TFSA Contribution Room

TFSA Contribution Room and Limits

The annual contribution limit began at $5000 per year, but was raised in 2013 to $5500 to account for inflation. This increase was done again in 2019, which had an annual limit of $6,000 and then again in 2023, which raised the limit to $6500.

TFSA Cumulative Limit

2023 – $6500

2022 – $6000

2021 – $6000

2020 – $6000

2019 – $6000

2018 – $5500

2017 – $5500

2016 – $5500

2015 – $10,000

2014 – $5500

2013 – $5500

2012 – $5000

2011 – $5000

2010 – $5000

2009 – $5000

Total as of 2023: $88,000

This means that if you have never opened a TFSA but were eligible to open one as of 2009, you can deposit the full $88,000 into your TFSA!

If you haven’t contributed the full allowable amount in any given year, you can carry that amount forward as unused contribution room.

Increasing your contribution room

When you make withdrawals from your TFSA, your contribution room can actually increase! This is where it gets a bit tricky and where some confusion lies.

Example: In 2018, Monica’s TFSA is worth $60,000 as a result of some of her investments increasing in value. She decides to withdraw the full $60,000 to renovate her kitchen. In 2022, she is allowed to deposit up to $91,500 into her TFSA ($60,000 + 2019’s $6,000 limit + 2020’s $6,000 limit + 2021’s $6,000 limit + 2022’s $6,000 limit + 2023’s $6,500 limit).

Do be careful!

In the example above, although Monica can withdraw money from her TFSA at any time, she cannot re-contribute at any time. Doing so could result in penalties.

Example: In March 2023, Monica withdraws $91,500 from her TFSA to buy a luxury vehicle. In October 2023, she deposits $91,500 back into her TFSA. She then receives a notice from Canada Revenue Agency that she has over-contributed for the year and will have to pay a penalty.

This is where it’s important to remember that a TFSA is not a bank account and should not be treated as one! Making deposits is easy; as long as you stay within your contribution limit for the year, there’s not much to worry about. However, when you make a withdrawal, and then want to make another deposit later on, ensure you’re doing so within the TFSA rules.  In essence, if you want to make sure you don’t accidentally over-contribute in any given year, make sure you re-contribute in the next calendar year.

Example: Because Monica withdrew $91,500 from her TFSA in March 2023 for her nice car, she should wait until at least January 2024 to re-contribute the full $91,500 (in fact she would actually have $98,000 of contribution room available by this date due to the additional $6,500 available for 2024). This way she will avoid getting a notice from CRA and paying a penalty.

Over-contributing

If you over-contribute to your TFSA (you exceed your allotment for the year), you can expect to pay a 1% penalty to CRA per month. This penalty applies even if you over-contribute for only a few days.

As well, if you feel you can “cheat the system” by purchasing investments that yield more than the 1% penalty, don’t be fooled! CRA can deem this as a case of deliberate over-contribution and as an “advantage”, and then charge you additional tax!

How to find out how much contribution room you have available

Not sure how much contribution room you have left? Contacting CRA directly is your best bet. Contact CRA online or call them at 1-800-267-6999.

 

Source:
https://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/tx/ndvdls/tpcs/tfsa-celi/cntrbtn-eng.html