I took out a loan for an RRSP several years ago. I am paying 9% for RRSPs that just keep lowering in value. I am paying $200 a month just to watch the RRSP gain a few pennies then lower several dollars. This amount is small, only $5,000. Should I sell the RRSP to pay off the balance of the loan and then take the $200 a month and start over?
No, I would not recommend cashing in the RRSP to pay out the balance of your loan. First, you should have used your original tax refund to retire a good portion of the loan when you set up this structure. Now, if you cash in the RRSP to retire the loan, you will also incur income tax on the withdrawal; this could amount to around $2,000, so much of your $200 per month would go to paying your tax bill for the first year.
The more obvious problem is that you should deal with the investment structure in the RRSP. If the portfolio is not performing to your satisfaction, you may have the wrong asset mix or weaker funds and you should reassess your approaches here. In addition, as many funds are sold on a deferred sales charge (DSC) basis, you may be facing an exit commission of 4% or 5% if you want to cash in the funds or even move them to a different fund family. Be aware of this BEFORE you undertake any reorganization.
To find out how much an RRSP contribution may save you, try Morningstar's RRSP Calculator
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