Compare Canadian Tax-Advantaged Accounts
2026 account ceilings
Canada's four CRA-registered accounts for 2026: RRSP room is the lower of 18% of earned income or $33,810, TFSA annual room is $7,000 ($109,000 cumulative since 2009), RESP lifetime room is $50,000 with a 20% CESG match up to $7,200 per child, and FHSA allows $8,000 a year up to $40,000 lifetime.
- $33,810
- 2026 RRSP ceiling
- $7,000
- TFSA annual room
- $50,000
- RESP lifetime room
- $40,000
- FHSA lifetime room
Only RRSP and FHSA deduct at contribution; only RESP carries a federal match.
A side-by-side reference of every CRA-registered tax-advantaged account available to Canadian households in 2026. Use this table to identify which account fits a given savings goal, then read the in-depth guides for sequencing logic and edge cases.
According to the Canada Revenue Agency, for 2026 the RRSP ceiling is $33,810 (18% of earned income), the TFSA annual limit is $7,000 with $109,000 of cumulative room since 2009, the FHSA allows $8,000 a year up to $40,000 lifetime, and the RESP carries a $50,000 lifetime cap with a 20% federal CESG match worth up to $7,200 per child. Every figure below is current as of 2026-01-01; see the methodology for sources.
| Feature | RRSP | TFSA | RESP | FHSA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Contribution deductible against income? | Yes | No | No | Yes |
| Growth taxed? | No (deferred until withdrawal) | No (never) | Yes on EAP withdrawal | No (never if used for first home) |
| Withdrawal taxed? | Yes (full amount) | No | Yes on EAP (in student's hands) | No (qualifying first home) |
| 2026 annual room | Lower of 18% of earned income or $33,810 | $7,000 ($109,000 cumulative) | $50,000 lifetime per beneficiary | $8,000 ($40,000 lifetime) |
| Federal match? | No | No | Yes, 20% CESG up to $500/year/child | No |
| Carry-forward unused room? | Yes (indefinitely) | Yes (indefinitely) | Partial (CESG catch-up 1 year) | Yes (up to $8,000/year cap) |
| Over-contribution penalty | 1%/month above $2,000 buffer | 1%/month (no buffer) | 1%/month above $50,000 | 1%/month above limit |
| Age limits to contribute | Until Dec 31 of year you turn 71 | 18+, no upper limit | Beneficiary under 18 for CESG | 18-71 (and not a homeowner past 4 yr) |
| Best-use case (most households) | High current marginal rate, retirement savings | Flexible savings, lower current rate | Saving for child's post-secondary | First-home down payment |
How to read this table
The most consequential row for the typical household is the first one - deduction at contribution time. Only the RRSP and the FHSA give you a current-year deduction. The TFSA and RESP do not. That single difference drives most of the RRSP-vs-TFSA decision tree.
The second-most consequential row is the federal match, only the RESP offers one, and only if you contribute. Any RESP contribution up to $2,500/year/child captures a guaranteed 20% return via the CESG before the underlying investments do anything.
The remaining rows govern flexibility, age constraints, and contribution mechanics. PlainRRSP's contribution & deferral calculator lets you input your numbers and see the dollar value of the decision, instead of reasoning about it from this table alone.
Download the CRA registered-plan limits and provincial tax-bracket extract cited on this page: plainrrsp-tax-brackets.csv (Open Government Licence – Canada).