From $100K to $45K: What Now? A Canadian Mom's RESP Journey
As an immigrant mom who moved to Canada later in life, I’ve always felt a mix of pride and pressure when it comes to building a stable future for my son. One of the things I learned about early on was the RESP (Registered Education Savings Plan) — a brilliant system that helps families save for post-secondary education. We only had about six years to contribute before my son reached university age, but I did what I could.
Through careful (and sometimes risky) investing in mutual funds and stocks, I was thrilled when our RESP reached a peak of $100,000. I felt like I had done my part — built a foundation so my son could go to university without worrying too much about money.
But now… it’s June, and he starts university this September. And our RESP? It’s dropped to $45,000.
I check the balance and just stare. I wonder if I made the wrong decisions. I wonder if I should have gone more conservative once we got closer to the withdrawal time. The guilt hits hard — not because I didn’t try, but because I tried so hard, and still ended up here.
Now I’m torn between options.
Should I withdraw now and accept the loss?
Should I wait and hope for a rebound, knowing that tuition bills are coming in just three months?
Should I only take out what I absolutely need, and let the rest recover?
Every answer seems to come with risk.
As a mom, all I want is to give my child the best start. But sometimes, even the best intentions don’t shield us from market volatility or bad timing.
I wanted to share this story not just to vent, but to connect with others. If you’ve gone through something similar with your RESP, or have advice for other parents facing this situation, I’d love to hear from you. Financial literacy is powerful, but so is emotional support — and I think many of us immigrant families are figuring it all out as we go.
Thanks for reading, and if you're interested in how this unfolds, I’ll be updating here again soon.
