m Under the latest provincial changes, the once grant-heavy Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP) is being replaced by a loan-heavy model designed for sustainability. Instead of funding towards post secondary education being grants up to 85%, the provincial portion is now capped at 25% grants with the remaining 75% being loans. For students heading into the … Read more
Subsidized housing, also known as Rent Geared to Income (RGI), operates under provincial or municipal acts that are separate from social assistance programs such as ODSP. Because the rules of each program are different, it is imperative that recipients are familiar with asset and income thresholds. In 2026, where you live in Canada determines whether … Read more
The Client Relationship Model Phase 3 (CRM3), also known as Total Cost Reporting (TCR), is arguably the most significant regulatory change in the Canadian investment industry since the introduction of CRM2 a decade ago. While CRM2 forced advisors to show only commissions and trailer fees, CRM3 mandates financial institutions to disclose all costs associated with … Read more
The Registered Education Savings Plan (RESP) to Registered Disability Savings Plan (RDSP) rollover is used when a disability prevents the beneficiary from attending post secondary school. Normally, the parent can withdraw the earnings as an Accumulated Income Payment (AIP), which counts as regular income, plus a 20% penalty. By rolling the AIP into an RDSP, … Read more
The Financial Consumer Agency of Canada (FCAC) has established a commitment with major banks to offer free bank accounts to specific groups, including disabled individuals who qualify for the Disability tax credit (DTC) or are a recipient of provincial social assistance such as ODSP. This commitment was updated on December 1, 2025, enhancing the benefits … Read more
The Registered Disability Savings Plan (RDSP) is arguably the most powerful wealth building tool offered to Canadians with disabilities. With matching grants of up to 300%, plus free bonds without a having to deposit a single penny, it provides a level of government support unlike any other registered account. Despite the potential for long term … Read more
Recent studies from the National Council on Disability and reports from the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) confirm that people with disabilities experience a significantly higher rate of fraud and identity theft than the general population. Scammers often impersonate government representatives from the Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP), CRA, Service Canada, etc; And because disabled individuals … Read more
Determining risk tolerance, risk capacity, and time horizon are critical to selecting appropriate investments and creating a viable retirement plan. However, the Registered Disability Savings Plan (RDSP) has some unique characteristics that differ from other registered accounts. While the math of compound growth remains the same regardless of account type, the risks can be higher … Read more
Since Registered Disability Savings Plan (RDSP) grants and bonds end in the year the beneficiary turns 49, many disabled Canadians believe that it is pointless to open an account after this age. Even if they qualified for the Disability tax credit (DTC) in past years, carry forward rules do not allow grants and bonds to … Read more
Both the Registered Disability Savings Plan (RDSP) and Registered Education Savings Plan (RESP) offer generous, income adjusted grants and bonds. To determine the correct government contributions for these accounts, the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) pulls data directly from tax returns. But how does the government verify a family’s income? One might assume they use the … Read more