Guides
RESP guides
Plain-language answers to the questions Canadian families actually ask about Registered Education Savings Plans. Every figure is checked against canada.ca, and every page says when it was last checked.
The rules
- RESP rules in 2026Contribution limits, grant amounts, this year’s income thresholds, the deadlines and the withdrawal caps — every number in one place.
- RESP deadlinesSix dates, what each one forfeits, and the one at age 15 that decides whether any grant is paid at 16 and 17.
- RESP rules for grandparentsYou can open one. What you need from the parents first, and the $50,000 limit that belongs to the child.
Choosing and changing a plan
- Family plan or individual planSide by side on the rules that change the outcome — including the sibling rule that decides whether three benefits get paid at all.
- Transferring an RESPMoving to another provider without losing the grants, and the one question to ask before signing.
- Comparing your optionsBank, group plan, or a plan arranged through an advisor.
- Group RESP plansHow they work and what the fees actually buy.
The money
- The Canada Learning BondUp to $2,000, with none of your own money required.
- Provincial grantsWhat your province adds on top of the federal grant.
- Starting lateWhat catching up looks like year by year, and what cannot be recovered.
- What university actually costsStatistics Canada tuition and fees by province, four-year totals, and what living away adds.
Particular situations
- Families new to CanadaThe SIN and residency conditions, and why grant room starts with residency rather than with birth.
- When parents separateWho controls the plan, who can become a subscriber, and the one limit two households share.
- Studying outside CanadaThree weeks at a university abroad, thirteen elsewhere — and what does not change when they go.
- If they don’t go at allWhat comes back to you, what returns to the government, and the RRSP option.
Taking the money out
Still not sure which one applies to you?
Most families are leaving something on the table. It usually takes one conversation to find out which, and there is no cost to asking.
A free, no-obligation call with Harpreet Singh, an LLQP-licensed insurance advisor serving families across Ontario. No jargon, no pressure.