Registered Disability Savings Plan Info for People on Social Assistance

New on Clicklaw

Did you know that if you do nothing but deposit a $250 GST cheque each year into a Registered Disability Savings Plan, starting when you’re 32, by the time you are 60, the value of an RDSP should be over $100,000?

As explained in a new guide, overview, and video series from the BC Coalition of People with Disabilities, this is the power of the Registered Disability Savings Plan. Introduced by the federal government in 2007, RDSPs are a long-term savings program for people with disabilities.

With funding from the Law Foundation of BC, the BC Coalition of People with Disabilities created these new resources to explain:

  • who is likely to qualify for an RDSP
  • the importance of the Disability Tax Credit
  • how to get money in and out of an RDSP, including applying for grants and bonds
  • why people with disabilities should open an RDSP, even if they have a low income
  • what people with disabilities on social assistance need to know

In addition to these resources, the BC Coalition of People with Disabilities produces a series of fact sheets for people with disabilities on a range of legal topics. For more information on these and other great legal resources for people in BC, visit Clicklaw.

Legal Help Guide Popular with Legal Helpers

Spreading the word about Clicklaw

We’ve noticed that Legal Help for British Columbians: A Guide to Help Non-legal Professionals Make Legal Referrals for Clients is a very popular title on Clicklaw! It is often the first title that appears when browsing by topic, which indicates that many visitors are clicking on that title to find out more about it. Here are two comments about the Guide we’ve received from Clicklaw visitors:

“I am a volunteer at 411 Seniors Centre. I frequently get questions about the client’s legal situation and find the legal guide helpful in providing answers that are concise and in plain language. I have photocopied the pages on representation agreements for some clients because the outline is clear and covers the subject well. The guide also covers a wide range of topics that can be of use to seniors.”

                               Dave Hibbard, 411 Seniors  Centre Volunteer

“This guide has come to my aid in helping [non-lawyer] clients several times over the past couple of weeks. Three of the questions I received were identical to examples in Part 1: Common Legal Problems:

– The Ministry has taken my kids 
– A debt collector is harassing me
– My car broke down and the dealer won’t fix it

The author provides clear and concise information on the steps you need to take and where to get help for each problem. The clients have been very satisfied and grateful for the information I passed on to them.

Part 2: Resource Guide is a nine page alphabetical list of sources of legal information, providing quick access to website addresses and phone numbers. To date, there has been only one number I needed that wasn’t on the list – the Office of the Information & Privacy Commissioner (related to the debt collector question). I keep a photocopy of this list on the bulletin board for easy access.”

            Denise Caldwell, Kamloops Branch Manager, Courthouse Libraries BC