RESP Calculator 2026

The basic Canada Education Savings Grant is 20% on the first $2,500 contributed per year, up to $500/year. Families under the income threshold may qualify for the enhanced rate — 40% on the first $500 and 20% on the next $2,000 — when the 'Enhanced CESG Eligible' option is selected. The lifetime CESG maximum is $7,200 per child.

Yes. You can contribute up to a $50,000 lifetime limit per child, but CESG only matches the first $2,500 contributed in a given year. Unused CESG grant room from previous years (since the child turned 15 or the RESP was opened) can be carried forward and claimed later, up to $1,000 in grant per year.

You can withdraw your original contributions tax-free at any time. Investment growth and grants can be transferred to your RRSP if you have contribution room, or withdrawn as an Accumulated Income Payment (subject to tax plus a 20% penalty). Unused CESG and other grants must be returned to the government.

No. Only a few provinces run their own RESP grant program — for example, Quebec's QESI matches a percentage of contributions. Most provinces, including Ontario, have no such program. This calculator does not model any provincial grant; check your specific province's program for the real rules and amount.

Withdrawals for a beneficiary enrolled in an eligible post-secondary program can cover tuition, textbooks, housing, transportation, and other education-related costs. Growth and grant withdrawals (Educational Assistance Payments) are taxed in the student's hands, typically at a low or zero rate given a student's usual income.