First Home Savings Account (FHSA): What You Need to Know

 

The First Home Savings Account (FHSA) is a savings plan designed for first-time home buyers in Canada, which allows them to save up to $40,000 tax-free. Contributions to an FHSA are tax-deductible, similar to Registered Retirement Savings Plans (RRSP). Additionally, income and gains earned inside the account and withdrawals are tax-free, like a Tax-Free Savings Account (TFSA).

In this article and accompanying infographic, we will provide you with the necessary information you need to know about FHSA, including eligibility requirements, contributions and deductions, income and gains, qualifying investments, withdrawals, and transfers.

Eligibility Requirements

To be able to open an FHSA, you need to meet all the following eligibility requirements:

  1. Residency: You must be an individual who is a resident of Canada.
  2. Age: You must be at least 18 and not reach 72 in the current year.
  3. First-time Home Buyer: You must be a first-time home buyer, which means that neither you nor your spouse had owned a qualifying home that was your principal residence at any point during the calendar year or the preceding four calendar years before the account was opened.

Contributions and Deductions

There are limits to the amount you can contribute to your FHSA.

  • The annual contribution limit is $8,000.
  • The lifetime contribution limit is $40,000.

If you do not contribute the full amount each year, the contribution room carries forward to the following year. However, carry-forward amounts only start accumulating after you open an FHSA for the first time, and they do not automatically begin when you turn 18.

Any excess contributions are subject to a penalty of 1% per month.

Tax Deductions

By claiming contributions made to FHSA accounts as a deduction against all taxable income sources, the amount of taxable income for the year can be reduced, resulting in a decrease in the amount of taxes payable.

Suppose you choose not to claim the FHSA deduction in the year. In that case, you can carry forward the unused contribution amounts indefinitely and claim them as a deduction later, like RRSP deductions.

Qualifying Investments

Qualifying investments for an FHSA are like those allowed in RRSPs and TFSAs, including mutual funds, segregated funds, ETFs, stocks, bonds, and GICs.

Incomes and Gains

The income and capital gains earned in an FHSA are not included in your annual income for tax purposes and therefore are not deductible. This means that the investment can continue to grow and compound within the FHSA tax-free like a TFSA.

Qualifying Withdrawals

Withdrawals from an FHSA are subject to specific rules and conditions. Qualifying withdrawals made to purchase a home are tax-free but must meet specific criteria:

  • The person making the withdrawal must be a first-time home buyer and a Canadian resident.
  • They must also intend to use the property as their primary residence within one year of purchasing or building it.
  • The home being purchased must be in Canada, and a written agreement to buy or build the home must be in place before October 1st of the year following the withdrawal.

It is not possible to restore FHSA contribution limits by making withdrawals or transfers.

Transfers

Unused funds in an FHSA account following a qualifying withdrawal can be transferred tax-free to an RRSP or Registered Retirement Income Fund (RRIF) until the end of the following year from the year of the first withdrawal. Transfers do not affect the available RRSP contribution room, but the transferred funds will be taxable when withdrawn from the account.

It’s important to remember that there are limitations on how long you can keep your FHSA account. You must close your FHSA after you’ve held it for 15 years or by the end of the year in which you turn 71, whichever comes first.

If you’re considering opening an FHSA or saving for a home, we can help; contact us.

 

Mutual Funds and Segregated Funds provided by the Fund Companies are offered through Worldsource Financial Management Inc., sponsoring mutual fund dealer. Other Products and Services are offered through Fransen Financial Inc.

Saving for Education

Post-secondary education can be expensive, however having the opportunity to plan for it helps with making sure that you’re capable to meet the costs of education. In addition, when you have a plan, it’s easier to make financial decisions that align with your goals and provide peace of mind. In the infographic checklist, we outline 6 factors to consider when paying for education: 

For parents:

  • How much to save and when will your child start school?

  • Registered Education Savings Plan- have you a family RESP plan and received the Canadian Education Savings Grant? If your income is low enough, you could qualify for the Canada Learning Bond.

  • Savings- are you saving separately for your child’s education? Cash Value Life Insurance- have you considered using this as a savings vehicle for your child’s education. What happens if your child decides not to go to school? These alternative savings vehicles provide flexibility so that you can use the funds for something else such as a down payment for a future home.

For children:

  • Will the child be working part time and have their own savings for school?

  • Can the child apply for scholarships, bursaries or grants?

  • Will they need to apply for government student loan, personal loan or personal line of credit?

If you need help planning to save for your child’s post-secondary education, contact us!

Estate Planning for Young Families

Having a family is a blessing and can also bring a lot of worry. A lot of this worry can stem from not being prepared for a disaster like if something were to happen to you or your spouse.

We’ve put together an infographic checklist that can help you get started on this. We know this can be a difficult conversation so we’re here to help and provide guidance.

The Children

  • What will happen to the children if both parents were to pass away?

  • Who would take care of them and until what age?

  • What would happen if only parent were to pass away?

Make sure you have a will that:

  • Assigns a guardian for your children

  • If there’s an inheritance for the children, who will take care of this? Make sure you assign a trustee for the inheritance.

  • Always choose 2 qualified people for each position and communicate your intentions with them to ensure they’re up for the responsibility.

Assets and Liabilities

  • What are your assets? Create a detailed list of your assets such as: Home, Family Business Interest, Investments- Non registered, TFSA, RRSP, RDSP, RESP, Company Pension Plan, Insurance Policy, Property, Additional revenue sources, etc…

  • What are your liabilities? Create a detailed list of your liabilities such as: Mortgage, Loans (personal, student, car), Line of Credit, Credit card, Other loans (payday, store credit card, utility etc.)

  • Understand your assets-the ownership type (joint, tenants in common, sole etc.), list who are the beneficiaries are for your assets

  • Understand your liabilities- who’s on the hook for paying back the loan?

Make sure you have a will that:

  • Assigns an executor

  • Provide specific instructions for distribution of assets

  • Always choose 2 qualified people for each position and communicate your intentions with them to ensure they’re up for the responsibility. 

Ongoing Needs

What are your family’s ongoing needs?

  • List out the living expenses

  • List out income needs

  • Do you still need to pay for school?

  • Determine if you have enough (assets minus liabilities) to take care of the family.

Make sure you review your insurance.

  • Once you determine how much need there is, review your life insurance coverage to see if it meets your needs or if there’s a shortfall.

Execution: It’s good to go through this but you need to do this. Besides doing it yourself, here’s a list of the individuals that can help:

  • Financial Planner/Advisor (CFP)

  • Estate Planning Specialist

  • Insurance Specialist

  • Lawyer

  • Accountant/Tax Specialist

  • Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU)

  • Chartered Executor Advisor (CEA)

There are definitely unique situations in many families and things can get complicated so please use this when you feel it’s applicable.

Next steps…

  • Contact us about helping you get your estate planning in order so you can gain peace of mind that your family is taken care of.