RESP's . . . any reccomendations??
#1
Forum Regular
Thread Starter
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 106
RESP's . . . any reccomendations??
I want to start putting something aside for our 2 sons future education. I'm thinking of signing up with Knowledge First Financial RESP . . . does anyone have anything good or bad to say about them. Or maybe recommend an alternative
#2
Re: RESP's . . . any reccomendations??
Pay off the mortgage instead... guaranteed return on the money you put into it
My RRSPs have done virtually nothing over the last 5 years or so, and frankly I dont see that changing any time soon. Im starting to think the only people that win from Mutual Funds are the people selling them.
My RRSPs have done virtually nothing over the last 5 years or so, and frankly I dont see that changing any time soon. Im starting to think the only people that win from Mutual Funds are the people selling them.
#3
Re: RESP's . . . any reccomendations??
My RRSP has lost money and they took a percentage as a fee for having lost it; they're the only ones guaranteed to make money from pension funds.
#4
Re: RESP's . . . any reccomendations??
Stuff it in something ultra conservative and any growth will barely cover fees and inflation, but at least it should still mostly be there in a couple of years time to do something more aggressive with when and if the market ever recovers Its that hope for compound growth that sucks you in, and the hope that they have some clue how to move funds around to shield it from the worst of the economic storm.
Last edited by iaink; Sep 26th 2012 at 7:21 pm.
#5
Re: RESP's . . . any reccomendations??
And over the years in between you've paid 20-30% in fees...
#6
Every day's a school day
Joined: Jan 2005
Location: Was Calgary back in Edmonton again !!
Posts: 2,667
Re: RESP's . . . any reccomendations??
i closed my private UK pension back in 2006 for the above reasons...i would actually have earnt more money by stuffing it under the mattress..it was worth far less than what i had paid in over the previous 15 years...due to fees and front end costs.
#7
Re: RESP's . . . any reccomendations??
When you sit down and look at the effect of management expenses its an eye opener.
If your fund grew at 5% over 20 years (I wish), but 2% of that went into expenses, the difference between 5% growth and 3% growth after 20 years amounts to 93% of the total you first invested! Someone tell me my numbers are wrong, please (5% gives 278% of the initial amount, 3% gives 186%)
Still, watcha gonna do?... I dont know enough about the market to do it myself, I have no idea about bond markets etc, you cant get a tax writeoff that way anyway, so Im open to alternatives that might actually lead to some long term growth but have some security too.
If your fund grew at 5% over 20 years (I wish), but 2% of that went into expenses, the difference between 5% growth and 3% growth after 20 years amounts to 93% of the total you first invested! Someone tell me my numbers are wrong, please (5% gives 278% of the initial amount, 3% gives 186%)
Still, watcha gonna do?... I dont know enough about the market to do it myself, I have no idea about bond markets etc, you cant get a tax writeoff that way anyway, so Im open to alternatives that might actually lead to some long term growth but have some security too.
Last edited by iaink; Sep 26th 2012 at 7:19 pm.
#8
Binned by Muderators
Joined: Jul 2007
Location: White Rock BC
Posts: 11,682
Re: RESP's . . . any reccomendations??
When you sit down and look at the effect of management expenses its an eye opener.
If your fund grew at 5% over 20 years (I wish), but 2% of that went into expenses, the difference between 5% growth and 3% growth after 20 years amounts to 93% of the total you first invested! Someone tell me my numbers are wrong, please (5% gives 278% of the initial amount, 3% gives 186%)
Still, watcha gonna do?... I dont know enough about the market to do it myself, I have no idea about bond markets etc, you cant get a tax writeoff that way anyway, so Im open to alternatives that might actually lead to some long term growth but have some security too.
If your fund grew at 5% over 20 years (I wish), but 2% of that went into expenses, the difference between 5% growth and 3% growth after 20 years amounts to 93% of the total you first invested! Someone tell me my numbers are wrong, please (5% gives 278% of the initial amount, 3% gives 186%)
Still, watcha gonna do?... I dont know enough about the market to do it myself, I have no idea about bond markets etc, you cant get a tax writeoff that way anyway, so Im open to alternatives that might actually lead to some long term growth but have some security too.
My calculation assuming you put $1,200 in a mutual fund on December 31 each year for 25 years, market growth is an average 5%, MER 3% and no bid-offer spread:
Investment $30,000.
Return $36,633
Fees charged $13,630
That is an annual compound investment return of about 1.5%. You are better off in GICs.
On average, in the 20th Century the TSX (inc its predecessors) grew at an average of 3% above inflation. Take off 3% MER and you are left with inflation. I don't recall ever investing in a fund that made the market (here or in the UK), never mind beating it. So, I have been paying someone to lose my money for me.
Nevertheless, it is probably sensible to have some part of your portfolio invested in mutual funds. I suggest a market tracker fund of some sort as it should at least keep up with the market and the MERs are usually lower.
#9
Re: RESP's . . . any reccomendations??
Buy silver or gold coins for your kids - they'll be worth way more than any investment.
#10
Re: RESP's . . . any reccomendations??
The OPs question was about RESPs and don't you get a 20% top up via the Education Savings Grant on the first $2500 invested per child each year? Surely this would offset against the management charges?
#11
Banned
Joined: Apr 2009
Location: SW Ontario
Posts: 19,879
Re: RESP's . . . any reccomendations??
http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/tx/ndvdls/t.../menu-eng.html
Personally, I prefer the TFSA's. http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/tx/ndvdls/t.../menu-eng.html
Personally, I prefer the TFSA's. http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/tx/ndvdls/t.../menu-eng.html
#12
Re: RESP's . . . any reccomendations??
You are correct. This is a significant return on investment these days.
#13
Re: RESP's . . . any reccomendations??
(and if they don't go on to HE you can put your own contribution into RRSPs later anyway).
Good luck.
#14
Re: RESP's . . . any reccomendations??
There is an argument that you shouldnt go anywhere near contributing to RESPs until you have maxed out you RRSP headroom.
Kids can get loans for college. Adults dont have that benefit when they retire.
20% tax free on top of RESP contributions up to a max of ??? vs 40% tax back on RRSPs... Not much in it.
Kids can get loans for college. Adults dont have that benefit when they retire.
20% tax free on top of RESP contributions up to a max of ??? vs 40% tax back on RRSPs... Not much in it.
Last edited by iaink; Sep 27th 2012 at 2:36 pm.
#15
Re: RESP's . . . any reccomendations??
There is an argument that you shouldnt go anywhere near contributing to RESPs until you have maxed out you RRSP headroom.
Kids can get loans for college. Adults dont have that benefit when they retire.
20% tax free on top of RESP contributions vs 40% tax back or RRSPs... Not much in it.
Kids can get loans for college. Adults dont have that benefit when they retire.
20% tax free on top of RESP contributions vs 40% tax back or RRSPs... Not much in it.
+1 on the Kids can get loans for college and then they learn some responsibility when going to college or uni - you can always help them pay it off.
Assuming your kids are young, you have at least 15 years to make the investment work for you whether it's RESPs, RRSPs or payments on your mortgage. The way things are going in the world today, I believe there are all a waste of investment capital.
Wish I would have simply bought some gold when my kids were 2 and 3 years old.