After reading Rob Carrick’s article in the Globe and Mail on a study commissioned by the Federal Government on Registered Education Savings Plans, I went looking for the report. Fortunately, it is available online (Update: The report referred here is no longer available online. Contact me with request for industry_practices.pdf if you need a copy), provides a wealth of interesting information and explains various RESP options available to parents in a clear and straightforward manner. As Mr. Carrick has highlighted the shortcomings in the design of group RESP plans in his column, I am going to focus on interesting tidbits in the report:
- Participation in RESPs is low: only 35.2% of children aged 0 to 17 years received a Canada Education Savings Grant.
- The Canada Learning Bond provides $500 for low-income families to establish a RESP account and allows for an annual contribution of $100 thereafter but the participation rate is a miniscule 8%. The CLB program has paid out a paltry $24 million to date.
- The biggest “complaint” against RESPs offered by banks and brokerages is that they are not “vigorously” marketed.
- It is shocking that 3.2% of group RESP plans were cancelled or terminated in 2006. Even more shockingly, 1.9% of group scholarship plans were closed by the group RESP vendors and subscribers paid the price: “When the group scholarship provider closes a group plan, the subscriber can reclaim the contributions, and these are then returned net of fees and without the investment income. Closing also means the grant and bond are repaid to the government, and these cannot be earned back later if new contributions are made for the same beneficiary.”
- The report notes two benefits of group scholarships: the mandatory contribution schedule may force some people to save for their child’s education and the proactive marketing of these plans may result in higher participation in RESPs.
- Corporate governance of scholarship trusts leaves much to be desired and there is no disclosure of executive compensation.
- The criticism that scholarship trusts have high fees is justified. The report notes that in 2006, some 20% of gross contributions went towards fees. Granted some of the enrolment fees may be refunded but the present value of the refund is quite small.
- If a group RESP subscriber is unable to continue contributing, they can transfer to an individual savings plan instead of terminating the program and keep the principal, grants and income. Termination, on the other hand, will result in refund of contributions less the enrolment fee. The report points out that 1.9% of plans were terminated even when a better option is available.
