OTTAWA Jan Vertonghen Wereldkampioenschap Shirt , Sept.13 (Xinhua) -- More than 65 percent of Canadian households are saving for retirement, according to Statistics Canada Wednesday.
Out of 14 million households, 65.2 percent made a contribution to either a registered retirement saving plan (RRSP) or a tax-free savings account (TFSA) in 2015.
That's a shocking number of responsible saving from Canadians of all ages at a time when experts have lamented household debt at record highs and savings rates that have fallen dramatically since the 1980s.
The census data released by Statistics Canada Wednesday did not reveal how much money Canadians were saving, but it showed a change in the approach to savings by age and income level.
Younger Canadians and those in lower-income households were more likely to put their money in TFSAs, likely because they had lower earned income and RRSP contribution levels depend on having earned income at tax time.
They may also be attracted to the fact there is no financial penalty if they have to withdraw money from a TFSA for an emergency or when buying a home.
Meanwhile people in their prime working years Leander Dendoncker Wereldkampioenschap Shirt , aged 35 to 54, are most likely to use RRSPs to save, likely because they have earned income and enjoy the tax deduction of contributing to an RRSP.
The census numbers also show the increasing popularity of TFSAs, with more than 40 percent of Canadians contributing to them. The RRSP is middle-class Canadians' more traditional retirement savings vehicle, while the TFSA was only introduced in 2009.
More than 45 percent of them contributed to an RRSP Thomas Vermaelen Wereldkampioenschap Shirt , compared to 37 percent of people aged 25 to 34. They're also most likely to contribute to both RRSPs and TFSAs, compared to younger people, who may be stretched to buy a home in today's high-priced markets.
Those over 55 also are more likely to use TFSAs, perhaps because they have