Tax-deferred
Investment growth
Give your savings time to grow
Investments grow tax-deferred inside the plan. Earnings are generally taxable to the beneficiary when withdrawn, while original contributions are generally not.
Registered Disability Savings Plan
Up to $90,000 in Government Money for Canadians with Disabilities
The RDSP combines tax-deferred growth with government grants and bonds to help families build long-term financial security — often with little or no money of your own.
Government of Canada grants & bonds · No cost to find out if you qualify
Lifetime maximums, not a guaranteed payment. Eligibility, income, contributions and available years determine what you receive.
Timing matters. Grants and bonds are available through 31 December of the year the beneficiary turns 49. Checking eligibility early can help you make the most of available support and carry-forward room.
What is an RDSP?
Three Ways the RDSP Grows Your Savings
A long-term savings plan designed specifically to help Canadians with disabilities and their families save for the future.
$70,000
Lifetime grant maximum
Government Matching (CDSG)
The Canada Disability Savings Grant matches eligible contributions at 100%, 200%, or 300%, up to $3,500 per year, depending on family income and contributions.
$20,000
Lifetime bond maximum
Government Bond (CDSB)
Eligible lower-income beneficiaries can receive up to $1,000 per year from the Canada Disability Savings Bond — with no contribution required.
Lifetime contribution limit: $200,000 — no annual contribution limit. Eligible carry-forward room may increase grant or bond payments in some years.
Eligibility
Do You Qualify?
Disability Tax Credit (DTC) Cumulative Effect Criteria
Even if you don’t meet a single “marked restriction” on its own, you may still qualify if two or more limitations, combined, have an equivalent severe effect.
DTC eligibility is the starting point. RDSP beneficiaries also need a valid SIN, Canadian residency, and must be under 60 when the plan is opened.
You have limitations in 2 or more categories
WalkingMental functionsDressingFeedingEliminatingSpeakingHearingVision
Limitations exist together all or almost all of the time — generally 90% or more.
Limitations have lasted, or are expected to last, at least 12 months.
Combined, the limitations are equivalent to a marked restriction in one category, present 90% or more of the time, even with therapy, medication, or devices.
Not sure you qualify? CRA bases eligibility on information from your medical practitioner. Different practitioners can certify different impairments; the cumulative-effect category must be certified by a medical doctor or nurse practitioner. A diagnosis alone does not determine eligibility.
An illustrative family story
Evelyne and Her Mother Joan
Imagine Joan living with a progressive condition that makes walking, dressing, and feeding herself increasingly difficult. On its own, no single limitation seems severe enough to qualify for the Disability Tax Credit. Her daughter Evelyne helps her apply under the cumulative effect category, based on the combined impact of her limitations.
“I didn’t think my mom would qualify — the combination of her limitations was enough.”
Illustrative quote, not a verified client testimonial.
If Joan is approved and meets the other eligibility requirements, she can become an RDSP beneficiary. Evelyne may also be able to claim an unused portion of Joan’s DTC if the CRA’s support and transfer requirements are met.
Common conditions
Some Common Conditions That Qualify
Eligibility depends on how a condition affects daily life and must be certified by a medical practitioner. This list is illustrative, not a CRA checklist.
Addictions (illegal or prescription meds)
ADHD combined type
ADHD Primarily Hyperactive/Impulsive
ADHD Primarily Inattentive
Alzheimer’s disease
Angina
Anorexia nervosa
Anxiety
Arthritis
Asperger’s syndrome
Ataxia (Cerebellar Dysfunction)
Auditory Processing Disorder (APD)
Autism
Behçet’s disease
Bi-polar disorder (mood disorder)
Borderline personality disorder (BPD)
Bowel Incontinence
Bulimia nervosa
Cerebral Palsy (CP)
Chromosome Abnormality
Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS)
Chronic pain Disorder
Colitis
Conduct Disorder (CD)
COPD
Coronary artery disease (CAD)
Crohn’s Disease
Dementia
Depression
Diabetes
Difficulty Walking / Dressing
Down Syndrome
Dressing takes longer than on average
Dysgraphia
Dystonia
Fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS)
Fibromyalgia (FM)
Glaucoma
Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
Learning Disabilities
Lou Gehrig’s disease
Memory Problems
Mental Illness
Mobility Issues
Multiple Sclerosis
Muscle Dystrophy
Myotonic Myopathy
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
Osteoarthritis
Pancreatitis
Panic Disorder
Paralyzed
Paraplegia
Parkinson’s Disease
Personality disorder
Pervasive developmental disorder (PDD)
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Pterygium
Quadriplegia
Quadriplegic
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Seizure Disorder
Sleep Apnea
Sleep disorder
Speech Disorder
Spinal Cord Trauma
Stroke
Tourette Syndrome
Tuberculosis
A condition may also qualify through the cumulative effect category when it combines with other limitations.
How it works
Who Can Open an RDSP — In 4 Steps
A straightforward process, with support available at every step.
01
Confirm DTC Eligibility
The beneficiary needs a valid SIN, DTC eligibility, Canadian residency, and must be under 60 when the plan opens.
02
Choose the Plan Holder
An adult with legal capacity can hold their own plan. Legal parents or authorised representatives can act in other circumstances; special family-member rules may apply.
03
Open & Fund the Plan
Choose an issuer and investments suited to the beneficiary. There’s no annual contribution limit, with a $200,000 lifetime maximum.
04
Apply for Grants & Bonds
Complete the grant and bond application with your issuer. Eligible support is then paid into the plan, based on income, contributions and available room.
Eligible savings deposits and GICs at CDIC member institutions may be insured within applicable limits. RDSPs are designed for long-term savings; early withdrawals may require repayment of recent grants and bonds.
Frequently asked questions
Your RDSP Questions, Answered
General
What is an RDSP?
A Registered Disability Savings Plan is a long-term, tax-deferred savings plan designed to help Canadians with disabilities and their families save for the future, enhanced by government grants and bonds.
What investment options are available?
GICs, Low Fee ETFs, Segregated portfolio solutions, and savings deposits may be available, depending on your financial institution. Investment values can rise or fall; not all investments are guaranteed.
Opening an account
Who can open an RDSP?
An adult beneficiary with legal capacity can generally open their own plan. For a minor, a legal parent or other authorised representative can be the holder. For an adult without capacity, an authorised legal representative can act. Ask the issuer which holder rules apply.
Can family or friends open one for someone?
Not simply because they are family or friends. A legally authorised representative may open a plan. In certain cases, a qualifying family member (a parent, spouse, common-law partner, or adult sibling) may act for an adult whose contractual capacity is in doubt. This temporary measure is scheduled to end 31 December 2026; confirm current rules with the issuer.
Can a plan have more than one holder?
Yes, in some cases, such as legal parents of a minor beneficiary. The issuer can confirm the arrangements permitted for your circumstances.
Beneficiaries
Who can be a beneficiary?
A person with a valid Social Insurance Number who is eligible for the Disability Tax Credit, is a resident of Canada, and is under 60 when the plan is opened.
Can the beneficiary and plan holder be the same person?
Yes, if the beneficiary has reached the age of majority and has the legal capacity to enter into a contract.
Is there a minimum age?
No. There is no minimum age to open an RDSP, provided the beneficiary meets the eligibility requirements.
Contributions & withdrawals
Is there an annual contribution limit?
There is no annual contribution limit, but there is a $200,000 lifetime contribution limit per beneficiary. Contributions are not tax-deductible.
Can I contribute the full $200,000 in one year?
Yes, subject to available lifetime room, but doing so may mean missing opportunities to maximise grant matching over several years. Contributions belong to the beneficiary and cannot simply be taken back by the contributor.
What happens if money is withdrawn early?
Withdrawals can trigger repayment of recent government support. Generally, $3 in grants and bonds is repaid for each $1 withdrawn, up to the applicable assistance holdback amount covering the previous 10 years. Exceptions apply. Grants, bonds and investment earnings are generally taxable to the beneficiary when paid out; original contributions are generally not.
Grants & bonds
What is the Canada Disability Savings Grant?
A government match of 100%, 200%, or 300% on eligible contributions, up to $3,500 per year and $70,000 over a lifetime, depending on family net income and contributions. Eligible carry-forward room can allow larger payments in some years.
What is the Canada Disability Savings Bond?
Up to $1,000 per year and $20,000 over a lifetime for eligible lower-income beneficiaries, with no contribution required. Tax returns must be filed to establish income-based eligibility.
Can someone aged 49 still receive grants or bonds?
Yes. Eligible grants and bonds can be paid through 31 December of the year the beneficiary turns 49. They are not available for later years, even though a plan may still be opened before age 60.
Get started
Let’s Find Out What You Qualify For — At No Cost
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A conversation with Tyler about your family’s needs
Walk through DTC eligibility and grant/bond potential together
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