Spousal RRSP Contribution Limits and Deadlines in Ontario

If you earn more than your spouse or common-law partner, a spousal RRSP lets you claim the deduction while the savings are held in your partner's name. Before you write a cheque, you need to know two things: how much room you have, and by what date the contribution counts for the year you want.

The rules below come from the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) and apply across Canada, including Ontario. Dollar limits and dates change from year to year, so the figures here are the ones CRA has published for the 2025 tax year. Check your latest CRA notice for the current year.

Whose room do you use?

Contributions to a spousal RRSP reduce the contributor's own RRSP deduction limit. Your spouse's room is not touched. The combined deductions for your own RRSP and your spousal RRSP cannot exceed your limit.

In practice, this means every dollar you put in your partner's plan is a dollar you cannot put in your own plan for that deduction room. Decide how you want to split your room between the two plans.

You can contribute to your spouse's RRSP until December of the year your spouse turns 71, even if you can no longer contribute to your own.

How your limit is worked out

Your RRSP deduction limit is generally your unused room, plus the lesser of 18% of your prior-year earned income or the annual RRSP dollar limit, less any pension adjustment. For 2025, the annual dollar limit was $32,490.

This article cannot tell you your personal number, so it is worth confirming your own limit with an accountant.

Deadlines for claiming the deduction

Contributions are counted for a tax year based on when they are made, not when you file. Contributions made from March 4, 2025 to March 2, 2026 count for the 2025 return. CRA lists March 2, 2026 as the deadline to contribute for the 2025 tax year.

That date has already passed, so a contribution made now would generally count toward a later year. The deadline for the next tax year is set by CRA, so confirm it on CRA's list of important dates before you rely on a date.

A contribution made early in the following year can be claimed on the earlier year's return, which is why many people contribute in the first weeks of the year. If the money can safely wait, it is worth knowing which tax year you are aiming for before you contribute.

What happens if you contribute too much

There is a $2,000 cushion for over-contributions. Amounts above that cushion are taxed at 1% per month. Because spousal contributions use your own limit, it is easy to over-contribute by adding to both plans without totalling them.

• Add together your own and spousal contributions for the year.
• Compare the total with your own RRSP deduction limit.
• Remember that a pension adjustment can reduce your room.
• Keep in mind that the monthly tax applies only to the amount beyond the $2,000 cushion.

What to do next

• Find your deduction limit on your latest CRA notice of assessment.
• Decide how much to put in your own plan and how much in your spouse's plan.
• Confirm the CRA deadline for the tax year you want to claim.
• Keep contribution receipts and note the dates.
• Before you withdraw from a spousal plan later, review the attribution rule with an accountant, because a recent contribution can affect who reports the withdrawal.
• If you are separating, speak with a family lawyer before moving money between plans.

An accountant can confirm your limit and the right year for your contribution. If your relationship is ending, a lawyer can explain how retirement savings may fit into property or support discussions.

Frequently asked questions