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Steven Alexander CPA Inc. accounting. advisory. growth.
Resources · Registered accounts

Plain-language guides to the accounts that matter.

TFSA. RRSP. RDSP. RESP. Canada has a generous set of registered accounts — but the rules are easy to get wrong and easy to leave money on the table. Each guide here breaks down the mechanics in plain language and pairs it with an interactive tool so you can see how it would work for you.

01 / TFSA

Tax-Free Savings Account

Tax-free growth, withdraw anytime, room restored January 1. The account every Canadian over 18 should be using.

  • How contribution room actually works
  • Why withdrawals don't lose room (after Jan 1)
  • Interactive room visualizer — try a scenario
Read the guide
02 / RRSP

Registered Retirement Savings Plan

Tax-deferred growth and an immediate tax refund. Best when your income today is higher than it will be in retirement.

  • How contributions reduce your tax — try the marginal-rate game
  • Spousal RRSPs & the attribution rule (with a real-world example)
  • Home Buyers' Plan & Lifelong Learning Plan
Read the guide
03 / FHSA

First Home Savings Account

The newest registered account — a hybrid of TFSA and RRSP designed to help first-time buyers save for a home. Contributions are tax-deductible and withdrawals for a qualifying home purchase are tax-free.

  • $8,000 annual / $40,000 lifetime contribution limit
  • How to combine FHSA + HBP for first-home purchases
  • Interactive first-home savings simulator
Read the guide
04 / RDSP

Registered Disability Savings Plan

One of the most generous savings programs available — government grants and bonds matched up to 300%, with a $200,000 lifetime contribution cap.

  • The CDSG (grant) and CDSB (bond) explained
  • How to qualify with the Disability Tax Credit
  • Interactive grant simulator with 20-year projection
Read the guide
05 / RESP

Registered Education Savings Plan

Government grants up to $7,200 per child, plus tax-deferred growth, designed to fund post-secondary education for your kids.

  • Maximizing the Canada Education Savings Grant (CESG)
  • The catch-up rule for late starters
  • Interactive grant maximizer with growth projection
Read the guide
06 / Compare

RRSP vs TFSA vs Non-registered

Same $100,000, same contributions, same return — three accounts, three very different after-tax outcomes. See where the tax goes, including the two RRSP refund paths.

  • Side-by-side after-tax results at retirement
  • The RRSP refund: reinvest it vs spend it
  • The deferred tax owing on your RRSP, throughout
Open the comparison