3 Big CRA Announcements: TFSA, RRSP, and CPP Payments 2021 Updates

Every year brings its own tax changes. There are new contribution limits, higher ceilings, and several other changes that you need to know about before filing your taxes.

| More on:

Each year, the CRA gives Canadian taxpayers some New Year “gifts.” These gifts include new contribution limits and mandatory contribution amounts. The new numbers help us prepare for the next financial years and give us crucial information we might need for tax preparations. This happens every year, and 2021 is no exception, even though it’s following one of the most hectic years of the decade.

Avid savers and investors who seek to max out their TFSA and RRSPs every year keep a close eye on new contribution limits. If the limits are raised by a considerable amount, they have to adjust their savings rate. For 2021, here are the three most significant CRA announcements regarding contribution limits and pension payments.

The CPP payments

The CPP ceiling, or Maximum Pensionable Earnings amount, has been raised to $56,300 for 2021. It was $54,200 last year. The contribution rate for the next year has also been increased to 5.45%, up by 0.2% from last year’s contribution rate. It’s the most significant increase in the past two decades, but since the CPP contributions are spread out over the year, most taxpayers won’t feel too much of an impact on their earnings.

The maximum RRSP contribution limit for 2021

The maximum RRSP contribution limit has been slightly increased for 2021. Last year, you could contribute a maximum of $27,230 to your RRSP (if 18% of your income exceeded that amount). For 2021, the maximum limit is slightly raised, and you can now contribute up to $27,830 to your RRSP. Since these contributions are tax deductible, you can catch a decent tax break if you max out your RRSP.

TFSA contribution limit 2021

Unlike the other two, the TFSA contributions haven’t seen any change from last year. You could contribute $6,000 in 2020, and you can contribute $6,000 to your TFSA in 2021. It might seem a bit low, especially compared to the RRSP, but in the right stock, it can grow into a sizeable nest egg (given enough time). One right stock might be GDI Integrated Facility Services (TSX:GDI).

GDI offers a wide range of facility management services to various industries in Canada and the U.S. (21 cities in Canada and 13 cities in the U.S.). It has a market capitalization of $753.9 million and an enterprise value of over $900 million.

GDI has a very strong balance sheet, and it has been growing its revenue at a decent pace for nine consecutive quarters. The company doesn’t pay any dividends, but its powerful growth rate more than makes up for this limitation. It has a five-year CAGR of 24.5%. And if it can keep this up for just one decade, it can grow your $6,000 investment into a $50,000 nest egg.

Foolish takeaway

If you can’t save enough to max out both your TFSA and the RRSP, then you have to create a plan for asset allocation. The simplest route to take is to max out your TFSA (since these are funds that you can always access) and put the remaining savings into your RRSP. But unlike an RRSP, the TFSA contributions are made from after-tax dollars, and you can’t deduct them from your taxes.

Fool contributor Adam Othman has no position in any of the stocks mentioned.

More on Investing

dividend stocks are a good way to earn passive income
Dividend Stocks

This TSX Stock Pays a 4.51% Dividend Every Single Month

Add this monthly dividend-paying stock to your self-directed investment portfolio for additional passive income.

Read more »

dividends grow over time
Dividend Stocks

1 Incredibly Cheap Canadian Dividend-Growth Stock to Buy Now and Hold for Decades

This Waterloo software leader trades near a 52-week low while it keeps raising its payout. Here is why I think…

Read more »

tsx today
Stock Market

TSX Today: What to Watch for in Stocks on Thursday, June 18

Even as the TSX remains near record levels, investors may continue to weigh the impact of a more cautious Federal…

Read more »

groceries get more expensive as inflation rises
Investing

1 Canadian Dividend Stock I’d Buy Before Inflation Heats Up Again

Restaurant Brands International (TSX:QSR) stock looks like a dividend winner that can keep it up despite inflation.

Read more »

Concept of multiple streams of income
Dividend Stocks

3 Canadian Stocks With the Potential to Triple in Value Within 5 Years

Add these three TSX growth stocks to your portfolio if you’re on the hunt for potentially three-fold returns on your…

Read more »

man in business suit pulls a piece out of wobbly wooden tower
Dividend Stocks

Undervalued Canadian Stocks to Buy Now

Three undervalued Canadian stocks are buying opportunities now for their upside potential and more.

Read more »

happy woman throws cash
Dividend Stocks

How to Turn a $14,000 TFSA Into a Cash-Generating Machine

Given their reliable cash flows, healthy growth prospects, and high yields, these two monthly-paying dividend stocks can boost your monthly…

Read more »

Investing

The Canadian Stocks I’d Be Most Comfortable Buying and Holding in a TFSA Forever

Given its resilient business model, healthy growth prospects, and discounted stock price, Dollarama would be an ideal addition to your…

Read more »