RDSP calculator: grants, bonds and savings in 2026

Use this RDSP calculator to estimate 2026 grants, bonds and new deposits, then explore an optional savings projection. It separates government funding from assumed investment growth. Start with your tax information and plan records, not a hoped-for return. The estimate covers this year only and excludes unused entitlements from earlier years.

How do you use this RDSP calculator?

Enter the beneficiary's age at the end of 2026, applicable 2024 adjusted family net income and total eligible contributions for 2026. Add contributions, grants and bonds received before 2026, plus the January 1 balance. Check the eligibility assumptions, then read the funding estimate before trying the optional growth projection.

Use an annual contribution total, not just your next deposit. Include eligible contributions already made in 2026 and those you intend to make later this year. The grant result estimates the whole year's current entitlement. It is not an extra payment on top of grants already received in 2026.

Gather the following records before changing the inputs. The government uses income from two years earlier, so a recent change in earnings does not mean you should replace the 2024 figure with your current salary.

The age field asks how old the beneficiary will be on December 31, not their age today. For household income, CRA includes a spouse or common-law partner from age 19. Unknown income should stay unknown. Entering zero could produce funding that does not match your entitlement.

If the beneficiary is turning 19, check the tax record rather than carrying over the parents' income from last year's estimate. ESDC says beneficiaries should start filing returns at 17 so the income information is available for grants and bonds at 19. That transition can change both results even when the planned contribution stays the same.

This tool cannot establish eligibility. Check CRA requirements for DTC approval, residency and opening a plan or read our RDSP eligibility guide. You do not need to provide a social insurance number or medical documents to use this calculator.

What do the RDSP calculator results mean?

The grant and bond figures estimate current-year government funding after applying the remaining lifetime limits. New deposits combine your 2026 contribution with those amounts. Principal combines the January 1 balance and new deposits for the projection. Growth is separate, and remaining contribution room measures deposits allowed, not the account's maximum value.

Here, principal is a calculation label, not a tax classification. The January 1 balance may already contain earlier contributions, government funding and investment gains. Keeping that balance separate from lifetime contribution history prevents an old investment gain from incorrectly reducing contribution room.

The lifetime contribution ceiling is $200,000. Rollovers count towards it, while grants, bonds and investment earnings do not. The calculator also limits funding to unused portions of the $70,000 lifetime grant ceiling and $20,000 lifetime bond ceiling, under CRA grant and bond rules.

Do not infer earlier contributions from today's balance. A plan with investment losses can have used more contribution room than its value suggests. A plan with gains can show the opposite. Ask the issuer for contribution history if your records are incomplete. Keep this year's deposits out of the pre-2026 fields so the calculator does not count them twice.

How does income affect the 2026 estimate?

Income determines the matching rate and whether a bond is available. For 2026, enhanced grant matching applies at income of $117,045 or less. A full bond is available at $38,237 or less, then declines to zero at $58,523. These are separate tests, so losing the bond does not automatically reduce grant matching.

The table uses the official 2026 income thresholds. It assumes eligibility, sufficient lifetime room and no carry-forward. For matching details beyond the calculator, see our RDSP grant guide.

The partial bond follows the formula in the Canada Disability Savings Act. It is not an all-or-nothing benefit between the two thresholds. At income of $48,380, halfway between them, the estimate is $500. Displayed cents are an estimate, not a promise about an issuer's payment rounding.

What would different inputs produce?

With income of $30,000 and an eligible $1,500 contribution, the calculator estimates a $3,500 grant and $1,000 bond, bringing new deposits to $6,000. Changing income to $117,046 reduces the estimated grant to $1,000 and removes the bond. These examples assume eligibility, enough lifetime room and no carry-forward.

These are arithmetic illustrations using the official rules, not client outcomes. The first row matters if money is tight. An eligible person can receive a bond without contributing. You do not have to choose an unaffordable contribution simply to make the calculator show a larger balance.

Compare contributions with growth turned off first. That lets you see which change comes from funding rules and which comes from your own money. Then check your RDSP contribution limit and budget before treating the largest displayed deposit as a sensible target.

Why might your actual entitlement be higher?

Unused grants and bonds from eligible past years may increase what the plan receives through carry-forward. This calculator excludes them because one income figure and one annual contribution cannot establish that history. Your Statement of Entitlement and financial institution are the better starting points when deciding how much to contribute for catch-up funding.

Carry-forward can cover up to 10 previous years, subject to the rules. It can raise annual payments above ordinary-year amounts. Do not multiply $3,500 by the years since DTC approval and assume the result is payable. Past eligibility, income and amounts already received affect the calculation.

What does the optional growth projection assume?

The projection compounds the January 1 balance plus all estimated 2026 deposits at your chosen net annual rate. It adds no future contributions, grants or bonds. The default rate is zero, and the horizon is capped before age 60. This is a savings illustration, not a forecast or withdrawal entitlement.

A net rate means after investment fees. Entering a return before fees would overstate this model's growth assumption. The tool treats the entire year's deposits as available for the selected compounding period. It does not model the actual timing of contributions or government payments, which can change real results.

Amounts are nominal dollars, with no inflation adjustment. The model excludes taxes, withdrawals and grant or bond repayments. Its age cap limits the illustration; it does not say the plan must close at 60. Read our RDSP withdrawal guide before treating the balance as money available to spend.

Keep the zero-rate result as your comparison point. A positive assumed rate adds hypothetical growth without adding new deposits. Actual investment returns can differ or be negative. The calculator cannot tell you which investments to buy or guarantee the balance you will have.

Frequently asked questions

How much should I put in RDSP?

Start with your budget and Statement of Entitlement. With no carry-forward and enough lifetime grant room, $1,500 attracts the full $3,500 ordinary-year grant when applicable income is $117,045 or less in 2026. Higher income changes that calculation. Catch-up entitlement can change the contribution needed, so confirm it before depositing. Source.

How do I calculate my RDSP grant amount?

For 2026, use your applicable 2024 adjusted family net income and total eligible contributions for the year. At income of $117,045 or less, multiply the first $500 by three and the next $1,000 by two. Above that income, match the first $1,000 dollar for dollar, subject to eligibility and lifetime room. Source.

What is the maximum amount I can contribute to my RDSP in 2026?

There is no annual contribution limit, but the lifetime contribution limit is $200,000. Subtract all earlier contributions, including rollovers, to find the remaining room. Grants, bonds and investment earnings do not use that room. A large contribution will not necessarily attract more matching grants, and contribution eligibility still applies. Source.

What is the max grant for RDSP?

The ordinary-year grant can reach $3,500, with the contribution and income conditions met. Eligible unused entitlements can raise grants paid in one year to $10,500 through carry-forward. The lifetime grant ceiling remains $70,000. This calculator estimates current-year entitlement only, so it does not show that possible catch-up payment. Source Lifetime grant ceiling.

At what age do you have to stop contributing to an RDSP?

Contributions can continue until December 31 of the year the beneficiary turns 59, provided other requirements are met and lifetime contribution room remains. Matching grants stop after December 31 of the year the beneficiary turns 49. Bonds also stop in that year, so the contribution window lasts longer than government funding. Source.

Take the next step towards opening your RDSP

Save your inputs and check any missing tax information or past entitlements before choosing a contribution. Ready to open a plan? Start your RDSP opening process. Keep the estimate as a planning reference, then confirm eligibility and the contribution needed with your financial institution before moving money.