Lifetime limit progress
Includes the earlier amounts entered and this scenario.
Estimated CESG$0 of $7,200
Personal RESP contributions$0 of $50,000
2026 education-savings rules
RESP & CESG grant calculator.
Estimate federal grants from a year-by-year Registered Education Savings Plan history. The calculator models the 20% basic Canada Education Savings Grant, different annual contributions, unused-room catch-up, the income-tested additional CESG, and annual and lifetime limits.
Updated September 28, 2026 · Canada-wide federal estimate · calculations stay in your browser
Quick answer
Contribute $2,500 to receive up to $500 of basic CESG in a typical year.
If the beneficiary has unused basic CESG room, contributing up to $5,000 can attract up to $1,000 of basic CESG in one year. Income-tested additional CESG can add $50 or $100, subject to the shared $7,200 lifetime CESG maximum.
1. Beneficiary and eligibility
The missing piece
2. Previous contributions
CESG is calculated by calendar year, so a lifetime contribution total alone is not enough. Enter each year's contribution and the additional-CESG rate that applied that year. Unused basic room will carry forward automatically. For age 16 or 17, select “Yes” only after confirming the special prior-contribution condition.
Review or edit year-by-year history
Use rates confirmed by your RESP provider. If you do not know a past additional-grant rate, leaving “basic only” gives an incomplete history; confirm it before relying on remaining grant room.
No prior years in this scenario.
Estimated 2026 CESG on your contribution$0
Basic before lifetime cap$0
Additional before lifetime cap$0
Maximum available now$0
Contribution for that max$0
Unused basic room$0before this year's grant
CESG lifetime room after$0of the $7,200 maximum
RESP contribution room after$0of the $50,000 lifetime limit
Calculation trail
Year-by-year grant calculation
Shows how each year's contribution earns CESG and changes unused basic room. The final row is the current 2026 scenario.
| Year | Contribution | Basic CESG | Additional CESG | Total CESG | Unused basic room after |
|---|
2026 federal rules
RESP and CESG rules at a glance
20% basic matchBasic CESG equals 20% of eligible contributions.
$500 each yearThe normal basic maximum comes from contributing $2,500.
$1,000 with catch-upUnused basic room can support a $5,000 grant-earning contribution.
$7,200 lifetime CESGBasic and additional CESG share one lifetime cap per beneficiary.
$50,000 contributionsThe lifetime RESP contribution limit applies across all plans for a beneficiary.
Through age 17CESG is available through the calendar year the beneficiary turns 17, subject to special age-16/17 rules.
How carry-forward works
Up to $500 of basic CESG room is added for each eligible year. Unused basic room carries forward, but only one extra year's worth can generally be used at a time: up to $1,000 of basic CESG on $5,000 of contributions in a calendar year. Additional CESG does not carry forward.
The year-by-year history applies each contribution in sequence. For example, five annual contributions of $2,500 earn $500 of basic CESG in each year, not one grant based on the $12,500 total.
What adjusted family income changes
For 2026, income up to $58,523 can add 20% on the first $500 contributed, or up to $100. Income above $58,523 and up to $117,045 can add 10%, or up to $50. Above $117,045, the basic 20% CESG can still apply.
For earlier years, select the actual additional-CESG rate shown by the RESP promoter: none, 10% or 20%. That rate may change from year to year with adjusted family income.
RESP & CESG questions
How much CESG does the government add to an RESP?
The basic CESG is 20% of eligible RESP contributions, normally up to $500 a year on $2,500 contributed. With unused basic grant room, up to $1,000 of basic CESG may be paid in one year on $5,000 contributed. Basic and additional CESG share a $7,200 lifetime maximum.
Can unused CESG room be carried forward?
Unused basic CESG room carries forward. It can allow up to $5,000 of contributions to attract the 20% basic grant in a later year. Additional CESG is determined year by year and does not carry forward.
Can a 16- or 17-year-old receive CESG?
Yes, if before the end of the year the beneficiary turned 15, at least $2,000 had been contributed and not withdrawn, or at least $100 had been contributed and not withdrawn in any four earlier years.
Is there an annual RESP contribution limit?
There is no annual contribution limit for 2007 and later years. The lifetime limit is $50,000 per beneficiary across all RESPs. Contributions beyond the amount that attracts CESG may still be allowed within that lifetime limit.
Does the calculator include the Canada Learning Bond or provincial grants?
No. It estimates the federal CESG only. The Canada Learning Bond does not require personal contributions, and British Columbia and Québec have separate education-savings incentives with their own eligibility rules.
Primary sources and methodology
- Employment and Social Development Canada: CESG amounts, eligibility and carry-forward
- ESDC Notice #1114: 2026 additional CESG income thresholds
- Canada Revenue Agency: RESP contribution limits and excess-contribution tax
- Canada Education Savings Program: basic and additional CESG definitions
Rules version 2026.09.28 · reviewed against primary federal sources · next scheduled review Q4 2026 · educational estimate only.
How to use this resp and cesg calculator
Enter the beneficiary’s birth year, annual contribution history and grant eligibility. Review the estimated grant for this year and the contribution timeline, including carry-forward and lifetime limits. Confirm historical grants and eligibility with your RESP provider; the model does not automatically determine provincial grants or the Canada Learning Bond.
Amounts are in Canadian dollars. Read the calculation methods, sources and review status.