A Registered Disability Savings Plan (RDSP) is a savings plan for people approved for the Disability Tax Credit, and the Government of Canada adds money to it. The Canada Disability Savings Grant matches your contributions with up to $3,500 a year, and the Canada Disability Savings Bond adds up to $1,000 a year for low-income families with no contribution needed. Over a lifetime, a beneficiary can get up to $70,000 in grants and $20,000 in bonds.
How much you can get
How much the government puts in depends on the beneficiary’s adjusted family net income. For 2026, the grant and bond are based on income from the 2024 tax return.
Canada Disability Savings Grant (2026)
| Adjusted family net income | Grant on your contributions | Most grant per year |
|---|---|---|
| $117,045 or less | $3 for each $1 on the first $500, then $2 for each $1 on the next $1,000 | $3,500 |
| More than $117,045 | $1 for each $1 on the first $1,000 | $1,000 |
Example: if your family income is under $117,045 and you put $1,500 into the RDSP in 2026, the grant adds $1,500 (on the first $500) plus $2,000 (on the next $1,000), for $3,500 in total.
Canada Disability Savings Bond (2026)
| Adjusted family net income | Bond per year |
|---|---|
| $38,237 or less | $1,000 |
| $38,237 to $58,523 | A partial bond that gets smaller as income rises |
| $58,523 or more | No bond |
You don’t have to put in any money to get the bond. It is paid into the plan once you apply for it.
Lifetime limits
| Lifetime maximum | |
|---|---|
| Grant | $70,000 |
| Bond | $20,000 |
| Your own contributions | $200,000 (no yearly limit) |
Whose income counts
Up to the end of the year the beneficiary turns 18, the family income is the one used for the Canada Child Benefit, usually the parents’ income. From the year the beneficiary turns 19, it is the beneficiary’s own income plus their spouse’s or common-law partner’s income, if they have one. For many adults with disabilities, that means the full grant rate and the bond, even if their parents earn more.
Catching up on past years (carry-forward)
If you open an RDSP later, you can catch up on grants and bonds from the last 10 years in which the beneficiary was approved for the DTC.
- Bond: carry-forward amounts are paid automatically when you open the plan and apply for the bond, with no contribution needed, up to $11,000 in one year (10 past years plus the current year). The bond for each past year depends on the family income in that year.
- Grant: you must make contributions to get carry-forward grant, up to $10,500 in grant in one year.
Who qualifies
To open an RDSP, the beneficiary must:
- Be approved for the Disability Tax Credit by the Canada Revenue Agency.
- Be under 60.
- Be a resident of Canada.
- Have a Social Insurance Number.
Grants and bonds are paid only up to December 31 of the year the beneficiary turns 49. You can still open a plan after that, up to age 59, and the money grows tax-sheltered, but no new grants or bonds are paid.
If the beneficiary later loses DTC approval, the plan can be closed or kept open. While the beneficiary isn’t approved, no contributions are allowed and no grants or bonds are paid. Losing DTC approval on its own does not mean you have to repay grants and bonds.
How to open an RDSP
- Get DTC approval first. If you don’t have it yet, see our Disability Tax Credit guide.
- Decide who will hold the plan. An adult who can enter into a contract must be their own plan holder. For a child, a parent, legal representative or public department can be the holder. For an adult who can’t enter into a contract, a legal representative can hold the plan, or in some cases a qualifying family member (a spouse or common-law partner, parent or adult brother or sister).
- Choose a financial organization. RDSPs are offered by some banks, credit unions and investment firms, but not all of them. The Government of Canada keeps a list of organizations that offer the RDSP.
- Open the plan and apply for the grant and bond at the same time. Bring the beneficiary’s SIN and the plan holder’s identification. Ask the organization to apply for both the grant and the bond.
- Keep filing taxes. The beneficiary, and their parents or spouse where their income counts, need to file tax returns each year so the government can work out the grant and bond.
How the money is paid
The grant and bond are deposited into the RDSP, not paid to you. The grant is based on the contributions made to the plan. The bond is paid for each year the beneficiary qualifies, once the plan holder has applied for it. The money grows tax-sheltered until it is withdrawn.
The 10-year repayment rule, in plain terms
Grants and bonds are meant for long-term savings. That’s why money the government put in during the last 10 years may have to be paid back if you take money out early.
- If you make a withdrawal: for every $1 you take out, $3 of grant or bond paid into the plan in the previous 10 years goes back to the government, up to the total paid in those 10 years.
- If the plan is closed or the beneficiary dies: grants and bonds paid in the previous 10 years are repaid in full.
- Once the beneficiary turns 60: none of the grants and bonds have to be repaid, whether the plan pays out, closes or the beneficiary dies. Payments must start by the end of the year the beneficiary turns 60.
- If the beneficiary has a life expectancy of 5 years or less: they can take out up to $10,000 a year without the usual repayment rule, with medical proof given to the financial organization.
In practice, money put in and left alone for 10 years is safe from repayment.
Things to watch for
- Apply for both. Opening the plan isn’t enough. Make sure the grant and bond applications are made.
- Mind the age-49 cut-off. Carry-forward can recover up to 10 past years, but only until the end of the year the beneficiary turns 49.
- Plan withdrawals. Taking money out within 10 years of receiving grants or bonds costs $3 in government money for each $1 withdrawn.
- Scam warning: the government never asks for payment or gift cards to release a benefit. See our scams guide.
Families raising a child with a disability may also get the Child Disability Benefit. Adults approved for the DTC may qualify for the Canada Disability Benefit. For more support, see the becoming disabled checklist and disability discounts in Canada.
Common questions
How much free money can I get in an RDSP?
Up to $3,500 a year in grants when you contribute, and up to $1,000 a year in bonds for low-income families. The lifetime limits are $70,000 in grants and $20,000 in bonds.
Do I have to put money in to get the RDSP bond?
No. The bond doesn’t need a contribution. You only need to open the plan and apply for it, and your family income must be low enough.
What income is used for the 2026 RDSP grant and bond?
The 2024 tax return. For 2026, the full bond goes to families with adjusted net income of $38,237 or less, and the higher grant match applies up to $117,045.
Can I open an RDSP after age 49?
Yes, up to age 59, but grants and bonds stop after December 31 of the year the beneficiary turns 49.
What happens to the grants if I withdraw money?
If grants or bonds were paid in the past 10 years, $3 of them must be repaid for every $1 you withdraw, up to the total paid in that time. After the beneficiary turns 60, no repayment applies.
Does an RDSP affect my disability benefits?
That depends on the program. Ask your provincial or territorial disability support program how it treats RDSP savings and payments before you withdraw.
