RESP & CESG Grant Calculator
Project a Registered Education Savings Plan with the 20% Canada Education Savings Grant (up to $500 a year, $1,000 with carry-forward room, $7,200 lifetime), the income-tested additional CESG at 2026 thresholds, the Canada Learning Bond and the Quebec and BC grants — with a year-by-year table and a grant-maximising contribution plan.
How it works
Basic CESG = 20% × contributions, max $500 a year on $2,500 — or up to $1,000 on $5,000 with unused room (room builds $500 a year from birth) · Additional CESG = 20% (income ≤ $58,523) or 10% ($58,523–$117,045) × first $500 a year · Lifetime CESG ≤ $7,200 · CLB = $500 + $100 a year to age 15, ≤ $2,000 · Contributions ≤ $50,000 per child · Balance next year = (balance + contribution + grants) × (1 + return)
An RESP shelters education savings, but the real draw is the government money. The Canada Education Savings Grant adds 20% to the first $2,500 contributed each year — $500 — until the end of the year the child turns 17, up to $7,200 in total. Grant room builds by $500 every year from birth whether or not an RESP exists, so if you start late or skip a year you can catch up: contributing $5,000 in a year attracts up to $1,000, using one past year of room at a time. Families with lower net income also get the additional CESG — an extra 20% or 10% on the first $500 each year — which cannot be carried forward and counts toward the $7,200 cap. The calculator projects the plan year by year: contributions per year or per month, the basic and additional grant, unused room, the Canada Learning Bond for lower-income families (up to $2,000 without any contribution), Quebec’s QESI and BC’s one-time $1,200 grant, growth at your expected return and the age-16–17 rule. Choose “Maximise grants” to see the smallest contribution schedule that collects the full $7,200. At withdrawal, your contributions come back tax-free and the grants and growth are paid to the student as educational assistance payments, taxed in the student’s hands — usually at little or no tax.
Worked example
$2,500 a year from age 2 at 5% (income above $117,045): each year earns the $500 basic grant until the $7,200 maximum is reached at age 16, so $40,000 contributed plus $7,200 of grants grows to about $73,700 at 18. The child already has $1,000 of unused room from ages 0 and 1, so contributing $5,000 this year would earn $1,000. With family income under $58,523 the same plan adds $100 a year of additional CESG, reaching the $7,200 cap sooner.
Sources: Canada Education Savings Grant — Government of Canada · Canada Learning Bond — Government of Canada · Registered education savings plans — CRA
Frequently asked questions
What if the child does not go to school?
Contributions come back tax-free, grants and bonds return to the government, and growth can move to your RRSP (up to $50,000 if you have room) or is taxed at your rate plus a 20% penalty. The plan can also be kept open for up to 35 years in case the child starts later, or switched to a sibling.
Can I catch up missed years?
Yes. Grant room builds by $500 a year from birth, and you can use one past year of room each year: contributing $5,000 attracts $1,000 of grant until the room is used. The additional CESG for lower incomes is not carried forward.
How much should I contribute to get the full $7,200?
At $2,500 a year from birth the grant reaches $7,200 in the year the child turns 14 (14 × $500 plus $200 the next year), for $36,000 of contributions. Starting later, contribute up to $5,000 a year to use carried-forward room. “Maximise grants” builds this schedule for you.
What are the additional CESG income thresholds for 2026?
For 2026, adjusted family net income up to $58,523 earns an extra 20% on the first $500 ($100) and income between $58,523 and $117,045 earns an extra 10% ($50). The thresholds follow the federal tax brackets and rise each year with inflation.
What is the Canada Learning Bond?
A federal bond for children born in 2004 or later in lower-income families: $500 for the first eligible year and $100 for each further year up to age 15, to a maximum of $2,000. No contribution is required — you only need to open an RESP and apply, and missed years are paid retroactively until age 21.
Why does the grant stop at 16 and 17 for some children?
A child aged 16 or 17 only earns the CESG if at least $2,000 was contributed by the end of the year they turned 15, or at least $100 a year in any four years before then. Starting an RESP at 16 with no earlier contributions means no grant.
Related calculators
Uses the CESG, A-CESG (2026 income thresholds), Canada Learning Bond and QESI/BCTESG rules as published by ESDC and the provinces; rules and thresholds change. Educational estimate, not financial or tax advice — confirm with your RESP provider or canada.ca.