A Tax-Free Savings Account (TFSA) is a registered Canadian savings plan that allows your investments to grow and be withdrawn completely tax-free. Contributions are made with after-tax dollars and are not tax-deductible, but all investment income (interest, dividends, and capital gains) and all withdrawals are exempt from tax.
Key Features and Rules
Eligibility: You must be a resident of Canada, have a valid Social Insurance Number (SIN), and be at least 18 years old (age of majority in your province/territory) to open a TFSA.
Contribution Room: Unused contribution room carries forward indefinitely to future years. Withdrawals also add back to your contribution room, but not until the beginning of the following calendar year.
Annual Limit: The TFSA annual contribution limit is set by the government each year.
The limit for 2025 is $7,000.
The cumulative total contribution room from 2009 to 2025 is $102,000 for an eligible individual who has been a Canadian resident throughout that period.
Withdrawals: You can withdraw funds at any time, for any reason, without paying tax or affecting federal income-tested benefits such as Old Age Security (OAS) or the Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS).
Investments: A TFSA is not just a cash savings account; it can hold a variety of qualified investments, including cash, Guaranteed Investment Certificates (GICs), mutual funds, stocks, and bonds.
Penalties: Over-contributing to your TFSA results in a penalty tax of 1% per month on the highest excess amount until it is withdrawn.
How to Manage Your TFSA
Open an account: You can open a TFSA through various financial institutions like banks, credit unions, and insurance companies.
Track your room: It is your responsibility to track your contributions to avoid over-contribution penalties. You can check your official contribution room through the CRA My Account service.
Spousal contributions: You cannot contribute directly to a spouse's TFSA. However, you can give them money, which they can then contribute to their own account, using their own contribution room.
The TFSA is a flexible tool for short- and long-term savings goals, complementing other registered plans like the Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP), which is primarily for retirement savings and offers an initial tax deduction on contributions.