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Canada Life Introduces RESP for Group Plan Members

Canada Life Introduces RESP for Group Plan Members

by | Nov 4, 2020 | Benefits, Canada Life Financial, First Nations, Group Benefits Plan, Group Pension Plans, RESP | 0 comments

Canadians want to give their children a better future and send them to post-secondary education; however, paying high tuition fees makes learning a privilege and put a lot of financial stress on families.

According to Statistics Canada 2019/2020 data, the average tuition cost for Canadian undergraduate programs was $6,463. This number is estimated to go up to $6,610 in 2020/2021. Families struggle to make ends meet and experience challenging times to reach their retirement goals.

 

RESP(Registered Education Savings Plan) is one of the most powerful savings tools available to families hoping to avoid or minimize student debt. As an employer, you can show support to your employees by adding Canada Life’s new self-directed registered education savings plan (RESP) to your existing Canada Life group benefits or retirement and savings plan with no cost to your business.

“ As of November 1, 2020, Canada Life’s first fully digital employer-sponsored RESP started helping employees advance their long-term savings goals! ”

How Does Canada Life‘s Group Plan RESP Work?

The contributions are placed into a fund designed to lower the risk of a potential decrease in value as students get closer to starting post-secondary education.

In addition, contributions, potential investment growth and compound interest will grow tax-free until the beneficiary withdraws funds to register at a qualifying educational program.

When the time comes, filling up simple forms and a streamlined withdrawal process will release the funds to the beneficiary.

How Your Employees Will Benefit If You Decide to Add RESP to Your Existing Canada Life Group Benefits or Retirement Plan?

Many Canadians think an RESP is more complicated than coordinating after-school activities.

With Canada Life’s new self-directed registered education savings plan, your employees will;

  • Gain access to traditional RESP advantages like applicable government education grants and tax-sheltered earnings on contributions including Canada Education Savings Grant (CESG) and Canada Learning Bond (CLB),
  • Benefit from Canada Life’s low investment fees,
  • Have convenient payroll deduction, pre-authorized debit or online banking bill payment,
  • Have the ease of fully digital experience,
  • Have the flexibility to choose either the family or individual plan,
  • Family and friends can also make direct contributions.

How to Add RESP to Your Existing Canada Life Group Benefits or Retirement plan?

If you are an employer or a Plan Administrator, please contact your Account Manager at Eagle Bay Financial Services and add the RESP option to your group benefits or retirement and savings plan.

The rest is simple; plan members need to sign up online, and they are all set!

 

When the time comes, it will be easy to withdraw the money for children’s education, and your employees will appreciate that you had the foresight to plan for their future.

Contact Your Servicing Advisor!

This document is adapted from;

* Canada Life blog article “Canada Life’s new RESP employee benefit to help Canadians save for children’s post-secondary education” on October 15th, 2020.
** Canada Life’s email communication “Introducing registered education savings plans for group plan members” on September 14th, 2020.

COVID-19: Support Options For Economic Development Corporations & Indigenous Businesses

by | May 8, 2020 | Coronavirus, COVID19, Economic Development Corporations, Financial Support Options, First Nations, Indigenous Businesses | 0 comments

Shortly after the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the COVID-19 a global pandemic on March 11 2020, the Government of Canada shut down the economy to combat the spread of Coronavirus.

Like many other businesses, First Nations Development Corporations, Medium and Small-sized non-essential companies took a big hit; revenues and sales dropped significantly. Some organizations had to layoff employees, and others had to close their businesses permanently.

 

On March 18, 2020, to minimize the financial impact of COVID-19, the federal government announced its $82B COVID-19 Emergency Response Package for individuals and businesses struggling with the economic effects of the Coronavirus.

 

If your business has been facing financial difficulties due to the pandemic, we suggest you review the list below that summarizes different types of financial support that are available to your Indigenous business due to COVID-19. It is an excellent source of information that is compiled by the Aboriginal Financial Officers Association of BC(AFOABC).

[wptb id=215572]

*Eligible employees are individuals employed in Canada during the claim period except if there was a period of 14 or more consecutive days in that period where they did not receive any pay from you. Employee eligibility is based on whether the person is employed in Canada, not where they live.

**Eligible remuneration is salary, wages and other taxable benefits, fees and commissions. Severance pay and items such as stock option benefits or the personal use of a corporate vehicle are not part of eligible remuneration.

Information in this table has been gathered from https://www.canada.ca/en/department-finance/economic-response-plan.html#businesses

Still have questions?

If you need more information, please visit Canada’s COVID-19 Economic Response Plan and read more detailed information about the financial support options that are available to your business.

Premium Deduction For Dental and Extended Health Care Due to COVID-19

Premium Deduction For Dental and Extended Health Care Due to COVID-19

by | Apr 22, 2020 | Benefits, Canada Life Financial, CINUP, COVID19, First Nations, Group Benefits Plan, Sun Life Financial | 0 comments

Dear Plan Administrators,

Due to COVID-19 pandemic, many dental and health practitioners have been forced to close. As a result, the use of dental and some other extended health care benefits have declined.

Canada`s three major insurance companies, Sun Life, Canada Life and CINUP have recently announced premium deduction for dental and non-drug-related extended health care benefits for their group insurance clients.

Sun Life Financial

Here are the changes Sun Life is making for all non-refund clients:

  • Dental: 50% dental premium credit per month.
  • Extended Health Care: 20% premium credit on the non-drug coverage portion of extended health care benefit premium

Sun Life is going to apply the April credit to your June 1 invoice and will continue to assess the situation on a monthly basis. For more information, please visit SunLife.ca

 

Canada Life

  • Dental: 50% premium reduction adjustment will be applied.
  • Vision: 20% premium reduction adjustment will be applied.
  • Healthcare (excluding drugs): A 20% premium reduction adjustment will be applied.

Canada Life is going to apply the premium credit retroactive to April 1, 2020. May premium reduction adjustments will be completed on the June billing.

For more information, please visit Canadalife.com

CINUP

CINUP recognizes the impacts of the pandemic and the ability for plan members to utilize their dental and extended health benefits.

CINUP is providing the following credits, retroactive to April 1st, on May 2020 billing:

  • Dental: 50% premium reduction adjustment
  • Extended Health: 10% premium reduction adjustment

Your June bill will show the credits applied for April, as well as the full premium for June. The credits will be monitored monthly and you will be notified of any changes.

 

For any questions and more information, please contact our group benefits managers, Mina Dingle or Denise Perry. They will be more than happy to assist you.

Mina Dingle

Account Manager

Group Benefits

Denise Perry

Account Manager

Group Benefits

Contact Your Servicing Advisor!
Update on Operations at Eagle Bay Financial Services

Update on Operations at Eagle Bay Financial Services

by | Apr 9, 2020 | COVID19, First Nations, Group Benefits Plan, Group Pension Plans | 0 comments

EagleBay_Virtual_Staff_Meeting_Covid19

Earlier next week, we will surpass 1 month of altered operations and work from home.
We are pleased to report that all our clients remain in business and are continuing to operate, albeit in unusual circumstances.

 

We were quickly able to shift our service model and continue to interact and support our clients via email, telephone, Zoom conferencing and other media. Our switchboard is operating normally. You can also reach your support team directly on their mobile devices or by email. We are striving to prioritize and respond to your queries as quickly as possible. We continue to keep a close eye on financial markets and the operational changes that insurers are experiencing.

 

This week we have also welcomed the newest member of our team and we thank you all for your kind words of welcome to Kate Madden. We are so pleased to have her join our team.

 

We know that you provide vital services to your organization and to your community and we recognize that you all are experiencing unique challenges in navigating the pandemic.

 

Thank you for your continued support during COVID-19 & please “Stay Safe”.

 

Best Regards

Nick & Ida Calla and Eagle Bay Financial Services Team

Contact Your Servicing Advisor!
Eagle Bay Financial Services & CINUP Now Offers Teladoc, Virtual Health Services To Clients

Eagle Bay Financial Services & CINUP Now Offers Teladoc, Virtual Health Services To Clients

by | Apr 8, 2020 | Benefits, CINUP, COVID19, First Nations, Group Benefits Plan | 0 comments

Especially with the COVID-19 pandemic, telemedicine services became the most convenient and easy access to quality healthcare when and where members need it most.

As Eagle Bay Financial Services, we are excited to announce CINUP’s, one of Canada`s leading insurance companies, partnership with Teladoc™ Health.

Effective immediately, Teladoc telemedicine services will be included for all employees who hold CINUP Extended Health Care coverage. Members can visit with a Canadian certified physician by phone or video for a broad array of episodic healthcare issues. During the visit, employees can receive a diagnosis, treatment recommendation, and even be prescribed medicine when necessary. With Telemedicine Services, members can stop waiting for care and get back to feeling better, faster.

 

Teladoc : Offering a New Front Door To Healthcare In Canada

Teladoc is the global leader in virtual care, providing convenient access to high-quality healthcare for millions of people in more than 130 countries. With Teladoc, your employees can talk with a doctor within an hour by phone or video conference from wherever they are, in Canada or the US, for non-emergency conditions like the flu, allergies, infections, and much more. Doctors can also prescribe medicine if needed.

  • Is your First Nations community located in a remote area?
  • Up in the middle of the night with a sick child?
  • Or perhaps living or vacationing in a rural location, making it difficult to obtain medical care?
  • Self-isolating and can’t get in to see a doctor?
Teladoc is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Because visits are conducted by phone or video, there are no geographic restrictions to getting to high-quality care from anywhere. Employees simply can download the Teladoc app from Apple or Google Play, complete the quick registration, and request a consultation.

“ Effective immediately, Teladoc telemedicine services will be included for all employees who hold CINUP Extended Health Care coverage. ”

How To Set Up Teladoc Account On Your Smartphone: 4 Easy Steps

Here is how your employees can set up Teladoc services and access licenced physicians easily, within an hour by phone or video.;

  • Download the app:

    • Search for “Teladoc” in the App Store or on Google Play.

  • Set up your account:

    • Once you’ve downloaded the app, select “Set up your account.”

  • Enter necessary contact information:

    • Type in your name, date of birth, and postal code

  • Type in your security information:

    • Select your coverage, create a password, type in your phone number, and agree to the terms and conditions.

    For more information, you can also call 1-888-983-5236 or visit Teladoc.ca

Employees demand better benefits from their employers, and due to COVID-19, virtual health services became a vital part of health care delivery. Teladoc is designed to help you, your employees and their dependents to receive the medical treatment they need. It is a perfect solution, specifically with the distinct needs of an employer like you in mind. We know your employees are your most valuable asset, so we continually look for more ways to protect them. Teladoc will ensure the best medical support is always at their fingertips.

For more information on how to add Teladoc to your CINUP employee benefits program, you can reach our Managers Mina Dingle or Denise Perry.

Jenny Kellett

Account Manager

Group Benefits

Denise Perry

Account Manager

Group Benefits

Contact Your Servicing Advisor!

Being Proactive with Group Critical Illness Insurance

by | Feb 8, 2018 | Critical Illness Insurance, First Nations, Group Benefits Plan

Being Proactive With Group Critical Illness Insurance- Indigenous Organizations- First Nations
Critical Illness insurance is a “Living Benefit” that provides employees with a Tax-Free lump sum payment upon diagnosis of a critical illness. It is in place to cover them for up to 30 qualifying conditions.  Some group benefits plans may also extend Critical Illness coverage to dependents.  Employees do not have to provide medical evidence to obtain Group Critical Illness.  Group Critical Illness is often much more affordable than individual Critical Illness policies.
Critical Illness insurance is designed to mitigate financial struggles when an individual is unexpectedly diagnosed with a life threatening condition such as:
  • Cancer
  • Heart Attack
  • Stroke
  • Coronary Artery Bypass
    Surgery
  • Multiple Sclerosis
  • and many others.
If employees or their dependants experience a critical illness, the priority will be their health. They may need extra money because of income loss, medical expenses not covered by government plans, home or automobile modifications, alternative care costs and many other unexpected expenses.

 

According to 2017 Canadian Cancer Statistics released by the Canadian Cancer Society, due to tremendous progress in cancer treatment, there have been big gains in survival rates. However, 277,000 people a year will be diagnosed with cancer by 2030 – a 40% rise in cases – led by upsurges in prostate and colorectal cancer cases.

“ It is important to help employees when they need it the most ”

However, a study released by BC Cancer Agency indicates that First Nations men and women experience a higher occurrence of colorectal cancer in age-standardized incident rates. There also appears to be a trend towards increasing numbers of cancer cases for both sexes. For example, the risk for colorectal cancer increases with age, but several lifestyle factors have been linked to the disease, including eating a diet high in red and processed meats, a lack of dietary fibre, a lack of physical exercise, obesity, alcohol, and smoking. Lifestyle changes might be the reason why incidence rates of cancers are rising in adults under 50.
In light of this information, management teams should ask this question to themselves: “Is it important to help employees when they need it the most?”
Contact Us Today! We would appreciate the opportunity to discuss the possibility of adding Critical Illness to your group benefits plan.

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