RESP Calculator Canada 2026
Estimate the Canada Education Savings Grant (20% Basic + Additional CESG), catch-up room, lifetime limits, and optional CLB.
By Sammy S. · Founder · AuthorUpdated for 2026
Estimate CESG and growth
Enter contribution, AFNI, unused grant room, and projection years. Results update live.
RESP & CESG details
Canada · 2026
$2,500/year maximizes Basic CESG without catch-up room.
Additional CESG +20% when AFNI ≤ $58,523.
Estimated grants & growth
This year + 10-year projection
CESG this year
$550.00
Effective match 22.0% · projected balance $40,281
- Basic CESG (this year)
- $500.00
- Additional CESG
- $50.00
- Total contributions (projection)
- $25,000
- Total CESG (projection)
- $5,500
- CESG room left after year 1
- $6,650
- Contribution room left
- $47,500
| Yr | Age | CESG | Balance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5 | $550 | $3,203 |
| 2 | 6 | $550 | $6,565 |
| 3 | 7 | $550 | $10,096 |
| 4 | 8 | $550 | $13,803 |
| 5 | 9 | $550 | $17,696 |
| 6 | 10 | $550 | $21,783 |
| 7 | 11 | $550 | $26,075 |
| 8 | 12 | $550 | $30,581 |
Showing first 8 of 10 years…
- Calendar year 2026: Basic CESG 20% (max $500/yr, or $1,000 with unused room); lifetime CESG $7,200.
- Additional CESG 2026 AFNI (ESDC Notice #1114): ≤$58,523 → +20% on first $500; ≤$117,045 → +10%; above → none.
- RESP lifetime personal contribution limit is $50,000 per beneficiary (no annual contribution cap). Grants do not count toward that cap.
- Projection assumes 5.0% annual return on contributions + grants (educational only).
- Provincial incentives (e.g. Québec QESI, BCTESP) and the $25 CLB opening bonus are not included. Confirm amounts with your RESP promoter.
We apply CRA/ESDC Basic and Additional CESG rules for calendar year 2026 (Notice #1114 AFNI brackets), including catch-up Basic CESG up to $1,000, the $7,200 lifetime CESG cap, and the $50,000 lifetime contribution limit. Ages 16–17 require the official prior-contribution rules (or an explicit confirmation). Optional CLB uses ESDC Jul 2026 – Jun 2027 income bands by number of children. Provincial grants and the $25 CLB opening bonus are excluded.
| Tax year | 2026 |
|---|---|
| Low-income $2,500 CESG | $600 |
| Catch-up $5,000 Basic CESG | $1,000 |
| Lifetime CESG cap | $7,200 |
Formulas
- Basic CESG:
min(20% × contribution, available room, $500 or $1,000 catch-up, lifetime left) - Additional CESG:
min(first $500 × 10% or 20% by AFNI, lifetime left after Basic) - Contribution room:
$50,000 − lifetime personal contributions to date - Projected balance:
each year: (balance + contribution + CESG + CLB) × (1 + return)
Steps
- Cap the contribution. Respect remaining room under the $50,000 lifetime personal contribution limit.
- Calculate Basic CESG. 20% match using unused room + $500 new room, capped at $500 or $1,000 with catch-up and lifetime CESG remaining.
- Add Additional CESG. 2026 AFNI: ≤$58,523 → +20% on first $500; ≤$117,045 → +10%.
- Project years. Repeat for each projection year through age 17 for CESG; optionally add CLB and compound growth.
Not included
- • Provincial education savings incentives (QESI, BCTESP, and others)
- • RESP promoter fees, sales charges, and group-plan rules
- • CLB $25 one-time opening bonus
- • CLB eligibility for families with 6+ children (confirm with Service Canada)
- • Family-plan sharing / sibling CESG transfers
- • EAP tax calculations and AIP scenarios if school is not attended
Key takeaways — RESP & CESG
- Basic CESG is 20% of RESP contributions — up to $500/year ($2,500 contributed), or $1,000 with unused grant room ($5,000 contributed).
- Lifetime CESG (Basic + Additional) is $7,200 per beneficiary. Lifetime personal contributions are capped at $50,000.
- For 2026, Additional CESG on the first $500: +20% if AFNI ≤ $58,523; +10% if ≤ $117,045 (ESDC Notice #1114).
- Unused Basic CESG room carries forward; Additional CESG does not. Start before the end of the year the child turns 15 to keep ages 16–17 eligible.
- Optional CLB for low-income families: up to $2,000 with no contribution required ($500 first year + $100/yr through age 15). Jul 2026 – Jun 2027: 1–3 children AFNI ≤ $58,523.
What is an RESP?
A Registered Education Savings Plan (RESP) lets you save for a beneficiary’s post-secondary education. Investment growth and government grants can be paid out as educational assistance payments (EAPs) when the student qualifies.
Personal contributions are not tax-deductible (unlike an RRSP), but growth is tax-deferred and typically taxed in the student’s hands when withdrawn as EAPs. Contributions can be returned to you tax-free.
How the Canada Education Savings Grant works
ESDC pays Basic CESG of 20% on contributions to all RESPs for a qualifying beneficiary, up to $500 per year — or $1,000 if unused grant room is available. Lifetime CESG is $7,200.
Lower- and middle-income families may also get Additional CESG on the first $500 contributed each year. 2026 AFNI brackets: ≤$58,523 → +20% ($100); ≤$117,045 → +10% ($50).
Every eligible child under 18 accumulates unused Basic CESG room ($500/year from 2007 onward) even if you do not contribute. Room carries forward until you catch up (subject to the annual $1,000 Basic CESG cap).
Contribution limits
Since 2007 there is no annual contribution limit, but the lifetime limit across all RESPs for one beneficiary is $50,000. CESG and CLB do not count toward that contribution cap.
Over-contributions can trigger a 1% per-month tax on the excess for each subscriber who contributed — coordinate if multiple people save for the same child.
Canada Learning Bond and the 16/17 rule
The Canada Learning Bond adds up to $2,000 for eligible low-income children born in 2004 or later — $500 in the first eligible year plus $100 for each later year through age 15. No personal contribution is required. For July 2026 – June 2027, income cutoffs depend on family size (1–3 children ≤ $58,523; higher for larger families).
To receive CESG at ages 16 and 17, you generally must have contributed at least $2,000 before the end of the year the child turned 15, or at least $100 in any four of those earlier years.
CESG rates and income brackets
| CESG at a glance (2026) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Grant | Rule | Amount |
| Basic CESG | 20% of contributions | Up to $500/yr |
| Catch-up Basic | Unused room | Up to $1,000/yr |
| Additional (low AFNI) | +20% on first $500 | $100 |
| Additional (mid AFNI) | +10% on first $500 | $50 |
| Lifetime CESG | Basic + Additional | $7,200 |
| Additional CESG AFNI (2026) | ||
|---|---|---|
| AFNI | Rate | Max |
| $0 – $58,523 | +20% | $100 |
| >$58,523 – $117,045 | +10% | $50 |
| >$117,045 | Not eligible | $0 |
Worked examples
CRA chart — low income · $2,500
Basic $500 + Additional $100 = $600 CESG.
CRA chart — mid income · $2,500
Total CESG $550 (Basic $500 + Additional $50).
CRA chart — high income · $2,500
Basic only: $500 (no Additional CESG above the mid threshold).
Catch-up · $5,000 with unused room
Basic CESG $1,000 — annual catch-up max when unused grant room is available.
Myths vs facts
“RESP contributions are tax-deductible.”
Unlike RRSPs, RESP contributions are not deductible. The upside is grants plus tax-deferred growth taxed as EAPs to the student.
“I can get unlimited CESG if I contribute enough in one year.”
Basic CESG tops out at $500/year without unused room, or $1,000 with catch-up — and $7,200 lifetime.
“Additional CESG carries forward like Basic room.”
Only Basic CESG room carries forward. Miss Additional CESG in a year and that top-up is gone.
“If my child skips school I keep the grant.”
Unused CESG and CLB are generally returned to the government. Your contributions can usually be withdrawn.
Glossary
- RESP
- Registered Education Savings Plan — tax-advantaged account for post-secondary savings.
- CESG
- Canada Education Savings Grant — federal matching grant on RESP contributions.
- Additional CESG
- Extra 10% or 20% on the first $500 contributed, based on adjusted family net income.
- CLB
- Canada Learning Bond — up to $2,000 for eligible low-income children; no contribution required.
- Grant room
- Unused Basic CESG entitlement that carries forward until you catch up (annual max $1,000).
- EAP
- Educational assistance payment — taxable withdrawal of growth and grants for qualifying studies.
Who this helps
New parents
See how $2,500/year unlocks the full Basic CESG and optional Additional CESG.
Catch-up savers
Model unused grant room and the $1,000 annual Basic CESG catch-up cap.
Low-income families
Estimate Additional CESG plus optional Canada Learning Bond.
Long-term planners
Project multi-year contributions, grants, and growth toward education costs.
Common mistakes
- •Contributing more than $2,500/year when you have no unused room (extra dollars get no Basic CESG that year)
- •Forgetting multiple RESPs share one $50,000 lifetime contribution limit per child
- •Waiting until age 16 without meeting the early-contribution rules
- •Assuming Additional CESG catch-up exists
- •Ignoring provincial grants (Québec QESI, B.C. BCTESP) that this tool excludes
Checklist
- Open an RESP and apply for CESG (and CLB if eligible) with your promoter
- Aim for at least $2,500/year to maximize Basic CESG when room is available
- Track unused grant room and lifetime CESG toward $7,200
- Coordinate contributions if grandparents or others also save for the same child
- Start before the end of the year the child turns 15 to protect 16/17 CESG
- Compare statements from your RESP provider after each grant deposit
Frequently asked questions
Related tools
Related calculators
CCB estimate
EI + QPIP
First home savings
Which account wins
TFSA contribution room
RRSP tax savings
Take-home by province
Clawback + GIS