Expecting a baby is such an exciting time.

You have an excellent excuse to eat all of your favourite foods and take afternoon naps.

Friends and family constantly show up at your place with baby gifts. 

And of course, most importantly – you are preparing to bring a human into this world.

Now, parenting duties don’t start the day your little one is born.

They basically start the second you find out you’re expecting.

We get it. Imagining your child’s future before they are even born may seem a little odd, but we promise it isn’t. 

Who knows what the future will look like? None of us know how much education will cost 18+ years from now, or what programs they will even offer. It is never too early to start doing some research and looking into all the options.

Pull out a pen and paper. 

Here are 3 things every expecting mother needs to look into. 

The Canada Child Benefit 

The Canada Child Benefit (CCB) is a tax-free subsidy deposited each month on the 20th into your bank account for each child you have until they are 18.

It is free money that you can spend on anything you want. It’s kind of like finding free money on your lawn once a month.

You can spend it on groceries, after-school activities or your child’s education.

RESP’s

The Registered Education Savings Plan (RESP) is a government program with government rules on where your child can go to school and how the money you saved can be used. 

Your child isn’t even born yet. Who knows what they will want to pursue by the time they turn 18.

What happens if one night at dinner they let you know they want to attend a school that is not approved by the government of Canada? 

OR

What if they want to take a year or two off to travel or start their own business?

Long story short – if your child does choose a different path, you will have to close the RESP account when they are 21 or older AND return the RESP grants the government has given you.

Child Plan 

Child Plan is the fastest-growing alternative to the RESP and the only tax-free savings plan that parents and grandparents can open in Canada.

Starting from the day you open a Child Plan, your child will receive a tax-free annual dividend for life.

After your child turns 18, you can transfer their plan over anytime. They can use the cash value on education anywhere in the world, they can put a down payment on their first home, or they can start a business. 

The great news is…it is totally their call. 

Money can’t buy happiness. But it can buy opportunities and experiences.

Child Plan – the fastest growing alternative to the RESP.