How much room you actually have.
Room builds from the year you turn 18 whether or not you ever opened an account, 2015 was double every other year, and a withdrawal does not come back until January. Those three between them account for most over-contributions.
Every annual limit
Cumulative room is the sum of every year you were eligible. The limit is announced rather than calculated — it is indexed and rounded to the nearest $500, but working it out from inflation produces a number that disagrees with the one actually set.
| Year | Limit | Cumulative since 2009 |
|---|---|---|
| 2009 | $5,000 | $5,000 |
| 2010 | $5,000 | $10,000 |
| 2011 | $5,000 | $15,000 |
| 2012 | $5,000 | $20,000 |
| 2013 | $5,500 | $25,500 |
| 2014 | $5,500 | $31,000 |
| 2015 one year only | $10,000 | $41,000 |
| 2016 | $5,500 | $46,500 |
| 2017 | $5,500 | $52,000 |
| 2018 | $5,500 | $57,500 |
| 2019 | $6,000 | $63,500 |
| 2020 | $6,000 | $69,500 |
| 2021 | $6,000 | $75,500 |
| 2022 | $6,000 | $81,500 |
| 2023 | $6,500 | $88,000 |
| 2024 | $7,000 | $95,000 |
| 2025 | $7,000 | $102,000 |
| 2026 | $7,000 | $109,000 |
This works out what you would have accrued. It is not your room — the CRA's figure accounts for contributions and withdrawals it has on file, and its own number lags by a year because issuers report annually. Check My Account before contributing near the limit. Nothing here is tax advice — see the disclaimer.
Then see what the room is doing.
Track contributions per account and what each holding has paid, so room and income sit in the same place.