Using the RRSP Home Buyers' Plan — Withdrawal Rules, Repayment Mechanics, and Timing Strategy
The Home Buyers' Plan allows each qualifying first-time buyer to withdraw up to $60,000 from their RRSP tax-free — a limit raised from $35,000 in the 2024 federal budget — with repayment spread over 15 years beginning the second calendar year after withdrawal. For a couple, the combined ceiling is $120,000, which can meaningfully shift the insured-to-conventional threshold. The program's mechanics are straightforward, but repayment timing errors are the most common and costly mistake: a missed annual repayment is not forgiven — it is added to taxable income for that year.
Who this is for
Salaried first-time buyers with RRSP savings who want to deploy those funds as down payment — typically 2-10 years into their career with $20k–$120k in registered savings.
- HBP withdrawal cap per person (2024+)
- $60,000
- Combined HBP ceiling (two qualifying buyers)
- $120,000
- Annual repayment per person (example: $55k withdrawn)
- $3,667/yr over 15 years
- CMHC premium at 15–19.99% LTV
- 2.80% of insured amount
- 90-day seasoning rule
- Funds must be in RRSP ≥90 days before withdrawal
Framework
Eligibility — who qualifies and what counts as first-time
The CRA defines a first-time buyer for HBP purposes as someone who has not owned and occupied a qualifying home as a principal residence at any point during the four calendar years preceding the withdrawal year, plus the period from January 1 of the withdrawal year to 31 days before the withdrawal date. This four-year lookback means a previously divorced or separated homeowner may re-qualify. Both members of a couple must independently meet the first-time buyer test to each make a withdrawal — one partner's eligibility does not transfer to the other. The property must be a qualifying home (owner-occupied principal residence in Canada) and a written agreement to buy or build must exist before the withdrawal.
The 90-day seasoning rule — the most operationally critical constraint
Funds withdrawn under the HBP must have been on deposit in the RRSP for at least 90 days before the withdrawal date. Contributions made within 90 days of withdrawal are not eligible — they can still be withdrawn, but the amount will not qualify as an HBP withdrawal and will be included in income. This rule is frequently misunderstood: you cannot contribute to your RRSP in March and withdraw under HBP in April for a May close. The practical implication is that any RRSP top-up intended for HBP use must be deposited at least 90 days before your anticipated withdrawal date. For a June 1 close, contributions must land by approximately March 3.
Repayment mechanics — the 15-year schedule and the income-inclusion trap
Repayment begins no later than the second calendar year after the year of withdrawal. If you withdrew in 2025, your first required repayment is due by December 31, 2027 (or by March 1, 2028 if designated as an RRSP contribution for 2027). The annual minimum is 1/15th of the total amount withdrawn. Any portion of the annual minimum not repaid is added to your taxable income for that year — it is not carried forward. There is no penalty beyond the income inclusion, but at a marginal rate of 43.41% (Ontario, $85k income), a missed $3,667 repayment costs approximately $1,592 in tax. Repayments are made as RRSP contributions and designated on Schedule 7 of your T1 — they do not generate new RRSP deduction room.
Coordinating HBP with mortgage qualification and CMHC tiers
HBP funds count as equity for LTV purposes once they are in your bank account and sourced. Lenders will require 90 days of RRSP statements showing the funds on deposit, plus the T1028 (HBP withdrawal form) or equivalent confirmation. The strategic question is whether the HBP withdrawal, combined with other savings, crosses a CMHC premium tier boundary. The tiers are: 5–9.99% LTV → 4.00% premium; 10–14.99% → 3.10%; 15–19.99% → 2.80%; 20%+ → no insurance required. At a $600,000 purchase, the difference between 19.9% and 20% down is $600 — but the premium saving is $16,800 (2.80% × $480,000 insured vs. zero). Running the exact numbers before finalizing your withdrawal amount is worth 30 minutes of a broker's time.
Accelerated repayment and early payoff strategy
There is no penalty for repaying more than the annual minimum, and early full repayment is permitted. Borrowers who expect income growth or who want to rebuild RRSP room quickly should front-load repayments in years 1–5. However, repayments do not generate new RRSP deduction room — they simply reduce the outstanding HBP balance. If your marginal rate is rising (e.g., promotion expected), repaying faster in lower-income years reduces the income-inclusion risk if a future year's repayment is missed. Conversely, if your marginal rate is currently high and expected to fall in retirement, the minimum repayment schedule may be optimal — the income inclusion in a low-income year is cheaper than the RRSP deduction you forgo by repaying early.
2024 budget changes and the grace period extension
The 2024 federal budget increased the HBP withdrawal limit from $35,000 to $60,000 per person, effective for withdrawals made after April 16, 2024. The budget also introduced a temporary repayment grace period: for HBP withdrawals made between January 1, 2022 and December 31, 2025, the repayment start date is deferred by three additional years (from the standard 2-year deferral to a 5-year deferral). This means a borrower who withdrew in 2024 would not be required to begin repayment until the 2030 tax year under the extended grace period. Confirm the grace period applicability with a tax advisor, as the CRA's administrative guidance on the extended deferral was still being finalized as of early 2026.
Key considerations
- The 90-day seasoning rule operates on a per-contribution basis, not per-account. If your RRSP holds a mix of old and new contributions, only the portion deposited more than 90 days before withdrawal is eligible — your financial institution can confirm the eligible amount.
- HBP withdrawals do not reduce your RRSP contribution room permanently. Once repaid, the room is restored. However, the opportunity cost of having funds out of the RRSP for up to 15 years — missing tax-sheltered compounding — is real and should be weighed against the down payment benefit.
- If you hold a spousal RRSP, the attribution rules do not apply to HBP withdrawals — the annuitant (the spouse whose name is on the plan) makes the withdrawal and is responsible for repayment, regardless of who contributed. This can be used strategically to equalize HBP withdrawals between spouses.
- Death or permanent disability triggers special HBP rules: the outstanding balance may be included in income in the year of death or, in some disability cases, the repayment obligation can be waived. Review CRA guidance if these circumstances apply.
- If you emigrate from Canada while an HBP balance is outstanding, the full remaining balance becomes taxable income in the year of departure. This is a material risk for borrowers on work permits or with uncertain long-term residency plans.
Common mistakes
- Contributing to an RRSP within 90 days of the planned HBP withdrawal — those contributions are ineligible, and the withdrawal of that amount will be included in income, creating an unexpected tax bill.
- Missing the annual repayment minimum — the shortfall is added to taxable income for that year with no ability to catch up. At a 43% marginal rate, a single missed $4,000 repayment costs approximately $1,720 in tax.
- Withdrawing the maximum $60,000 without checking whether a slightly smaller withdrawal would push the combined down payment over a CMHC premium tier boundary — the premium saving can exceed $10,000 and is a one-time cost.
- Failing to designate RRSP contributions as HBP repayments on Schedule 7 of the T1 — contributions made without this designation are treated as new RRSP contributions, not repayments, and the HBP balance remains outstanding.
- Assuming both partners automatically qualify as first-time buyers — if one partner owned a home within the four-year lookback window, only the other partner can make an HBP withdrawal, halving the available funds.
- Withdrawing HBP funds before a firm purchase agreement is in place — the CRA requires a written agreement to buy or build before the withdrawal date, and withdrawals made without one may be disqualified.
Action steps
- 01Calculate your eligible HBP amount today: pull your RRSP statements and identify contributions made more than 90 days ago — that is your current eligible withdrawal pool.
- 02Map your anticipated close date backward 90 days to determine the last date for any top-up RRSP contributions that will be eligible for HBP withdrawal at close.
- 03Run the LTV arithmetic with your broker: determine whether your HBP withdrawal, combined with other savings, crosses a CMHC premium tier boundary, and adjust the withdrawal amount accordingly.
- 04Set a calendar reminder for your first HBP repayment year (second calendar year after withdrawal, or fifth year if the 2024 grace period applies to your withdrawal) and automate the annual RRSP contribution designated as repayment on Schedule 7.
- 05If you hold a spousal RRSP, confirm with your financial institution which spouse is the annuitant and whether equalizing withdrawals between two plans optimizes the combined HBP amount.
- 06Obtain CRA Form T1028 (Home Buyers' Plan — Request to Withdraw Funds from an RRSP) from your financial institution before the withdrawal — your institution will require it, and it establishes the paper trail for the tax-free treatment.