Q and A: How can I find out how much I have contributed to the RESP of each of my children and how much of the CESG they have received?

Question:

I have three children and have moved their RESPs from one institution to another, as well as starting and stopping my monthly contributions several times over the years. I recently received an inheritance and would now like to maximize the RESP contributions for each of my children. How can I find out how much I have contributed to the RESP for each child so far and how much of the Canada Education Savings Grant (CESG) each of them has received?

Answer:

To get this information, you, as the subscriber for the RESPs, will need to call the Canada Education Savings Program (CESP) toll-free line at 1-888-276-3624, between the hours of 8am and 5pm (ET), Monday to Friday.

You will need to have the Social Insurance Number (SIN) of each RESP beneficiary available, as well as your own. When you connect with them, you should ask the following questions and write down their responses:

1. "How much has [beneficiary] received in grants from the government, to date?"
2. "I would like to determine how much additional contribution can be made to achieve the $50,000 lifetime maximum contribution. In total, how much has been contributed for [beneficiary]?"