From the Federal Government’s RDSP Grant, Bond and Outreach Team:
“It is a pleasure to announce another new feature to our website – videos about the Registered Disability Savings Plan (RDSP), the Canada Disability Savings Grant and the Canada Disability Savings Bond in American Sign Language (ASL) and Langue des signes québécoise (LSQ). The Office for Disability Issues developed these videos to provide members of the Deaf and hard of Hearing communities with general Program information. These videos are equipped with closed captioning and voice narration. Also, the Government of Canada introduced two improvements to the RDSP, the grant and the bond that provide more flexibility to Canadians with disabilities and their families when saving for the future.
- Effective January 2011, individuals can claim unused grant and bond entitlements from the past 10 years (starting from 2008, the year RDSPs became available). This applies to new and existing plans.
- As of July 2011, parents or grandparents will be able to arrange for some or all of their retirement savings to be transferred, tax-free, to the RDSP of their financially dependent child or grandchild when they pass away. More recently, in Budget 2011, the Government also announced a new provision that gives more flexibility to people with shortened life expectancies when making withdrawals from their RDSP. This measure is effective as of June 26, 2011. The contents of this information kit have recently been added to the “In Focus” box on our web site.”