As you may already know, Fundserv, and therefore Univeris, requires the gender of the beneficiary when opening a Registered Education Savings Plan (RESP) account that holds segregated funds, as the premium calculation is based on the age and gender of the beneficiary. However, due to a system limitation, this requirement is mandatory for all RESP beneficiaries, whether or not they hold segregated funds.

We understand that some clients may choose not to disclose their beneficiary gender or the gender options may not encompass all gender identities. Please be assured that we are actively engaging in discussions with Fundserv to identify a viable solution to this issue. 

In the interim, we recommend that when inquiring about the gender of the beneficiary of the RESP, you request the gender assigned at birth in order to document the information in Univeris.

Should you have any questions, please contact your Compliance Officer or our Client Services Team, by email at investia@investia.ca, by phone at 1-888-684-5548, or use the chatbot feature available on the Advisor Centre.