In 2014, the government of BC declared October RDSP Awareness Month to help raise awareness about the Registered Disability Savings Plan (RDSP) and its prerequisite, the Disability Tax Credit (DTC).

The RDSP was created by the federal government as a long-term savings plan for people with disabilities and their families. Eligible people can benefit from an RDSP even if they cannot put any money into the plan and it will not affect their other disability benefits. Individuals 49 and under who qualify for the RDSP may be eligible for government grants and bonds, which can total up to $90,000 over the lifetime of the RDSP – even with little to no personal contributions.

We’ve just launched our updated DTC tool, now called “My DTC”, to help people get the process started. Check it out here! We will be joining our Access RDSP partners in hosting online “Ask the Experts” webinars on the DTC and RDSP. Register for the October 9th session here or the October 30th session here. We are also introducing the DTC Medical Fees Fund—a fundraiser to help people cover the cost of out-of-pocket medical fees when applying for the DTC.

Check out the RDSP Awareness Month page on RDSP.com: https://www.rdsp.com/month/.

You can also find information at https://www.rdsp.com/supports-and-services/access_rdsp about Access RDSP, a partnership between DABC, Plan Institute and BC Aboriginal Network on Disability Society (BCANDS). Access RDSP provides free year-round support on the RDSP and DTC.

Follow us this month on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn to see everything we are doing to celebrate. And use #RDSPAwarenessMonth when you’re talking about RDSP Awareness Month!