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What’s new for first-time home buyers?

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Smiling couple moving into new house

This year’s Federal Budget expands your options

As we head into the spring house-hunting season, first-time buyers have some additional financial options in their planning toolkit.

As this is likely the largest financial transaction you will ever undertake, you should know the tools available to help you – and as importantly, know how each works to make sure they don’t hurt you.

What's changed

RRSP Home Buyers’ Plan (HBP)

The HBP allows first-time home buyers to make non-taxable RRSP withdrawals for the purpose of purchasing a home. To qualify as ‘first-time’, you can’t have occupied a home that you or your spouse owned in the four years prior to the withdrawal.

The 2019 Federal Budget increased the HBP withdrawal maximum from $25,000 to $35,000 per person. For a purchasing couple, that’s as much as $70,000 combined.

Normally an RRSP withdrawal is taxable income, but not under the HBP. You must generally purchase by October 1st of the year following withdrawal. You then have up to 15 years to return the money to your RRSP beginning the 2nd year after withdrawal.

It is critical that you understand that the repayments are not deductible in those future years. If you don’t make them on schedule, you will still have to find the cash to pay the tax on the unrepaid amount, and you don’t get back that RRSP room. Your decision to use the HBP should be made with a clear picture of the future cash flow you will need to carry the property, including these repayment obligations.

For more, explore the Government of Canada's information about the Home Buyers' Plan

Tax-free savings account (TFSA)

Our discussion would be incomplete without balancing the RRSP-HBP with the TFSA.

This year’s allotment of TFSA room moved up to $7,000, which cumulatively makes it $95,000 if you were 18 when it began in 2009. That’s before any investment growth.

Bear in mind that compared to the pre-tax nature of an RRSP, the TFSA is after-tax money. To illustrate, someone at a 30% marginal tax rate could put a full dollar in an RRSP, but only 70 cents in a TFSA. In turn, the RRSP will eventually be taxed, but that could still be favourable if the person is under a 30% tax rate (in this example) at withdrawal.

On the other hand, what makes the TFSA appealing is that the full account value is available for your down payment, without any required repayment or additional tax cost.

This is not to suggest that it is an ‘either-or’ proposition between RRSP-HBP and TFSA. Many people make use of both – and now may also consider working the FTHBI into their planning. Once more, the key is to map out your future cash flow so that you can choose a home that meets both your desired lifestyle and your financial capacity.

For more, explore the Government of Canada's information about Tax-Free Savings Accounts

What hasn't changed

First-Time Home Buyers' (FTHB) tax credit

The FTHB helps first-time home buyers cushion some of the costs of purchasing a home. To qualify as ‘first-time’, you can’t have occupied a home that you or your spouse owned in the four years prior to the purchase.

It works indirectly in the form of a non-refundable credit against your income tax due in the year of purchase. While it’s often expressed as being $5,000, you have to multiply that amount by the 15% credit rate to arrive at the actual tax reduction of $750.

For more, explore the Government of Canada's details on the Home buyers' amount

If you have any questions, we encourage you to speak to a Meridian Advisor.

Further reading

Choose the right mortgage
Everything you need to know about down payments when purchasing a home
Everything you need to know about the mortgage stress test

A version of this article was originally published on April 10, 2019.

Meridian Credit Union communications are intended for informational purposes only and do not constitute financial advice or an opinion on any issue. We would be pleased to provide additional details or advice about specific situations if desired.

For permission to republish this content, please contact the Meridian Credit Union Marketing Department at communications@meridiancu.ca. ©️ 2023 Meridian Credit Union