A Registered Education Savings Plan can help save for education after high school. After separation, the practical questions are who controls the plan, how contributions are coordinated and what happens when the child needs the money.
Canada · Checked 17 September 2026
RESP means Registered Education Savings Plan. The subscriber is the person who opens the plan. The beneficiary is the person whose education it is intended to support, usually the child. The promoter is the bank, investment firm or other provider administering it.
These roles are different. Naming a child as beneficiary does not make an RESP an ordinary bank account the child can freely withdraw from. The plan rules govern contributions, payments and access.
The Canada Education Savings Grant, or CESG, adds government money to eligible contributions, subject to its limits. The Canada Learning Bond, or CLB, can help eligible children from low-income families and does not require personal contributions.
Ask the provider which benefits it offers and what application information it needs. Being unable to save much yourself is a reason to check CLB eligibility, not to assume an RESP offers no help.
A child can be the beneficiary of more than one RESP. The lifetime personal contribution limit is $50,000 per beneficiary across all plans combined. Opening another plan does not create a new limit. Government grant limits also apply across plans.
Keep contributions from parents and relatives coordinated. Over-contributions can create a monthly tax penalty. In a family plan covering more than one child, records need to show how much belongs to each child’s contribution limit.
The treatment of an RESP in a separation settlement also depends on the applicable property rules. The provider’s account procedure does not, by itself, decide what either parent is entitled to.
Ask what proof of enrolment is required and how different parts of the account are paid out. Educational assistance payments made from grants and earnings are generally taxable to the student; the original contributions are treated differently.
If the child does not pursue eligible education, do not assume the only option is an immediate cash withdrawal. Transfers, repayment of government funds and tax consequences depend on the plan and circumstances. Ask the provider to explain the available choices in writing.
This guide explains general rules and services. It does not assess your individual case.
Information checked on 17 September 2026.
Based on the original article by Magnus Hjelmér.
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