RRSP Calculator Canada 2026
See how much tax you save with RRSP contributions. Enter salary, province, and contribution amount. Federal and provincial tax.
Tax savings from RRSP contribution
$1,560
Effective cost of contribution: $3,440 (you put in $5,000, save $1,560 in tax)
Tax without RRSP
$20,125
Tax with RRSP
$18,565
Take-home without RRSP
$54,875
Take-home with RRSP
$51,435
Approximate marginal rate on contribution: 31.2%
RRSP calculator by province
Tax savings vary by province. Select your province or use the calculator above:
What is an RRSP and how does it reduce tax?
An RRSP (Registered Retirement Savings Plan) is a Canadian registered account that lets you save for retirement with a tax break today. Contributions are deductible from your taxable income: you subtract the amount you contribute from your income before federal and provincial tax is calculated. That means every dollar you put in an RRSP saves you tax at your marginal rate—the rate on your last dollar of income. The higher your income and the higher your province’s tax rates, the more you save per dollar contributed. Use the calculator above to enter your salary, province, filing status, and planned RRSP contribution to see your exact tax savings and take-home pay with and without the contribution. For full take-home by province including CPP and EI, use our Canada Tax Calculator.
Why RRSP tax savings vary by province
Federal tax is the same across Canada, but provincial and territorial tax rates differ. Quebec, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland and Labrador have higher top rates; Alberta, Nunavut, and the Northwest Territories have lower ones. Because your RRSP deduction reduces both federal and provincial taxable income, the same contribution saves more in a high-tax province (e.g. Quebec) and less in a low-tax province (e.g. Alberta). Our RRSP calculator Canada uses current federal and provincial brackets for your selected province, so you see the real dollar savings. If you’re deciding between contributing to an RRSP vs a TFSA, use our TFSA Calculator Canada to check your contribution room, and our Canada Tax Calculator to compare take-home after each.
RRSP contribution limit and deduction limit
Your RRSP deduction limit is set by the CRA and appears on your Notice of Assessment (and in your CRA My Account). It’s generally 18% of your prior year’s earned income, up to an annual maximum that the government sets each year. You can contribute up to that limit (plus any unused room from earlier years) and deduct the contribution from your income. The calculator above shows tax savings for whatever contribution amount you enter—you are responsible for staying within your personal limit. Contributing more than your room can result in a 1% per month penalty on the excess. For payroll deductions that also reduce take-home (CPP, EI), see our CPP & EI Calculator Canada.
When to use an RRSP tax savings calculator
Use an RRSP calculator when you want to know how much tax you’ll save from a planned contribution, or how much your take-home pay changes if you contribute a certain amount. It’s useful before making a lump-sum contribution (e.g. before the deadline), when deciding how much to contribute from each paycheck, or when comparing job offers that include different RRSP matching. The calculator shows tax without RRSP vs tax with RRSP, so you see the net cost of contributing (contribution minus tax savings). For the reverse question—how much gross salary you need to get a desired take-home—use our Net to Gross Calculator Canada.