RRSP Contribution Limit Calculator (2026)
Your RRSP deduction limit for 2026 (or 2027): 18% of last year’s earned income up to $33,810, minus pension adjustments, plus PAR and unused room — with the room left, the over-contribution penalty, the deadline and a projection of future room.
How it works
new room = min(18% × previous year’s earned income, dollar limit) − pension adjustment − net PSPA + PAR deduction limit = unused room carried forward + new room · remaining = limit − contributions (incl. undeducted) dollar limits: $32,490 (2025), $33,810 (2026), $35,390 (2027) · penalty = 1% a month on any excess above $2,000
RRSP room builds up at 18% of the previous year’s earned income, up to a dollar limit that rises with wages: $33,810 for 2026 (reached with $187,833 of 2025 earned income) and $35,390 for 2027. Earned income means salary, net self-employment and rental income, taxable support payments and CPP/QPP disability benefits; investment income and pensions don’t count. If you belong to a workplace pension or DPSP, the pension adjustment on your T4 reduces your new room. A past-service adjustment (PSPA) reduces it further, and a pension adjustment reversal (PAR) adds room back if you leave a plan early. Unused room carries forward without limit, so your Notice of Assessment total is the key number. Subtract this year’s contributions, including spousal RRSPs, and any contributions you made but haven’t deducted yet. Going over by up to $2,000 in total costs nothing, but anything above that is taxed at 1% a month until it is withdrawn or absorbed by new room. Contributions made in the first 60 days of a year can be deducted for the previous year: for 2026, the deadline is March 1, 2027. The optional projection rolls your room forward year by year from a planned contribution and income growth.
Worked example
With $80,000 of 2025 earned income and no pension, 2026 room is 18% × $80,000 = $14,400 (well under the $33,810 cap). Add $12,000 carried forward for a $26,400 deduction limit; after $3,000 already contributed, $23,400 remains, and it can be contributed until March 1, 2027. A pension adjustment of $6,000 would cut that to $17,400. If you instead contributed $30,000, you would be $3,600 over: $2,000 is covered by the cushion and the other $1,600 is taxed at $16 a month.
Sources: CRA — MP, DB, RRSP, DPSP, ALDA, TFSA limits, YMPE and the YAMPE
Frequently asked questions
What is the RRSP limit for 2026?
18% of your 2025 earned income up to $33,810, minus any pension adjustment, plus your unused room from earlier years. You need $187,833 of 2025 earned income to reach the maximum. For 2027 the dollar limit is $35,390.
When is the deadline for 2026 contributions?
March 1, 2027 — the first 60 days of 2027. Contributions made up to then can be deducted on your 2026 return, or saved for a later year.
What happens if I over-contribute?
You have a $2,000 lifetime cushion with no penalty, although that amount is not deductible until you get new room. Anything above $2,000 is taxed at 1% a month until you withdraw it or new room absorbs it. You report it on Form T1-OVP, and the CRA can waive the tax for an honest mistake that you correct quickly.
Does the RRSP deadline apply to TFSAs?
No. TFSA room is calendar-year based and has no first-60-days rule. The 2026 TFSA limit is $7,000.
Should I contribute in a low-income year?
You can contribute now and delay the deduction to a higher-income year, sheltering the growth in the meantime. Those undeducted contributions still use room, so enter them under More options.
Related calculators
Uses CRA’s RRSP dollar limits for 2025–2027. Your Notice of Assessment is the authoritative figure. Educational estimate, not tax advice — confirm with CRA or a tax professional.