PAC basics

A PAC is a recurring automatic withdrawal that transfers a pre-specified amount of money from your bank account to an investment or savings account, such as an RRSP or TFSA. You can schedule PACs to occur on an interval of your choosing (such as weekly, bi-weekly or monthly) and specify the amount you’d like to be transferred each time.

PAC benefits

A PAC makes it easy to allocate money to your savings. There are no regular updates to make and no risk of forgetting to make the transfer. With some quick math, you can figure out exactly how much your PAC amount should be to maximize your savings.

For example, if you have $6,000 in RRSP contribution room​ this year and you want to max it out, you can set your PAC to 12 monthly contributions of $500, or even 24 semi-monthly contributions of $250. That way, you’ll max out your contribution without having to worry about it.

Dollar cost averaging (DCA)

Dollar cost averaging is another benefit to having a regular savings schedule. If you are regularly investing into a mutual fund, a PAC can help you dollar cost average your mutual fund investment.

Because mutual fund prices​ can fluctuate, if you were to only make a single purchase, you could end up investing at an inopportune time and buy in when the price is high. Of course the opposite is true (and in your favour) if you make a single purchase when prices are low. However, trying to time the market has proven to be a futile exercise since no one can accurately predict the future.

By making regular mutual fund purchases of a set dollar amount, you will likely invest during times of both high prices and low prices. However, you won’t have to worry about investing in the market at the wrong time because your mutual fund purchases will average out.

Historically, market prices have risen over time, so if you exercise the DCA strategy over the long term, it is reasonable to expect steady growth in your investments.

How to set up your pre-authorized contribution plan

• Schedule your PACs for the same day you get paid.
  That way, the money will be directed to your savings before you even notice it’s gone, keeping your savings within your budget.
• Increase your PAC proportionally whenever you get a raise. This will help you build your retirement nest egg faster.
• If you have both short and long-term goals, save for both by setting up separate PACs. For example, you could split your automatic withdrawals to savings into two transactions: one that goes to your RRSP and another that goes to your TFSA.

Ready to create your own strategy for reaching your savings goals? Reach out to one of our experts at 1-855-541-4387.