RESP Calculator Canada — CESG Grant and Catch-Up Planner
Audit one beneficiary's RESP using your actual contribution and grant records. Separate Basic CESG, Additional CESG and confirmed Canada Learning Bond, test the age-16/17 rule, and solve the smallest level contribution that captures the maximum grant still reachable.
Published by GrowThenDraw Editorial Team · Editorial policy · Methodology & sources
$200 of the lifetime CESG ceiling remains unreachable under the maximum plan because eligible years or contribution room run out.
| Year | Age | Contribution | Basic CESG | Additional CESG | CLB | Basic room left | Lifetime CESG | End balance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 6 | $5,000 | $1,000 | $0 | $0 | $500 | $3,000 | $20,861 |
| 2027 | 7 | $5,000 | $1,000 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $4,000 | $28,066 |
| 2028 | 8 | $5,000 | $500 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $4,500 | $35,123 |
| 2029 | 9 | $5,000 | $500 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $5,000 | $42,533 |
| 2030 | 10 | $5,000 | $500 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $5,500 | $50,314 |
| 2031 | 11 | $5,000 | $500 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $6,000 | $58,484 |
| 2032 | 12 | $5,000 | $500 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $6,500 | $67,062 |
| 2033 | 13 | $5,000 | $500 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $7,000 | $76,069 |
| 2034 | 14 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $500 | $7,000 | $79,873 |
| 2035 | 15 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $1,000 | $7,000 | $83,867 |
| 2036 | 16 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $1,500 | $7,000 | $88,060 |
| 2037 | 17 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $2,000 | $7,000 | $92,463 |
RESP contribution and CESG catch-up guide
Follow the $2,500 versus $5,000 logic, Additional CESG, age gate and interacting lifetime caps.
Audit FHSA room and deductions
Keep an education contribution decision separate from first-home participation room and tax deductions.
Compare a general investment plan
Test regular investing where RESP eligibility, grant caps and education-use rules do not apply.
Why $2,500 and $5,000 can both be the right answer
Basic CESG normally adds 20% to eligible RESP contributions, so a $2,500 contribution can receive $500. If unused Basic CESG entitlement exists, contributing up to $5,000 can attract up to $1,000 of Basic CESG in one calendar year. The extra contribution does not create a special 40% rate; it uses carried-forward grant room at the standard 20% rate.
The calculator asks for unused Basic CESG dollars before the current year's $500 entitlement. It does not infer room from age because residence, past grants, withdrawals and promoter records can change the real amount.
Additional CESG is separate and does not carry forward
For 2026, qualifying adjusted family income can add 10% or 20% on the first $500 contributed. That is up to $50 or $100 for the year. Unused Additional CESG entitlement does not carry forward, and Basic plus Additional CESG share the $7,200 lifetime limit.
The selected 2026 income band is held constant only to illustrate a future path. Family income, thresholds and eligibility must be checked again each year. Near the lifetime cap, the result allocates the remaining combined room to Basic CESG first and discloses that modelling convention.
The age-16 and age-17 eligibility gate
CESG can be paid in the calendar years a beneficiary turns 16 or 17 only if a contribution-history condition was met by the end of the year they turned 15. The history must show either at least $2,000 contributed and not withdrawn, or at least $100 contributed and not withdrawn in four years.
For a beneficiary currently 15 or younger, the projection updates those two records with the planned contributions. For somebody already 16 or 17, enter the records that existed by the age-15 deadline; a new contribution cannot repair a missed deadline retroactively.
Projection, not a promise of grant or return
The year-by-year ledger applies the federal caps to a smooth contribution and return scenario. It cannot determine residence, beneficiary eligibility, adjusted family income, provincial incentives, promoter processing or whether historical amounts were repaid. Confirm records with the RESP promoter and the Government of Canada education-savings estimator.
Returns are entered by the visitor and arrive smoothly in the model. Fees, asset volatility, losses and withdrawal tax are outside this first release. Run a lower-return case and do not treat the education balance as guaranteed.
Frequently asked questions
How much should I contribute to an RESP to get the maximum CESG?
A $2,500 annual contribution normally receives $500 of Basic CESG. With enough unused Basic CESG room, up to $5,000 can receive up to $1,000 of Basic CESG in one year. The exact efficient amount can be lower near the $7,200 CESG or $50,000 contribution lifetime caps, which is why this calculator solves it from your records.
Can I catch up all missed CESG in one year?
No. Unused Basic CESG entitlement carries forward, but Basic CESG paid in one year is normally capped at $1,000. That generally uses up to $5,000 of contributions. Additional CESG entitlement does not carry forward.
Does the $7,200 limit include Additional CESG?
Yes. The $7,200 lifetime limit is shared by Basic and Additional CESG for a beneficiary across all RESPs.
Does Canada Learning Bond require an RESP contribution?
No. CLB does not require personal contributions. Eligibility can include retroactive years and depends on official records. This tool includes only a confirmed unclaimed CLB amount that you enter; it does not guess eligibility.
Is there an annual RESP contribution limit?
There is no general annual RESP contribution limit, but lifetime contributions across all plans for one beneficiary are limited to $50,000. An excess can attract 1% tax per month. The calculator caps the projection at the lifetime limit rather than implying that excess contributions are useful.
Does this calculator include RESP withdrawal tax?
No. Contributions can generally be returned separately, while grants, CLB and growth form Educational Assistance Payments taxable to the beneficiary. Withdrawal ordering, proof of enrolment, EAP limits and grant repayment are a different decision and are deliberately excluded here.
Federal RESP, CESG and CLB rules verified 2026-08-11 against official sources:
- CRA: Basic and Additional CESG, carry-forward, lifetime cap and age-16/17 conditions
- ESDC: 2026 adjusted-family-income thresholds
- CRA: $50,000 lifetime contribution limit and excess tax
- ESDC promoter guide: Basic room, annual maximum and non-carrying Additional CESG
- CRA: Canada Learning Bond eligibility and $2,000 maximum
- Government of Canada education-savings estimator
Known federal limits used: $50,000 lifetime contributions and $7,200 combined lifetime CESG. The projection excludes provincial incentives, family-plan allocation, sibling transfers, promoter processing, fees, volatile returns, withdrawals, EAP tax, grant repayment, AIP/RRSP transfers and future rules. Near the lifetime CESG cap, the model applies remaining combined room to Basic CESG before Additional CESG. Educational estimate only, not a grant-entitlement decision or financial, investment, legal or tax advice.