TFSA contribution room

Starting in 2009, TFSA contribution room accumulates every year, if at any time in the calendar year you are 18 years of age or older, have a valid Canadian social insurance number and are a resident of Canada. The annual TFSA dollar limit for 2012 is $5,000.

Your TFSA contribution room is the maximum amount that you can contribute to your TFSA. You will accumulate TFSA contribution room for each year even if you do not file an income tax and benefit return or open a TFSA.

All TFSA contributions made during the year, including the replacement or re-contribution of withdrawals made from a TFSA will count against your contribution room, with the exception of qualifying transfers or exempt contributions, which do not affect TFSA contribution room. You cannot contribute more than your TFSA contribution room.

At any time in the year, if you contribute more than your allowable TFSA contribution room, you will be considered to be over-contributing to your TFSA and you will be subject to a tax equal to 1% of the highest excess TFSA amount in the month, for each month you are in an excess contribution position. For an example, see Examples - Tax payable on excess TFSA amount.

Investment income earned by, and/or changes in the value of TFSA investments will not affect your TFSA contribution room for the current or future years. For an example, see Example 1 - TFSA contribution room.

Where can I find my TFSA contribution room information?

Your TFSA contribution room information can be found by going to one of the following services:

• My Account;
• Quick Access; or
• Tax Information Phone Service (TIPS).

If you are not required to file an income tax and benefit return for the year, and decide not to do so, you will not receive a notice of assessment showing your TFSA contribution room.

You should keep records about your TFSA transactions to ensure that you do not exceed your TFSA contribution room. The CRA will also keep track of your contribution room and determine the balance of room at a particular time for each eligible individual based on information provided by the TFSA issuers.

How is your TFSA contribution room determined

The $5,000 TFSA dollar limit is indexed based on the inflation rate. The indexed amount will be rounded to the nearest $500.

The TFSA contribution room is made up of:

• your TFSA dollar limit ($5,000 per year plus indexation, if applicable);
• any unused TFSA contribution room from the previous year; and
• any withdrawals made from the TFSA in the previous year, excluding qualifying transfers or specified distributions.

For an example, see Example 2 - TFSA contribution room.

An individual will not accumulate TFSA contribution room for any year during which the individual is a non-resident of Canada throughout the entire year.

The TFSA dollar limit is not prorated in the year an individual:

• turns 18 years old;
• dies; or
• becomes a resident or a non-resident of Canada.

Note
You can have more than one TFSA at any given time, but the total amount you contribute to all your TFSAs cannot be more than your available TFSA contribution room for that year. As the account holder, you are the only person who can contribute to your TFSA.

Notification of your contribution room

If you want to receive a TFSA Transaction Summary of your contribution and withdrawal details as received from your TFSA issuer(s), contact us.

How is your TFSA information obtained?

By the last day of February of the following year, all issuers are required to electronically submit a TFSA record to CRA for each individual who has a TFSA.

If you disagree with any of the information on your TFSA Room Statement, or TFSA Transaction Summary, such as dates or amounts of contributions or withdrawals which your TFSA issuer has provided to the CRA, you should contact your TFSA issuer. If any information initially provided by the issuer regarding your account is incorrect, the issuer must send us an amended record so that we can update our records.

Related topics

• Tax payable on excess TFSA amount
• Transfers
• Making withdrawals from a TFSA

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