HAPPY 65TH BIRTHDAY BOOMERS: RBC EXAMINES BOOMERS' OUTLOOK ON RETIREMENT AS
THEY REACH A MILESTONE YEAR

TORONTO, Dec. 16 /CNW/ - As the first wave of Canada's Boomer generation turn 65 years old in 2011, almost one-quarter (23 per cent) are concerned about having enough savings, according to the 21st Annual RBC RRSP Poll.

However, the majority (71 per cent) of Boomers who will reach their milestone 65^th birthdays next year, with financial plans in hand, say that they are better off financially as a result of those plans. Two-thirds of 64-year-old Boomers first developed their financial plan at an average age of 35, once they began accumulating assets and started saving. Four-in-ten (42 per cent) Boomers have a formal written financial plan, compared to 19 per cent of the country's general adult population.

"As a significant portion of Canada's population nears age 65 and the reality of retirement looms closer than ever, it's interesting to note that many have a written financial plan," said Lee Anne Davies, head, Retirement Strategies, RBC. "We know a financial plan can provide you with direction and the confidence in knowing your options and how you are going to achieve your goals even if life throws you a curve ball."

The RBC poll also found that overall, Boomers say their best outcome for retirement would be good health (28 per cent) followed by living life the way they envisioned (25 per cent) and having saved enough money for a comfortable retirement (23 per cent). For 64 year old Boomers, the vast majority (67 per cent) is in agreement that the best gift they could receive is "good health."

"It's not surprising that health is on the minds of Boomers and that's why we are focusing more on how health and wealth are intertwined - we know how critical both are to a successful and happy retirement," added Davies. "The older all of us become, the more we realize that retirement is less about money and more about fulfillment and living life on our own terms."

2010 RRSP FAST FACTS

• More Canadians (61 per cent) have an RRSP this year, compared to 2009 (61 per cent vs. 54 per cent).
• Many Canadians are waiting until the last minute to contribute to their RRSPs. One-in-three (30 per cent) planning to make a one-time RRSP contribution expect to do so in the month of February.
• A quarter of Canadians with RRSPs (24 per cent) plan to maximize their contribution for the 2010 tax year.
• One-third of Canadians (34 per cent) who are contributing to an RRSP plan to contribute more than in 2009.
• Only one-in-three RRSP investors (34 per cent) make regular contributions through a plan.
• While mutual funds are still the top planned RRSP investment choice (42 per cent) for the 2010 tax year, there is a renewed interest in stocks (19 per cent compared to 12 per cent in 2009).

These are some of the findings from the RBC 21st Annual RRSP Poll conducted by Ipsos Reid between October 29 and November 4, 2010. For this survey, a national sample of 1,457 adults from Ipsos' Canadian online panel were interviewed. Weighting was then employed to balance demographics and ensure that the sample's composition reflects that of the adult population according to Census data and to provide results intended to approximate the sample universe. For the older sample, a national sample of 3,226 50 to 69 year old adults including Boomers, with assets of at least $100,000 from Ipsos' Canadian online panel were interviewed. The results are based on samples where quota sampling and weighting are employed to balance demographics and ensure that the sample's composition reflects that of the actual population according to Census data. Quota samples with weighting from the Ipsos online panel provide results that are intended to approximate a probability sample. A weighted probability sample of 1,457 Canadian respondents, with 100 per cent response rate, would have an estimated margin of error of ±3 per cent, 19 times out of 20. An unweighted probability sample of 3,226 U.S. respondents, with 100 per cent response rate, would have an estimated margin of error of ±2 per cent, 19 times out of 20.

Your Future by Design® is RBC's distinctive approach to help clients identify, plan, and realize their goals for retirement. With the guidance of RBC financial planners and investment and retirement planners, Your Future by Design helps clients create a blueprint for a successful lifestyle and financial plan for retirement based on what is truly important to them in key areas in life, including family, health, home, lifestyle, work/business, mind and spirit, and legacy. To find out more about how RBC can help build a blueprint for the future, visit www.rbc.com/yourfuture or call 1-866-335-4055.

For further information:

Media contacts:
Kathy Bevan, RBC, 416-974-2727
Seema Sharma, RBC, 416-974-5606