Mercer is pleased to announce that it has joined forces with Wealthsimple to create Mercer Invest Wise, an easy-to-use digital saving and investing solution for the Canadian workforce to manage their personal finances, including their retirement savings.
This low-fee solution combines Wealthsimple’s innovative advice model and proven technology with Mercer’s 70 years of investment expertise advising some of the largest retirement plans in the world.
“This new service brings investment solutions to the Canadian workforce that were previously only available to the largest retirement plans in the country. It’s an alternative to high-fee, more limited options available in the retail market for people who want to save more in an affordable way, and simply and easily transition into retirement with confidence,” said Jean-Philippe Provost, Senior Partner and Wealth Business Leader for Mercer Canada. “With Wealthsimple’s technology, advice, and service, and our investment expertise, users of Mercer Invest Wise™ can build their savings and drawdown their retirement money, knowing it is being expertly managed at fees that are much lower than the average mutual fund.”
Mercer Invest Wise™ will be available to employers and their workforce, giving organizations another tool to ensure their benefit packages remain competitive and continue to meet the evolving needs of their employees. With growing evidence that financial and physical health are closely linked, employers that offer the Mercer Invest Wise™ voluntary saving solution as part of a total rewards package can support employee financial wellness, which in turn may foster a more productive, engaged and healthier workforce.
“Our mission has always been to enable all Canadians to achieve financial freedom through access to high-quality, low-cost tools and advice that help them manage their wealth and invest wisely,” said Michael Katchen, CEO and co-founder, Wealthsimple. “By collaborating with Mercer to introduce Mercer Invest Wise™, we’re able to provide these savings and investment products to even more people, regardless of their life stage or how much money they have to invest.”
Canadian employees often have multiple savings accounts, including TFSAs, RRSPs, RESPs and pension plans through their employer. Mercer Invest Wise™ can manage a wide array of these savings accounts so people can build financial and retirement security in a flexible way. It can also help employees avoid gaps in their retirement contributions when they take extended leaves and allow them to manage their various retirement savings when they are ready to transition out of the workforce.
“More than half of Canadian workers - even those earning more than $100,000 a year - stress about their finances, whether it’s putting money aside for emergencies, or saving enough for important purchases such as a house, their children’s education and eventually retirement,” said Provost. “Together with Wealthsimple, we’ve developed this low-fee investment solution for people at any stage of their career, regardless of their individual savings goals, how much they earn, and their tolerance for investment risk, so they can become financially secure faster, worry less and enjoy life.”