I have written before about Money to Get Money, complaining about how extricating your money from your child’s RESP is an overly complex process, but let me step back and explain the importance of the RESP Proof of Enrolment that most financial institutions need to allow you to withdraw money from the RESP account. Different schools have different ways of giving you a proof of enrolment , some charge you for it (about $10) some give you a PDF for free (Acadia U did that).
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The problem you have is that most schools will not give you the RESPÂ Proof of Enrolment, until you pay the fees, so you can’t have money from your RESP, until you have already paid for your fees. This means, you most likely, will need a line of credit (or a savings account) with the amount of your fees available to you (seems a little backwards, needing enough money to pay for your fees, so that you can get out enough money from a savings program to pay your fees).
You can also use the RESP Proof of Enrolment in other ways: you can use it for Positive Enrolment for your insurance provider (Manulife likes it). Most insurance providers want you to do a Positive Enrolment action by either going on line, or supplying proof that your child over the age of 18, is at school (and can remain covered by your insurance policy).
Another important aspect of your RESP journey.
Thanks for your comments about RESP. It is not covered enough in the Personal finance space.
If someone has access to no-annual-fee RESP, would you open one family RESP or one RESP per child?
With CESG tracking over many years, I wonder if I would be better off with one account per child.
When I transfer money online to TD Direct RESP, they don’t specify for which children… seems like an invitation for future trouble!
Thanks
Mine were one for each child, and you can transfer to another child’s account (if there is room) if one child does not use the plan.