2022 Income Tax Guide for Canadians: Deadlines, tax tips and more + MORE Feb 13th

Many retirees have the bulk of their retirement savings in registered retirement savings plans (RRSPs) or similar tax-deferred registered accounts. RRSPs need to be used to buy an annuity or more commonly converted to a registered retirement income fund (RRIF) by Dec. 31 of the year someone turns 71. Required RRIF withdrawals begin the next year, with each withdrawal based on a percentage of the account value. 

Locked-in RRSPs, defined contributions (DC) pensions, and deferred profit sharing plans (DPSPs) all have the same rule requiring conversion at age 71. 

The two big questions for a retiree prior to age 71 are: When should I start withdrawals? And how much should I take out each year?

If we take a simplistic approach to the RRSP drawdown, a sustainable withdrawal rate may be 2% to 5% of the account value. That is, between 2% and 5% of the starting account value may be withdrawn each year with subsequent withdrawals increased each year with inflation for life. There are many asterisks depending on age, life expectancy, investment risk tolerance, investment fees and other factors…

RRSP contribution rules highlights
Your RRSP contribution limit is based on the maximum RRSP contribution room set by the Canadian government, the income you earned during the previous tax year, and any unused contribution room from previous years. Overcontributing to your RRSP by more than $2,000 can result in a penalty of 1% per month on excess funds left in the account.

Putting money into a registered retirement savings plan (RRSP) is one of the best ways to save for retirement. Some people choose to contribute a lump sum to their RRSP, either at the beginning of the calendar year or just before of the annual deadline, while others prefer to contribute regularly through automatic withdrawals or deposits. Whichever option you choose, be aware that there’s a limit to how much you can add to your RRSP in any given year. The RRSP contribution room calculator above will get you the numbers you need, but keep reading for more information on RRSP contribution limits.

What’s an RRSP?

An RRSP is a savings account registered with the Canadian government…

It’s been quite a year for numbers, hasn’t it? From rising interest rates to steep stock market drops, finances have been headline news throughout 2022. It’s almost enough to make you forget about tax season. But with the tax deadline approaching, you have a few reminders (see the dates below), as well as this, our MoneySense 2022 Income Tax Guide for Canadians.

You’ll find lots of good info to help you prepare. Here’s a table of contents for the guide’s topics, plus in-depth coverage for many of them. 

2022 Income Tax Guide Table of Contents
Tax-related dates to know

Tax claims for Canadians and changes for 2022 income taxes

Prepping your taxes

RRSP contribution room

TFSA contribution room

How GICs are taxed

Tax tips for Canadians

How to get started on your tax return

Complicated tax situations and more

More reading for 2022 taxes

When are T4s due, tax deadline for 2022 and other important dates

April 30th may be burned into your brain as the date when taxes are due, but this year that is not the case—it falls on a Sunday in 2023…