I have two young children, and my husband and I started a family RESP when our first child was only a few months old. Education is much more expensive these days than when we went to university, and will likely be even more so by the time my kids go, so saving and taking advantage of government grants is very important.
RESPs are a different kind of vehicle from a registered investment like a TFSA or RSP. While those can have beneficiaries, the RESP cannot. What you need to do is have a specific clause in your will that states that the RESP is to pass to the child’s guardian, provided they set up a new RESP for the child’s benefit. If you do not have this, the RESP is collapsed and all of the grants are returned to the government.
If you have been saving in an RESP, you should make sure you have a will set up. You’ve worked hard to get those grants; don’t lose them.
