How to use your RRSP in 2025: A guide to contribution limits, deadlines, and a richer retirement
Lower your 2024 tax bill and invest in your future self. This guide breaks down the 2025 RRSP contribution limits and provides simple strategies to make the most of your money.
Key details:
- 2025 RRSP Contribution Limit: For most RRSP holders, you can contribute 18% of your earned income from the previous year (2024), up to a maximum of $32,490. The formula can be impacted by your pension, so make sure you double check those requirements.
- Contribution period and deadline for 2025: The contribution period for the 2025 tax year is March 1 to December 31, 2025, plus the first 60 days of 2026, giving you until early March to make a tax-deduction eligible contribution.
- Your Personal Deduction Limit: This is your annual contribution limit plus any unused contribution room from previous years. You can find this specific number on your latest Notice of Assessment from the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA).
Yes, retirement is still possible in 2025
It may not always seem like it—it may seem like it’ll take two lifetimes worth of years to get there. But the truth is those years will pass either way, so the choice you have now is the same one you always did: how you use that time.
Because it doesn’t slow down. One moment, your biggest worry is a Tuesday morning math test and Friday’s football game and then, without noticing, you blink. Suddenly you’re measuring time in work deadlines and mortgage payments and the ever-growing size of your kid’s shoes.
So, using time well: it’s not a matter of luck. It’s a matter of choice. And for millions of Canadians, the most powerful choice they can make is understanding and using their Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP).
Understanding the RRSP: Big questions, quick answers
What is the RRSP contribution limit for 2025?
The short answer is that for 2025, you can contribute up to $32,490.
The slightly longer answer is that your personal limit is 18% of the earned income you reported on your 2024 tax return, up to that maximum amount.
Think of this number not as a ceiling, but as a target—the most powerful single step you can take this year to invest in your own future. Every dollar you contribute is a dollar you’re sending forward in time, ready to work for the person you’ll be 10, 20, or 30 years from now.
What is the RRSP contribution deadline to get a 2025 tax deduction?
The contribution period for RRSPs spans March 1 to December 31, plus the first 60 days of 2026. This means the expected deadline for you to make a contribution that lowers your taxable income for this year is March 2, 2026.
This date is more than just a line in the sand. It’s a checkpoint. It’s an annual reminder to pause for a moment and take stock: did I do enough for my future self this past year? It's the last chance to lower your 2025 tax bill and give your long-term savings a significant boost.
What is the RRSP deduction limit and how does it work?
Your RRSP deduction limit is the total amount you are allowed to deduct from your income on your tax return. In short, it means that each dollar you contribute reduces your taxable income by a dollar, which in turn lowers your final tax bill.
For most people, the limit is a combination of two things:
- Your annual contribution limit for the current year.
- Any unused RRSP contribution room you've accumulated from previous years.
This is one of the most forgiving and powerful features of the RRSP.
Most of the time, life doesn’t move in straight, clean lines. Some years you’ll have lots of cash to contribute. Others, that money will have other jobs. The RRSP is designed to accommodate this, not punish it.
You can carry forward unused room to future years, giving you the flexibility to catch up when you can—and ensuring that no opportunity to save for your future is ever truly lost. It just waits, until you’re ready.
Are you ready now? Put your limit to use.
Get StartedHow to build an effective RRSP strategy
For the First-Timer: How much can I put in my RRSP if I have never contributed?
If you’ve never contributed to an RRSP before, you’re in a uniquely powerful position. The amount you can contribute is the sum of all the contribution room you’ve accumulated every year since you started earning an income—whether that’s six months ago, or six years.
That means, for you, this could be a significant number at your disposal.
You can find your exact RRSP deduction limit on your Notice of Assessment (NOA) from the CRA.
Remember, this number isn’t a sign of being “behind.” The RRSP waits for you. And now, you’re ready, with a full runway of contribution room to put to use.
For the tax-savvy planner: How much should I contribute to my RRSP to reduce income tax?
This is what differentiates your RRSP from a simple savings account, and instead showcases its power as a sophisticated financial tool. An RRSP tax deduction works by lowering your net income. The higher your income, the more impactful this deduction can be.
For example, in Canada, people are taxed in brackets. If a strategic RRSP contribution can move your total income from a higher tax bracket into a lower one, you could save a significant amount of money—money that would have otherwise gone to the government but is now staying in your pocket or, even better, staying invested and growing for your future.
Many people aim to contribute enough to bring them down to the next lowest tax bracket. It’s a smart, effective strategy that delivers a real, tangible benefit when you file your taxes each spring.
Lower your tax bill with an RRSP.
Get startedTime, choices, and you
One day, the Tuesday morning math tests and late-night exam study sessions will make you smile. One day, the kids’ shoes will be replaced by car keys, the work deadlines by retirement parties. One day, the future—that one you were doubting was possible in 2025—will be here.
The choice is how you get there. The numbers and rules in this guide are just the tools, the real work is deciding how you use them—deciding that the person you’ll be in 20 years deserves to be invested in today.
The time will always keep passing. It’s up to you how you use it.
Choose to put your future self first.
Get startedMore Questions? More Answers (FAQs)
Yes, absolutely. This is a fundamental benefit of the account. Every dollar you contribute to an RRSP can be deducted from the income you pay taxes on for that year, which can lead to a lower tax bill or a larger refund.
The biggest differences between an RRSP and a TFSA come down to two main features: taxes, and flexibility. A TFSA lets you withdraw your money for any reason at any time, while an RRSP is primarily meant to be withdrawn in retirement (though it can be used for things like education or to increase a down payment, but there are important implications to consider before doing that).
As far as taxes go:
- An RRSP is about saving on taxes now. You get a deduction when you put money in, and your investments grow tax-deferred, but you pay tax when you withdraw the money in retirement.
- A TFSA is about saving on taxes later. You don't get a deduction when you put money in, but your investments grow completely tax-free, and you pay no tax on withdrawals.
You don’t have to choose one or the other, though. Many Canadians use both to build a flexible retirement plan.
The CRA allows a lifetime over-contribution of $2,000 without penalty. However, if you contribute more than that, there is a penalty tax of 1% per month on the excess amount. It's important to know your limit, which you can always find on your CRA Notice of Assessment.
You must convert your RRSP into a Registered Retirement Income Fund (RRIF) or an annuity by the end of the year you turn 71. You can no longer make contributions after that point.
While your RRSP is designed for long-term savings, you can withdraw from it at any time. However, it's important to understand the immediate tax implications. This is called the withholding tax.
When you make a withdrawal, your financial institution is required to withhold a certain amount of tax and send it directly to the government. Think of it as a down payment on the taxes you’ll owe. The amount of this withholding tax depends on how much you withdraw:
- 10% on withdrawals up to $5,000
- 20% on withdrawals between $5,001 and $15,000
- 30% on withdrawals over $15,000
(Note: For residents of Québec, the provincial withholding tax is handled separately, resulting in different combined rates.)
The most important thing to remember is that the entire amount of your withdrawal is added to your taxable income for the year. This can sometimes push you into a higher tax bracket, meaning the initial withholding tax might not cover your full tax bill on that money.
For investors who own US dividend-paying stocks, the RRSP has a unique and significant advantage over the TFSA. Here's why:
The US government typically imposes a 15% withholding tax on dividends paid to foreign investors. However, thanks to a tax treaty between Canada and the US, this tax is generally waived for investments held inside a registered retirement account. The Canada-US tax treaty recognizes the RRSP as a retirement account, making your US dividends exempt from that 15% tax.
The TFSA, despite its name, is not recognized by the treaty as a retirement account. Therefore, any US dividends earned inside a TFSA are still subject to the 15% withholding tax, which you cannot recover.
