General information only — not financial advice for your situation.
This is a learning tool. Always check CRA My Account records and talk to a qualified professional for your own numbers.
Plain English
If you don't use all your contribution room this year, it doesn't disappear — it rolls over and adds to next year's room indefinitely.
Technical definition
Carry-forward refers to unused registered-account contribution room that accumulates indefinitely. For TFSAs, unused annual dollar limits carry forward without expiry. For RRSPs, unused deduction room similarly accumulates. This allows taxpayers to make larger contributions in future years when they have more funds available.
Examples
- • You only contribute $3,000 to your TFSA in 2026 (limit $7,000). The unused $4,000 carries forward, giving you $11,000 of room in 2027.
- • You had $15,000 of unused RRSP room from prior years. Combined with $16,200 of new room, you can contribute up to $31,200 this year.
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About this site
Every number on this site is sourced from CRA publications, the Income Tax Act, or provincial fiscal releases. We show the math, cite the sources, and never tell you what to do with your money.