This text is part of the special Personal Finance section
Like the geese flocks in the fall, the countryside returns to stimulate savings and remind people of the need to better plan for retirement. However, this year, Retraite Québec specifically targeted young people aged 25 to 34, a period which marks the end of studies and entry into the job market with a first stable job. “Among this category of savers, retirement is a very abstract concept,” explains Frédéric Lizotte, spokesperson and division head of public relations and social media for Retraite Québec.
In concert with the Quebec Institute of Financial Planning, Retraite Québec therefore launched, for 18 to 34 year olds, the I’m planning my future! competition, with two prizes worth a total of $5,000. Frédéric Lizotte reports that 4,200 young people registered for the prize, but that 55,000 others came to familiarize themselves with the various tools.
One of the messages that resonated was that time is literally money when it comes to saving. It is enough to compare the case of three people who saved at different times in life (see table). However, according to these scenarios developed by Retraite Québec, the person who does best is the one who put in… the least money, but much earlier! “A person who starts later will have to save a lot more to achieve the same result,” explains Frédéric Lizotte.
Actions that count
“We must emphasize the importance of small gestures,” says Amélie Laferrière, director of sales for wealth management products at Sun Life. For the many workshops she gives to the public, the self-described savings enthusiast has created her own slides to show the financial impact of coffee or restaurant meals, which run into the six figures over 30 years. .
In her training, Amélie Laferrière often repeats that the probability of living a long time is much greater than that of a short life. “However, we often spend more time planning our vacations than our finances. »
For several years, Retraite Québec has aimed to better equip the public with various easy-to-use calculation tools, such as SimulR, which is intended to be fun and user-friendly, or SimulRetraite, which is based on real data. The mandating body also contributed to the publication of the document99 tips for saving without depriving yourself too muchwhich is on its 5e editing.
This is also why Retraite Québec’s latest campaign aimed to spark conversation between young people and their close relatives or friends. “Savings are shared knowledge,” says Frédéric Lizotte.
Finances for women
“For women, the challenge is even greater because we earn less than men, even though we live longer,” underlines Amélie Laferrière, who set up a workshop on women’s finances. “Women experience more interruptions in their careers, to take care of children or act as caregivers. The statistics show it. At 25, a woman earns 90% of the salary of a man of the same age. But at age 45, it dropped to 55%. »
This situation is also reflected in certain statistics collected in Savings objective 2023, a Sun Life report that compiles data from 7,500 retirement savings plans. However, we learn that promoters contribute on average $8,070 per year for the retirement of their male employees compared to $5,940 for women.
While waiting for true parity, Amélie Laferrière really wants women to take charge of their financial destiny. “A housewife performs services that, on the market, would be worth $120,000 a year. It is their contribution to the work as a whole. So, they are fully justified in requiring their spouse to contribute to their TFSA, their RRSP, etc. »
Quebecers, she recalls, must absolutely realize that they are paying the high price for the custom of free unions, which does not give them an automatic right to family assets. “All women should take advantage of the moment they are in love to sign a “cohabitation contract” which establishes the sharing of TFSAs, RRSPs and the house. It’s not when we separate that it’s time to think about it. »
This content was produced by the Special Publications team at Duty, relating to marketing. The writing of the Duty did not take part.