ themselves and pay themselves T4 income.

Retained earnings have already faced corporate taxes. As well, they will face ongoing taxation if the annual gains exceed $50,000 CAD. Conversely, PPP contributions come straight from your revenues before they face corporate taxes. This is the power of the PPP.

Generally Yes. One of the main components of a pension plan is an employer / sponsor company that will make contributions towards a plan in which you are a member of.

The company or Professional Corporation sponsors the plan. The trustees hold the assets on behalf of the members and their beneficiaries. No one truly ‘owns’ the pension plan, since it is a bundle of liabilities/promises and corresponding assets.

There are 2 key instances where a PPP® would not be suitable for a prospect:

1. Individuals who will treat the account as a special kind of short-term savings account to be used towards an upcoming expenditure before retirement. While it is possible to withdraw some funds in a certain situation or even opt for early retirement -- treating the PPP® as a short-term savings account is not the best strategy.
2. Individuals who want to invest all of their money in a single security. If you think you've found the perfect stock and want to leverage all of the funds by concentrating on that stock, you will be prohibited from doing so in a PPP®. Like all pension plans, you cannot hold more than 10% of a single security within your PPP®.

Having the PPP will cover all fees 99% of the time but the best way to find out is by Getting Started

Yes, the INTEGRIS PPP® is available in all provinces and territories of Canada

TFSA

You can always contribute to your TFSA at all times, whether you have a PPP® or not.

RRSP

When you participate in a PPP®, this creates what we call "Pension Adjustments" or PA.  The following year, the PA eliminates a lot of the RRSP contribution room generated during the year that contributions we made to the PPP. You have to understand that RRSP contribution room in 2020 is based on earned income in 2019, as such there is a lag.  

That said, some RRSP contributions are still permitted in spite of the PA.  For example, in the first year, one can contribute to the PPP and to the RRSP.  Why? because the PA will only impact RRSP room for the next year.  in other words, in the year that the RRSP room was created, the PPP did not exist thus no PA.

So, what can be contributed to an RRSP when a PPP is in place?  In the first year: an RRSP contribution usually ranging from $6500 to $27,230.  In subsequent years: The RRSP contribution is capped at $600 because of the PA system.

Yes, as long as you are getting a T4 from the organization.

Put simply -- the INTEGRIS PPP® is better in every way. For a full comparison click here

Yes. You can convert the IPP into a PPP® and gain the advantages of having a PPP®. It is an easy process that involves filing an amendment with the regulators and completing a few documents. Click here to get started.

The first $2,000 of pension income received is eligible for the pension credit (reducing the taxes otherwise payable). Moreover, spouses can use the pension income splitting rules to allocate up to 50% of the pension income to a spouse who is not in receipt of a pension, thereby potentially moving the PPP® member’s tax bracket to a lower bracket and reducing the couple’s overall taxes in the process. When pension income splitting is used, the first $4,000 of pension income can be claimed as a ‘pension amount’ credit to further reduce individual taxes.

For each member:

• Proof of age – copy of driver’s license/passport that shows the name and date of birth
• Latest Notice of Assessment
• Latest RRSP statement for all RRSPs/LIRAs/LIFs/RRIFs etc.
• Document to verify the SIN Number - e.g. a T4 slip or a notice of assessment if the full SIN number is available.
• T4’s for every year buying back past service (PLEASE NOTE THIS CAN TAKE UP TO 6 MONTHS – TIPS ON HOW BEST TO OBTAIN T4s BELOW)

For the company that is sponsoring the plan:

• Articles/Certificate of Incorporation for the company
• Document to verify the CRA Business Number of the company that is sponsoring the pension plan – e.g. the first page of a corporate tax return or the T4 slip that shows the employer number

Tips for obtaining T4s:

• Request from your corporate accountant
• Request through the CRA website
• Contact CRA by phone 1-800-959-8281
• Use CRA Form AUT-01 to request on your clients’ behalf (can take 4-6 months)

Yes. This is a 33% refund issued by CRA to pension plan administrators (corporate sponsor) for all GST/HST paid in connection with the expense of the pension plan – trust platform only (See Excise Tax Act Section 261.01).

Corporate sponsor claims deductions for annual contributions, buy-back of past service, investment management fees, special top-up payments, terminal funding etc.

We need a Canadian incorporated company willing to act as plan sponsor, the presence of T4 income to create contribution space and access to cash flow to fund the pension (can be borrowed). Connected plan members (Own >10% shares of the sponsoring company or is married to or a child of a >10% shareholder) have more flexibility than non-connected members. It works well for business owners as well as highly paid executives.

The sponsoring company benefits from tax deductions and creditor protection. The employee pays less tax and has a larger nest egg to retire on. Funds not used by the primary owner can pass to the next generation without probate or deemed disposition if they too are plan members. A spouse is entitled to a survivor pension and tax deferred rollover.

Yes. Up to 50% of the pension amount can be attributed to the spouse to reduce the personal taxation of the couple. Pension splitting can occur at any age (i.e. age 40, unlike RRIF which is 65).

Yes, at any age. Note: If pension income splitting is used, maximum $4,000 for the couple may be claimed annually.

Pension assets grow in a tax sheltered pension account instead of on the books of a Opco or Holdco. Growth on pension assets does not create tax on passive income (TOPI). Pension will be taxed as personal income once it starts to pay out (can defer up until age 71). Investment management fees continue to be deductible while the pension plan is sponsored (even after age 71) including any special top-up payments.

Transfer across registered plans are typically done in a tax free manner.

Example 1 - RRSP transfer into the PPP®: Tax-deferred using form T2033

Example 2 - PPP® to RRSP transfer: Tax-deferred using form T2151

Example 3 - Transfer to qualifying annuity: Tax-deferred under section 147.4 of the Income Tax Act (ITA)

INTEGRIS assists the person generating the T4 slip with the pension adjustment amount that must be reported annually to the CRA.
Note: Pension Adjustments (PAs) reduce RRSP contribution room to $600 annually, once the PPP® is set up. Any unused RRSP room carrying forward is not lost.

Only if commuted value transferred to a Locked In Retirement Account (LIRA) or Life Income Fund (LIF) None if pension paid out of PPP® or if transferred to a qualifying annuity under ITA 147.4

Audited Financial Statements required for pension fund if assets exceed $3M (Ontario)

Only for plans that haven't filed for an Exemption from the Pension Benefits Act.

All PPPs set up after December 8, 2020 are exempt from this audit rule.

Notes to financial statements required to describe pension expense under CPA Handbook Section 3462

By contributing monies from the corporation to the INTEGRIS PPP®, to ‘purify’ the corporation, the PPP® facilitates access to the Lifetime Capital Gains Exemption

For corporations paying corporate taxes at the Personal Service corporation tax rate, PPP® contributions are eligible tax deductions (See CRA administrative position)

Over $1 M over 20 year period. More if asset returns are below the CRA prescribed rate

INTEGRIS produces the T4A slip and distributes copies to the member, the corporate sponsor, the accountant and the CRA

Yes

No

Yes, corporate clients who contribute to the Defined Benefit component of the PPP will be granted an extension of 120 days from the fiscal year end of the company to make the contribution and still have it deductible against corporate revenues earned during the company's fiscal year