Canada is the first country in the world to have a Registered Disability Savings Plan (RDSP). The RDSP will present families with a way to provide for the future financial security of their loved ones with disabilities. An estimated 500,000 people across Canada will benefit from this initiative, and future impacts of the RDSP go well beyond a simple planning tool.
Planned Lifetime Advocacy Network (PLAN) is the non-profit organization that proposed, researched, and campaigned for the RDSP, and once approved, have continued to track, advise and promote the plan. As an ongoing expert on this issue we have created this website to provide families across Canada with the most accurate and up-to-date information available on the RDSP.
Fact Sheet
The Factsheet is a two-page capture of all the relevant information needed to get a general overview of the Registered Disability Savings Plan. The Factsheet includes; Overview of the RDSP, the Grant and Bond, Federal Implications, Provincial Implications, and Financial Institutions. Download
Bulletin
The Bulletin is a 16 page document which provides a more detailed overview of the RDSP. We brought together families and professionals to develop the most comprehensive information so far about the RDSP. The result: a combination of professional and lay advice; technical articles and personal stories. To receive the Bulletin join PLAN for free
Policy Papers
PLAN worked with a number of scholars and researchers, including Dr. Richard Shillington (Researcher and Policy Analyst); Dr. Keith Horner (Researcher and Policy Analyst); Dr. Jon Kesselman (professor at SFU and Canada Research Chair in Public Finance) to bring together the concept of the Disability Savings Plan. Their research identified and analyzed:
current tax assistance for families trying to secure the future
existing social assistance policy
policy motivations and barriers for families
policy precedents and options for reform
demographics of prospective beneficiaries of and contributors to a DSP
potential usage of a DSP
estimated cost of implementation to government
The two reports produced by PLAN.
Disability Savings Plan: Policy Milieu and Model Development To deepen our understanding of the implications of implementing a Disability Savings Plan, this paper explores various issues related to public policy and taxation. Author and renowned policy analyst Richard Shillington examines current social assistance and income tax regulations and their affect on the accumulation, transfer, and utilization of assets as well as public policy precedents in taxation and transfer programs. The paper also provides a public policy analysis of three proposed models for a Disability Savings Plan. Download
Disability Savings Plan: Contribution Estimates and Policy Issues
In this paper, former Finance Canada employee and prominent RRSP/RESP expert Keith Horner elaborates on the policy analysis recently conducted for PLAN (see Shillington’s papers, above). Horner’s research examines the potential benefits, for both contributors and recipients, of the Disability Savings Plan and compares anticipated levels of contribution by Canadians to costs to the government, if the DSP is implemented. Download
Provincial Update
It is important for people to know the provincial/territorial treatment of the RDSP in their jurisdiction. This document outlines the treatment of the RDSP by particular provinces/territories and how it affects Disability Benefits (links to regulations are provided). Download
Press Archive
For more articles and columns on the Registered Disability Savings Plan, from conception to implementation visit our PLAN Media Archive. http://www.plan.ca/sections/media.html
PLANFacts
PLANFacts: RDSP Edition is a quarterly newsletter produced by PLAN in which you can find practical information on the RDSP, including stories from families, advice for getting prepared, and scenarios that run through the potential of the plan Download
Frequently Asked Questions
Want a quick answer to our most commonly asked questions. Download our most Frequently Asked Questions pdf and get answers on questions ranging from what is the RDSP to how the RDSP will affect my Provincial disability benefits. Download
