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RESP grant calculator

How much CESG (government grant) will you get for contributing to your child’s Registered Education Savings Plan this year? Plain math.

How much do you plan to contribute this year? For one child. The CESG matches 20% of the first $2,500/year ($500). Annual sweet spot is $2,500 per child.

Unused CESG room from past years? Each year your child accrues $500 of grant room. Unused room rolls forward, but you can only claim a max of $1,000/year in CESG (which means contributing up to $5,000/year).

Family net income (for income-tested top-ups) If under ~$57,375 (2025 threshold), CESG matches 40% on the first $500. Under ~$114,750, 30%. Above that, the basic 20% rate. Leave blank to use basic rate.

Estimated 2026 CESG grant

$500

Standard 20% match on a $2,500 contribution.

Your contribution this year	$2,500
Basic CESG (20%, on up to $2,500 + carry-forward)	$500
Income-tested top-up (on first $500)	$0
Annual CESG cap (max one year)	$1,000
Lifetime CESG cap (per child)	$7,200
Total grant this year	$500

Clear notes

The CESG (Canada Education Savings Grant) is free money the federal government adds to your child’s RESP. The standard match is 20% on the first $2,500 of contributions per year, up to $500 in grant. Over a lifetime, the cap is $7,200 per child.

Carry-forward catches up if you started late. Each year your child gets $500 of grant room. Unused room rolls forward, but you can only claim a max of $1,000 in grant per year (which means contributing up to $5,000/year while using carry-forward).

Lower family income unlocks bonus grant — the Additional CESG (A-CESG) adds 10% or 20% on the first $500 of contributions, depending on net family income. The Canada Learning Bond (CLB) adds up to $2,000 over a child’s lifetime for low-income families — even without contributions.

Verify current thresholds at canada.ca. This estimate assumes a single child — family RESPs work differently for grant allocation.