Save for your child’s post-secondary education and make your contributions grow with attractive government grants. Find out how RESPs work and how to make the most of them.
Here’s how RESPs work in five easy steps, from account opening to making education withdrawals.
The Registered Education Savings Plan is a simple and advantageous way to save for a child’s post-secondary education. In addition to tax-sheltered growth, your contributions are enhanced by government grants of up to $12,800.1
This means that your savings can work harder for you, without any extra effort on your part.
How does the RESP work? It couldn’t be easier! Follow the steps and build your child’s future today.
To open an RESP, you will need to have your social insurance number (SIN) and that of the child, who must also reside in Canada. Parents, grandparents, relatives or friends: any eligible adult can do it, even if they are not related to the child.
Want to get started? Choosing the right provider is a key step. With Kaleido, open your RESP online in just 15 minutes or talk to our education savings advisors to find the right solution for your family. All with no sales charges.
Now it’s time to define your savings strategy. Your family budget, investment horizon and savings goal willdetermine the amount of your contributions —but remember that your ability to save may change over time. With the flexibility of our individual IDEO+ RESPs, you can adjust your payments according to your reality.
Whether you opt for small amounts each month, a larger payment when you get your tax refund or one-time additions, every dollar you save will bring you closer to your goal.
And the best part? Your child could then receive up to $12,8001 in government grants to finance their education, thanks to the following programs:
When you contribute, the federal government and the Quebec provincial government add a contribution ranging from 30% to 60%2 directly into your RESP. All you have to do is watch your savings grow even faster through the leverage effect.
Is your child about to graduate from high school? This is a good time to start planning their RESP withdrawals! The government grants and the income accumulated over the years will combine to form their Education Assistance Payments (EAP). This money will be paid to the student to finance their post-secondary education.
How do withdrawals of educational assistance payments work? It’s simple: just follow these steps:
The funds will then be deposited into your or your beneficiary’s account.
And what happens to your contributions? They belong to you, and you can get them back tax-free. It is useful to keep them in the RESP during your child’s post-secondary education so that your savings continue to generate income.
In all cases, you are free to give them to your beneficiary, reinvest them for retirement or use them for any other personal project.
Do you still have questions about how RESPs work? Here are some simple answers to help you see things more clearly.
Education Assistance Payments (EAPs) can be used to cover a variety of education-related expenses, including:
With our individual IDEO+ RESPs, you choose the amount of your contributions (minimum $10) and their frequency. You can even manage your monthly contributions or make one-time contributions online, directly from your Client Space.
Anyone 18 years of age or older who has an SIN and resides in Canada can open an RESP for one or more beneficiaries. Whether you want to invest in the future of your children, your grandchildren or a loved one, Kaleido offers you savings solutions tailored to your reality, so you can grow your savings with confidence.
Once you’ve opened your RESP, Kaleido will apply for the grants on your behalf! If you haven’t already done so, simply make sure you send us your social insurance number and that of your beneficiary by going to your Client Space. This is a requirement for receiving the grants to which your child is entitled and for keeping your RESP in force.
You will be able to reclaim your contributions tax-free in that case. As for grants and returns, you will have the following options, under certain conditions:
Learn more in our article “My child is leaving school: what should I do with their RESP?”
1. The lifetime limit is set at $7,200 per child for the Canada Education Savings Grant (CESG), and at $3,600 for the Quebec Education Savings Incentive (QESI). Canada Learning Bond (CLB) of up to $2,000 per beneficiary, for children born after December 31, 2003, from families who meet the financial criteria. Certain conditions apply. Refer to the prospectus at Kaleido.ca.
2. Canada Education Savings Grant (CESG) of 20% to 40%, and Quebec Education Savings Incentive (QESI) of 10% to 20%, based on adjusted family net income. Certain conditions apply. Refer to the prospectus at Kaleido.ca.