Bruce MacKay - Insurance

Tax planning strategies for high-income earners

Depending on your province of residence, you may be subject to tax at a rate of 50% or higher when your income exceeds a set amount.

Discover several strategies that make for a tax-smart wealth plan.

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These days it can seem like there's a tax on everything and with Canada's progressive tax system the more income you earn the higher your tax rate.

If you face a high tax burden, you'll be interested in how you can reduce it or at least manage it.

One way is with insurance.

Most people think of insurance for their home, their Auto and life.

But did you know that life insurance can help cover the taxes due when your estate is settled?

What's more there are Insurance based investment strategies that can provide tax free income during your retirement and tax-free benefits to the beneficiaries of your Estate.

Another way is with family income splitting.

Family income splitting involves transferring investment income that would otherwise be taxed at your higher tax rate to family members who are taxed at lower rates.

Here are two additional ways to split income with your family.

One, a family trust which enables you to provide funds for your children or grandchildren’s needs while reducing taxes.

Two, a spousal loan strategy which enables your lower income spouse to earn investment income at their lower tax rate.

Here's some other ways to reduce tax.

If you have an RRSP contribute as much as you can to maximize the tax deferred growth over time.

Also take advantage of the tax free savings account if you haven't done so already to earn tax-free investment income.

Next look at your non-registered savings and how the different types of investments are taxed.

Capital gains and dividends from Canadian corporations received preferential tax treatment while interest income from GICs or bonds is fully taxable at your marginal rate.

Here's a tip - put more of your interest-bearing investments in your registered accounts like your RRSP where they are sheltered from taxes, then put more of your taxed advantage dividend-paying investments into your non registered accounts.

And here's one more tip.

Always make sure you speak with a qualified professional tax advisor to get the right tax advice for you.

This video is provided by RBC Wealth Management for informational purposes only. The comments contained in this video are general in nature, and do not constitute legal, investment, trust, estate, accounting or tax advice. RBC Dominion Securities Inc.*, Royal Trust Corporation of Canada, The Royal Trust Company, RBC PH&N Investment Counsel Inc., RBC Wealth Management Financial Services Inc. are affiliated corporate entities and member companies of RBC Wealth Management, a business segment of Royal Bank of Canada. *Member – Canadian Investor Protection Fund. Please visit www.rbc.com/legal/ for further information on the entities that are member companies of RBC Wealth Management. ®/TM Trademark(s) of Royal Bank of Canada. Used under license. © 2021 Royal Bank of Canada. All rights reserved.

Andrew Sipes, CLU

Estate Planning Specialist, RBC Wealth Management Financial Services Inc.

Andrew loves the insurance business. It’s not the products, it’s the opportunity to learn about you, your family and your life as a whole and how insurance may help you to reach your most cherished goals. That accounts for Andrew’s core purpose: to focus on people and provide the optimal solution for their unique circumstances.

Fundamentally, Andrew is an educator. He says, “If I hadn’t chosen the insurance business I would probably be a teacher. As an Estate Planning Specialist, my role is to educate clients on which situations these products are for, and how you make them work.” It is not about the sale. It’s about helping people discover an insurance solution that works for them, if any. It’s always about people, not product.

Andrew has been an Estate Planning Specialist since 1993. He lives in Toronto with his wife, daughter and their dog. An amateur boxer until 1992, he was the Ontario middleweight champion. Now he’s an avid squash player and fisherman.

Insurance solutions

A solution for your corporate needs

Every day, you make crucial business decisions affecting the financial health of your business organization. And you know how important it is to have the best possible services and products to help effectively manage your finances. Making the right financial decisions is a big responsibility – and we can help.

Some of the best opportunities for small corporations, including holding companies, come from using tax-exempt life insurance. It is a tax-efficient means of transferring wealth out of a corporation into the hands of the next generation when you pass away.

We can provide you with access to a vast array of products and services geared towards the needs of businesses and corporations. An important part of preparing your business for continued success is to prepare it for the unexpected. We have access to a wide array of business protection strategies:

Funding buyout agreements

In the case of partnerships, the death or disability of one partner can have a devastating effect on the survival of a business. Insurance can provide an excellent method of funding buyout agreements so that the remaining partner takes full control of the business and the surviving family is properly compensated.

Shared ownership

For companies that wish to retain top employees, the shared ownership of a permanent insurance policy can be an attractive opportunity. It protects the company against the death of the employee, and motivates that person to remain with the firm through the enticement of an attractive, low-cost retirement asset. This arrangement can create a win-win situation for everyone.

Minimizing corporate taxes

If corporate assets are invested in fixed income, then an insurance strategy can not only reduce its taxable income but it will lower the value of the business by the amount of the investment, thereby reducing the inevitable capital gains tax liability.

Maximizing corporate assets

By taking advantage of tax-deferred growth inside a Universal Life or Whole Life policy, corporate assets can avoid accrual taxation and grow to a much greater value than if they were invested in a regular account. Not only that, but upon death, most, if not all, of the proceeds can be paid out of the corporation tax-free. Ordinarily they would be paid out as taxable dividends, requiring approximately one third of the value to be paid in taxes.

Executive life insurance planning

Executive life insurance enables you to provide managers and executives with a supplementary benefit package. In this instance, both you and your executive purchase a tax-exempt life insurance policy with your executive named as the insured. Both of you will share the benefits. This form of insurance provides protection for an executive's family, while you benefit from an investment offering tax-deferred growth.

Business succession planning

A business succession plan can help protect your business when an owner-shareholder retires or passes away. Elements of a successful business succession plan include buy-sell agreements, a Will and powers of attorney.

A buy-sell provision is a shareholder agreement that allows for the orderly transfer of shares in the event of disability, death or retirement of a shareholder. Upon the death of a shareholder, the buy-sell agreement generally instructs the corporation to purchase the shares of the deceased. Insurance is a cost-effective way of providing the necessary funds to carry out those instructions.

Key person insurance

Many companies, public or private, large or small, often rely on the skills and contributions of a single person. Proficient with all levels of the firm's operations, respected by staff and trusted by clients, such key individuals play a crucial role in the company's success. The sudden departure of a key person can create a void, difficult, if not near impossible and costly, to fill. Taking out life insurance on the key person, or people, in your organization can help mitigate these costs.

A solution for your personal needs

We understand that creating and effectively managing your wealth is just part of the equation. It's also important to preserve it. Through the use of insurance strategies, we can help you preserve your wealth during your lifetime, and protect the value of your estate for your family and other beneficiaries. Insurance strategies can also help you maximize the wealth you transfer to your heirs.

Estate creation and preservation

You can offset costs that are incurred at death and preserve your estate by having insurance proceeds pay them for you. Taxes, liabilities, estate-related and other future costs can all be offset by your permanent insurance coverage. By taking advantage of the preferred status of tax-exempt life insurance, you can maximize the value of your assets and maximize the value being transferred to the next generation. Living benefits insurance is also vital to estate preservation, by ensuring funds are available should you require them at a time of illness.

Tax minimization

Tax-exempt insurance can eliminate the annual taxes you pay on your investment growth, as well as those payable when you die. Individuals tired of being punished for strong earnings may appreciate this tax-protector opportunity. The long-term value of these products is that their earnings can often greatly eclipse what would otherwise be earned through regular investing.

Estate maximization and protection

If part of your portfolio is held in GICs, Canada Savings Bonds or a bank account, you have probably never given a second thought to market fluctuations. Sticking to a conservative investment strategy can lead to peace of mind in the short term, but it may put you at risk in the long run. Essentially, you risk outliving your retirement savings. Generally speaking, one way to ensure that you have enough money to meet your retirement needs is to diversify your portfolio. You can get the security of a GIC and the performance potential of the stock market without needlessly risking your hard-earned savings with segregated funds.

Income enhancement

Certain solutions using insurance products can provide a supplemental stream of cash, thereby enhancing retirement income. The net income derived from this strategy may be significantly higher than what is achievable with traditional fixed-income vehicles, especially during times of low interest rates.

Insurance products are offered through RBC Wealth Management Financial Services Inc. (“RBC WMFS”), a subsidiary of RBC Dominion Securities Inc.* RBC WMFS is licensed as a financial services firm in the province of Quebec.

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