Group Retirement Plans

Plan Structures

Three vehicles, often used together

Most plans combine two or more of these to balance flexibility and tax efficiency.

Group RRSP

Pre-tax payroll deductions help employees save immediately, with optional employer matching.

Employee & optional employer contributions
Immediate tax relief at source
Employee owns the contribution room

Deferred Profit Sharing Plan

Employer-funded profit sharing with vesting schedules that reward employee longevity.

Employer-funded only
Not subject to CPP or EI premiums
Vesting schedule up to 2 years

Group TFSA

A flexible, tax-free savings vehicle alongside the RRSP for short- and long-term goals.

Tax-free growth & withdrawals
No impact on RRSP contribution room
Good fit for shorter-term savers

Who Benefits, And How

A plan that works for both sides of the table

Employer and employee advantages, side by side.

Employer Advantages

Tax-deductible contributions
Employer contributions are generally a deductible business expense.
Enhanced employee retention
Vesting schedules give employees a real reason to stay.
Lower payroll taxes with DPSPs
DPSP contributions aren't subject to CPP or EI premiums, unlike salary or bonuses.
Reduced HR administrative burden
We handle recordkeeper coordination, reporting, and plan administration.

Employee Advantages

Immediate tax savings
Payroll deductions reduce income tax withheld right away, not just at filing time.
Lower institutional fund fees
Group plan pricing is typically well below comparable retail mutual fund fees.
Personalized investment guidance
Employees get real advice on fund selection, not just a generic default option.
Automatic, effortless saving
Payroll deduction means saving happens by default, not by remembering to transfer money.

How We Work

From governance review to a plan running itself

Four steps to a properly benchmarked, well-administered plan.

Objectives & Governance Review

We clarify what you want the plan to achieve and your governance obligations as sponsor.

Recordkeeper RFP & Fee Benchmarking

We compare Sun Life, Manulife, Canada Life, and Desjardins on fees, fund lineup, and service.

Employee Onboarding & Workshops

Financial literacy sessions so employees actually understand and use the plan you're funding.

Ongoing Administration & Governance

Continued plan administration and support meeting your governance obligations under CAP guidelines.

FAQ

Common questions from employers

What's the difference between a Group RRSP and a DPSP?

A Group RRSP is primarily employee-funded through payroll deductions, often with an employer match, and the employee owns the contribution room. A DPSP is employer-funded only, employees can't contribute to it directly, and it comes with a vesting schedule (up to 2 years) that rewards staying with the company. DPSP contributions also aren't subject to CPP or EI premiums, which is the real mechanic behind the payroll-tax savings employers see. Many plans use both together.

Is there a minimum number of employees required to start a plan?

It varies by recordkeeper, and group retirement minimums tend to run a bit higher than group health plan minimums. Some providers look for a handful of employees and a minimum expected asset level before it makes sense administratively. For smaller teams, an individual pension or RRSP strategy coordinated across your key people can sometimes achieve similar goals; we'll tell you honestly which approach fits your headcount.

How do lower management fees benefit employees compared to a bank account?

Group plans buy investment management at institutional pricing, which is typically well below what an individual would pay in a retail mutual fund at a bank branch. That fee difference compounds over decades: a lower ongoing fee on the same contributions and returns can mean a meaningfully larger balance at retirement, purely from paying less to the fund manager along the way.

What administrative support do you provide to HR teams?

We coordinate directly with the recordkeeper on enrollments, terminations, and contribution file submissions, run employee onboarding and education sessions, and support you in meeting your governance obligations as plan sponsor under CAP guidelines, so your HR team isn't the one fielding fund-selection questions or chasing down administrative errors.

Can we switch recordkeepers if we're unhappy with our current plan?

Yes. We can benchmark your existing plan against the market, and if a different recordkeeper offers meaningfully better fees, fund lineup, or service, we manage the transition, communicating the change to employees and coordinating the asset transfer so it's as seamless as possible on their end.

Help your team build a future here, not somewhere else.