To be eligible for the Registered Disability Savings Plan, you must:

1
Get your social insurance number.
2
Become eligible for the Disablity Tax Credit, and Canada Child Tax Benefit if you have a child under the age of 19.
3
File your income tax returns.
4
Choose the Holder (the person who makes the financial decisions).
5
You are younger than 60 years old.

The Step by Step Guide explains each of these steps (plus a bit more) in detail.

Get the step by step Guide

The Disability Tax Credit

To be eligible for the Registered Disability Savings Plan, you must receive the Disability Tax Credit.  If you already have it, great! Next stop, the bank!

If you do not have it or are not sure if you can get it, you will need to apply. You (or a parent or caregiver) and a health practitioner will need to fill out Form T-2201.  After both sections of the form have been filled out, you must submit the completed form to the Canadian Revenue Agency for Assessment. Following this assessment, the Canadian Revenue Agency will determine whether you are eligible to receive the Disability Tax Credit or not.


For people living in British Columbia who need support with the Disability Tax Credit, Disability Alliance BC (DABC) provides free one-to-one support through the Access RDSP program: Click here to find out more.

Form T2201 tells more about what is required to become eligible.

Get a copy of the T2201
Get a copy of the T2201

Here are some resources to help you with the DTC

 

Step-by-step guide to applying for the Disability Tax Credit: http://tinyurl.com/DTC-CRA

T2201 Disability Tax Credit Certificate form http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/E/pbg/tf/t2201/README.html

A Guide to Understanding and Claiming the Disability Tax Credit (Ontario Federation for Cerebral Palsy, 2011 https://www.ofcp.ca/pdf/DTC-Article-from-OFCP-Mar-2011.pdf

Disability Tax Credit: A Do-It-Yourself Guide (Ontario Community Advocacy and Legal Centre) http://yourlegalrights.on.ca/resource/disability-tax-credit-do-it-yourself-guide

 

 

RC 4065 Medical Expenses, information about medical expenses you can claim http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/E/pub/tg/rc4065/README.html

RC 4064 Disability-Related Information, tax measures for persons with disabilities: http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/E/pub/tg/rc4064/README.html

Disability Tax Fairness, Report of the technical advisory committee on tax measures for persons with disability: http://publications.gc.ca/collections/Collection/F34-1-2004E.pdf