Registered Accounts · Family Savings

RESP & CESG Grant Optimizer

Ottawa matches 20 cents on every RESP dollar, up to $500 a year and $7,200 over a childhood. See exactly how much free grant money a contribution schedule actually captures.

Reading This Tool

How To Use This Calculator

Enter your child's current age and the amount you plan to contribute annually until age 17.

The Canada Education Savings Grant matches 20% of contributions up to $2,500 a year, contributing more than that in a single year doesn't buy extra grant unless you're using carried-forward room from a year you under-contributed. Both the lifetime $7,200 grant cap and the age-17 cutoff are hard limits.

Your Inputs

Child's Current Age 2

Planned Annual Contribution $2,500

Expected Annual Return 5.0%

Contributions above $2,500 in a year can still make sense for the tax-sheltered growth, they just don't attract additional CESG that year unless prior years' grant room was carried forward. This models the standard $2,500 annual grant room without carry-forward.

Value At Age 18

Total RESP Value At Age 18

Total Contributions

Total CESG Received

Total Investment Growth

RESP Balance Building To Age 18

Contributions CESG Grants Investment Growth

Ignores provincial grant top-ups (Quebec and British Columbia both run their own additional programs), the Additional CESG for lower-income families, and the Canada Learning Bond. All would add to the total shown here for an eligible family.

Weighing this against RRSP or TFSA room instead?

Compare With RRSP vs. TFSA →