Good morning. And happy October. It\u2019s officially spooky season, so prepare to get scared about the thing that keeps us all up at night: Am I saving enough?<\/p>\n
The kids are all right… right? <\/p>\n
We\u2019ve all seen the headlines about Gen Z\u2019s saving habits, and their apparent impending doom. But in my coverage, I\u2019ve tried to make one thing clear: This generation is actually very financially savvy.<\/p>\n
Last year, I reported that Gen Zers are contributing more to their RRSPs<\/a> than millennials did at the same age, according to Statistics Canada. In 2023, the median RRSP contribution among Canadians under 25 was $1,880, more than 20 per cent higher than what millennials contributed in 2009, even after adjusting for inflation.<\/p>\n But a new report<\/a> from the insurance agency Canada Life adds an interesting wrinkle. It finds that Gen Z employees are withdrawing from their RRSPs 12 per cent more often than millennials did at the same age, and 42 per cent more than Gen X.<\/p>\n That doesn\u2019t mean young people aren\u2019t saving for retirement. Rather, the report explores why they may be more willing (or forced) to tap those savings early. One explanation is financial nihilism, which is the belief that because the future is increasingly uncertain, there is no benefit in sacrificing today to save for decades from now.<\/p>\n What really caught my attention, though, was what this could mean beyond Gen Z\u2019s own retirement accounts. The report argues that lower long-term savings could eventually mean less capital available for investment, greater reliance on public assistance, lower consumer spending in retirement and more people staying in the workforce longer. Not to mention it affects career trajectories and skill distribution.<\/p>\n In other words, this isn\u2019t only a Gen Z problem. It could eventually become an employer, government and economic problem, too.<\/p>\n Are employers thinking about this? Have conversations about younger workers\u2019 retirement preparedness come up at your organization? Let me know at mraman@globeandmail.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n Subscribe to the Retire Rich newsletter<\/p>\n Are you reading this newsletter on the web or did someone forward the e-mail version to you? If so, you can sign up for Retire Rich here<\/a>.The Calculator <\/p>\n Canadian insolvencies have climbed back to pre-pandemic levels, but how Canadians deal with their debt has changed<\/a>. Nearly four in five insolvent Canadians now choose consumer proposals over bankruptcy, allowing many to keep assets while repaying a negotiated portion of their debt.<\/p>\n The Retirement Receipt Open this photo in gallery:<\/a><\/p>\n Photo Illustration by the Globe and Mail. Sources: Getty Images<\/p>\n How a couple with different money habits managed a $1-million inheritance<\/a><\/p>\n The numbers: Christopher and Jacqueline, both nearing 50, inherited almost $1-million after Jacqueline\u2019s parents died. The Toronto couple are government workers with pensions and have a university-aged daughter.<\/p>\n The strategy: They used the inheritance to pay off their mortgage, max out both of their TFSAs and contribute to a spousal RRSP, while giving their daughter $10,000. The remaining few hundred thousand dollars stayed invested in Jacqueline\u2019s name, balancing Christopher\u2019s instinct to save with her desire to maintain control over her inheritance.<\/p>\n Best of the Rest <\/p>\n \ud83c\udfe0 Hopes for a housing market comeback are fading as mortgage rates rise.<\/a> Fixed rates are approaching the mid-4-per-cent range, adding another affordability hurdle as weak consumer confidence, lower immigration and economic uncertainty already keep buyers on the sidelines.<\/p>\n \ud83c\udfaf Former Vanguard Canada CEO is betting on prediction markets.<\/a> Atul Tiwari and a group of veteran finance executives are seeking regulatory approval for Verdx, which would be Canada\u2019s first investment dealer focused exclusively on prediction-market trades.<\/p>\n \ud83d\uded2 A probe into grocery pricing could end up benefiting Canada\u2019s biggest chains.<\/a> The Competition Bureau is studying whether minimum advertised pricing policies keep prices higher, but small grocers warn that scrapping them could give large retailers even more of a competitive advantage.<\/p>\n