Does Mental Health Qualify for an RDSP?

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Does Mental Health Qualify for an RDSP?

If you or someone you care about has a disability, the Government of Canada offers Canadians the chance to accumulate funds and provide financial security for disabled persons through the Registered Disability Savings Plan (RDSP).

RDSPs operate in a similar fashion to RRSPs, but carry their own set of distinct benefits:

• Tax-sheltered earnings: Like an RESP, money in the RDSP grows tax-free until withdrawal
• Flexible withdrawals: Beneficiaries can receive money through either an annual payment or periodic lump sum withdrawals
• Doesn’t affect eligibility for other programs: Beneficiaries can still qualify for Old Age Security, Guaranteed Income Supplement, and the Canada Pension Plan as well as existing provincial social assistance programs in most provinces and territories

We have many clients who have opened an RDSP so their loved ones with physical disabilities will have added income to help them cope with their specialized needs.

But what many Canadians don’t know is that people with certain mental disabilities may also qualify for an RDSP. If someone close to you has been diagnosed with a mental disability that is expected to last, or has lasted, for one year or more, you may be able to open an RDSP account listing them as the beneficiary.

To qualify for RDSP benefits, they must first be eligible for the Disability Tax Credit (DTC), among other requirements. Here is a list of mental illnesses they may entitle them to the DTC, and also possibly for the RDSP:

• Agoraphobia
• ADHD
• Alzheimer’s Disease
• Anxiety
• Asperger Syndrome
• Autism
• Bipolar
• Borderline Personality Disorder
• Dementia
• Depression
• Learning Disability
• Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
• Panic Disorder
• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
• Schizophrenia

If someone you care about has been touched by mental disability, creating an RDSP will give you peace of mind that your loved one will have added independence and income that will make a positive difference through their vintage years. As always, we’re here to answer any questions.

To learn more about how RDSPs can provide someone you care about with financial security, call your financial advisor today! We’re here to help!