Canada Disability Savings Grants and Bonds | ESDC

If you have a Registered Disability Savings Plan (RDSP), you can apply for a Canada Disability Savings Grant or Bond.

Canada Disability Savings Grant

The Canada Disability Savings Grant is a matching grant. That means that the Government also pays into your RDSP to help you save. The Government gives matching grants of up to 300 percent, depending on the beneficiary's family income and contribution. The maximum Grant amount is $3,500 per year, with a limit of $70,000 over your lifetime. Grants are paid into the RDSP until the end of the year you turn 49 years of age.

How to qualify

Once you have an RDSP, you can apply for a grant if you:
- are 49 years old or under (if you are 49, you must apply before the end of the year);
- are a Canadian resident;
- have a social insurance number; and
- are eligible for the Disability Tax Credit.
How to apply

You must apply for the Grant through the financial organization where you have your RDSP.
To make it easier, you can fill out the application form and print it to take with you to your financial organization:
- Application for the Canada Disability Savings Grant and/or Canada Disability Savings Bond.
Grant amount

Grant amounts are based on income categories and change each year based on the rate of inflation. A list of the current qualifying income levels is available on the Canada Revenue Agency website.
To qualify for the 200 percent and 300 percent matching grant:
- beneficiaries over 18 years of age must have filed income tax returns for the past two years and must do so for all future taxation years;
- the parents or guardians of beneficiaries under the age of 18 must have filed income tax returns for the past two years, and must do so for all future taxation years and apply for the Canada Child Tax Benefit.
If your family income is less than or equal to $87,900:
- For the first $500 you contribute each year to the RDSP, the Government will deposit $3 for every $1 you contribute, up to $1,500 a year.
- For the next $1,000 you contribute each year to the RDSP, the Government will deposit $2 for every $1 you contribute, up to an additional $2,000 a year.
If your family income is greater than $87,900:
- For the first $1,000 you contribute each year to the RDSP, the Government will deposit $1 for every $1 you contribute, up to $1,000 a year.
Example

Mary has a beneficiary's family income of $37,000. She makes two contributions to her RDSP in 2010:

Mary contributes to her RDSP:
- $500 in March 2010; and
- $400 in August 2010, for a total of $900 in contributions.
The Government matches the first $500 contribution (from March) at 300 percent, so she receives $1,500 ($500 x 300%), deposited to her RDSP.

The Government matches the second contribution, of $400 (from August) at 200 percent, so she receives $800 ($400 x 200%), deposited to her RDSP.

The total amount of matching grants Mary receives in 2010 is $2,300 ($1,500 + $800).

Canada Disability Savings Bond

The Canada Disability Savings Bond is money the Government contributes to the Registered Disability Savings Plans (RDSPs) of low- and modest-income Canadians. If you qualify for the Bond, you can receive up to $1,000 a year, depending on the beneficiary’s family income. Over an individual’s lifetime, there is a limit of $20,000. Bonds are paid into the RDSP until the end of the year the beneficiary turns 49 years of age. You do not need to make any contributions to your RDSP to receive the Bond.

How to qualify

Once you have an RDSP, you can apply for a bond if you:
- are 49 years of age or under (if you are 49, you must apply before the end of the year);
- are a Canadian resident;
- have a social insurance number; and
- are eligible for the Disability Tax Credit.
How to apply

You must apply for the Bond through the financial organization where you have your RDSP.
To make it easier, you can fill out the application form and print it to take with you to your financial organization.
- Application for the Canada Disability Savings Grant and/or Canada Disability Savings Bond.
Bond amount

The income amounts are an estimate of the income thresholds and change each year based on the rate of inflation. A list of current qualifying income levels is available on the Canada Revenue Agency website.

To determine a bond amount:
- beneficiaries over 18 years of age must have filed personal income tax returns for the past two years and must do so for all future taxation years;
- the parents or guardians of beneficiaries under 18 years of age must have filed their taxes and must have applied for the Canada Child Tax Benefit for the past two years and must do so for all future taxation years.
If the beneficiary's family income is less than or equal to $25,500:
- The Government deposits $1,000 each year to the RDSP.
If the beneficiary's family income is between $25,500 and $43,900:
- The Government deposits a portion of the $1,000 to an RDSP each year. As the income increases, the Bond amount paid into the RDSP decreases.
Example

Mark opened an RDSP for himself and has a family income of $19,000 (see beneficiary's family income). As his income was below $25,500, the Government deposits $1,000 to his RDSP.

RDSP Savings Calculator

The RDSP Savings Calculator can help you anticipate how your RDSP could grow over time. You can calculate the estimated amount of Grant and Bond you could receive, based on your annual family income and contributions, as well as the amount of interest collected.

Unused Grant and Bond entitlements: “The carry-forward measure”

If you opened and RDSP in 2008 or later, and contributed less than the maximum amount, you can claim Grant and Bond entitlements. You can use these amounts for current RDSPs, or RDSPs opened in January 2011 or later.

To apply for unused Grant and Bond entitlements, you must qualify to receive the Grant and the Bond. You can apply until the end of the year you turn 49.

The amount of Grant and Bond you qualify for depends on family income in those years. The Grant amount received also depends on how much you contributed to your RDSP. The matching rate will be the same as in the year the Grant entitlement was earned. Matching rates will be paid on RDSP contributions using entitlements at the highest rate first.

Grants and Bonds will be paid on unused entitlements, up to an annual maximum of:

$10,500 for grants; and
$11,000 for bonds.

The maximum amount of Grant paid over the beneficiary's lifetime is $70,000.

The maximum amount of Bond paid over the beneficiary's lifetime is $20,000.

Issuers RDSP, Grant and Bond issuers

Information is available to help issuers of Registered Disability Savings Plans and Canada Disability Savings Grants and Bonds to fulfill their roles and responsibilities.