Guide to registered education savings plans (RESPs)

Make the most of tax deferral and government contributions to save for your child’s education with an RESP.

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Tim Falk

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A registered education savings plan (RESP) is a government-registered plan that helps you save and invest for your child’s post-secondary education. But how do RESPs work, how much can you contribute, what are the RESP withdrawal rules, and how can you open an account? Keep reading to find out.

How does an RESP work?

An RESP is a long-term savings plan that makes it easier to save for your child’s education once they finish high school. The income you earn from investments held in an RESP isn’t taxed until it’s withdrawn, allowing you to grow your savings balance faster.

Family members and friends can contribute to the RESP, while the federal government may also match a portion of your contributions — to the tune of up to $9,200 in grants over the life of the RESP. Provincial benefits are also available if you live in British Columbia or Quebec and meet the eligibility requirements.

There are three key players in any RESP:

  • The subscriber is the person who applies to open the RESP and deposits money into it. This can be any adult, such as parents, guardians, grandparents, other relatives and friends. Adults can open RESPs for themselves as well.
  • The promoter is the financial institution that holds the RESP and applies for government grants on your behalf.
  • The beneficiary is the person who will receive the funds and government grants.

An RESP can remain open for up to 35 years, giving the beneficiary time to explore their options if they don’t want to continue studying straight after finishing high school. When the beneficiary enrolls in an eligible post-secondary education program, they can withdraw funds from the RESP to cover their costs.

Types of RESPs

Here are the three types of RESPs and their rules:

  • Individual RESPs. An individual RESP is a savings plan set up for one person only. Your beneficiary doesn’t need to be related to you by blood, and you can make contributions for up to 31 years from the date that you open the account.
  • Family RESPs. Family RESPs let you save up for multiple children at one time, but they need to be under 21 when you name them a beneficiary and related to you by blood or adoption.
  • Group RESPs. Also known as pooled RESPs, group RESPs are offered by scholarship plan dealers. They typically require you to make regular contributions, and the money you deposit is pooled together with the funds of other subscribers and investors. However, you’ll need to watch out for high fees.

RESP contributions

You can make contributions to an RESP for up to 31 years, and the plan can remain open for up to 35 years. While group RESPs come with a contract that sets out how much you need to contribute and how often, individual and family RESPs offer more flexibility. You can make contributions whenever you like, or set up a recurring weekly, bi-weekly or monthly deposit to automate your savings.

There’s no annual contribution limit, but the RESP lifetime contribution limit is $50,000 per beneficiary. This limit covers all combined contributions made to all your RESPs since you can be named as a beneficiary on more than one RESP.

What happens if I over-contribute?

If you exceed the lifetime RESP contribution limit of $50,000, a tax penalty of 1% per month applies to the excess amount until it’s withdrawn.

RESP government grants and benefits

Another major benefit of opening an RESP is that you may be eligible for extra funding from government grants. When you set up a plan, you can ask the RESP promoter to apply for the following benefits on your behalf:

Canada Education Savings Grant (CESG)

The CESG can provide up to a lifetime maximum of an additional $7,200 to your RESP until the age of 17. You’ll need to make contributions to your plan to receive the CESG — the government will match up to 20% of the first $2,500 contributed to the RESP, up to $500 per year. Eligible children from low- and middle-income families could also receive a further $100 per year.

Canada Learning Bond (CLB)

The CLB provides up to a lifetime maximum of $2,000 to eligible children from low-income families. No contributions are required to qualify for the CLB. Eligible children will receive $500 in the first year the RESP is open, then another $100 each year after that until the age of 15.

British Columbia Training and Education Savings Grant (BCTESG)

Residents of British Columbia can apply for the BCTESG for their children between their sixth birthday and the day before they turn nine to receive $1,200 in their RESP.

Québec Education Savings Incentive (QESI)

The QESI is a refundable tax credit paid directly into an RESP for residents of Quebec. Eligible beneficiaries can receive 10% of the net contributions paid into the RESP each year, up to $250. Low-income and middle-income families can receive up to $50 per year additionally. The lifetime maximum that can be received is $3,600.

What investments can you hold in an RESP?

RESPs can be used to hold a wide range of investments, including:

Your RESP can be either self-directed or managed by your RESP provider:

  • Self-directed portfolio. You can invest the money yourself or put your money with a robo-advisor to grow your savings without high fees.
  • Managed RESP. You can choose an RESP where the plan provider chooses the investments for you, saving you time and energy. Just be aware that you’ll pay higher management fees with this approach.

RESP withdrawal rules

Once your child is enrolled in an eligible post-secondary education program, you’ll need to provide proof of enrollment to the RESP promoter before withdrawing funds.

After your provider approves the withdrawal, choose between these two types:

  • Post-Secondary Education (PSE): This is a withdrawal of the contributions made by the subscriber, which can be paid to the subscriber, beneficiary or sent to an educational institution. Since you’ve already paid taxes on the money you contributed, you can withdraw these funds tax-free.
  • Education Assistance Payment (EAP): This is a withdrawal of the investment earnings and government grants or benefits, which can only be paid to the beneficiary. The beneficiary will have to pay income tax on these withdrawals and can only take out $8,000 (or 4,000 if they’re studying part-time) during the first 13 weeks of schooling. After that, any amount can be withdrawn.

Then, you’ll typically need to complete an RESP withdrawal form to receive your funds.

Withdrawing money from an RESP early

If you want to withdraw money from an RESP early, you can get your contributions back tax-free — but not without drawbacks.

You’ll need to pay back any grant money you may have earned on the contribution you’re withdrawing. You’ll also have to pay tax on investment earnings as well as a penalty of 20% (12% for residents of Quebec). That’s why it makes sense to avoid making an RESP withdrawal until your child is in school.

One of the only ways you can avoid paying a penalty is if you move the money into your RRSP or RDSP.

RESP eligible expenses

RESP funds can be used for the following expenses:

  • Tuition
  • Books
  • Tools
  • Computers
  • Rent
  • Transportation
  • Living expenses
  • Studying abroad

What if my child decides not to pursue post-secondary education?

If your child decides not to attend a post-secondary institution after finishing high school, you have a number of options:

  1. Keep the money in their RESP — plans can remain open for up to 35 years.
  2. Transfer their plan to another eligible beneficiary, such as one of their siblings.
  3. Withdraw the funds and pay tax on the interest you’ve earned.
  4. Transfer up to $50,000 worth of interest into your RRSP to avoid paying taxes. Note that you’ll need to have sufficient RRSP contribution room available.

RESP pros and cons

Pros

  • Tax-free. The interest or income you earn in an RESP isn't taxed until the beneficiary withdraws funds to pay for their education.
  • Government contributions. You can take advantage of government contributions to grow your RESP balance faster.
  • Provisions for low-income families. Additional government financial support is available for low-income families.
  • Wide range of investments. You can use an RESP to hold a variety of investments based on your financial goals and risk tolerance.
  • Flexible use. You'll be able to use the money for all types of school expenses, including tuition, housing, books, supplies and more.

Cons

  • Withdrawals are taxed as income. Your child or beneficiary will need to pay tax on any RESP withdrawals they make for school.
  • Not tax-deductible. Contributions you make to an RESP cannot be claimed as tax deductions.
  • Grants may have to be paid back. If your child decides not to continue studying after high school, you'll have to repay any grants you have received.
  • Lifetime limit. You'll need to take care not to exceed the lifetime contribution limit of $50,000.

How to open an RESP

You can open an RESP by completing the following steps:

  1. Compare RESP promoters (such as banks and credit unions) to find one that suits your needs.
  2. Fill out an online application form.
  3. Provide your personal information, contact details and proof of ID.
  4. Enter your beneficiary’s details, including their Social Insurance Number.
  5. Ask the promoter to apply for federal and provincial government grants and benefits.
  6. Start contributing to your plan or set up a recurring contribution.

Canadian RESP account statistics

One of the best ways to save for your children to pursue post-secondary education is to open an RESP for them. The 4.07% of Canadians who plan to open an RESP account in 2026 know this, as do the 14.68% who currently have an RESP, the 2.46% who have two and the 0.49% who have three.

Why not join these Canadians to enjoy tax-advantaged savings options, government grants and diverse investment options?

How many of each account type do you have?

How many of each account type do you have?
ANSWERS123+
Chequing Account74.29%18.03%4.33%
Savings Account60.69%17.44%6.31%
Joint Account25.32%4.43%0.99%
TFSA46.01%6.11%2.07%
GIC19.11%3.35%2.86%
RRSP38.23%6.70%2.66%
RESP14.68%2.46%0.49%
RRIF5.81%0.79%0.30%
FHSA5.71%0.59%0.10%
RDSP4.83%0.20%0.20%
Source: Data from the Finder: Consumer Sentiment Survey March 2026 by Pollfish of 1,001 Canadians.

Bottom line

An RESP combines tax benefits and government grants to help you save and pay for your kids’ education. Compare promoters and plans before deciding where to open an RESP.

Frequently asked questions

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Rebecca Low is a writer for Finder. She has contributed to a range of digital publications, including Wise, income.ca and Indeed, writing on topics like personal finance, career development, and travel. See full bio

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Tim Falk is a freelance writer for Finder. Over the course of his 20-year writing career, he has reported on a wide range of personal finance topics. Whether you're investing in stocks and ETFs, comparing savings accounts or choosing a credit card, Tim wants to make it easier for you to understand. When he’s not staring at his computer, you can usually find him exploring the great outdoors. See full bio

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