Yes, I did try it both ways. WITHOUT a designated transfer, I can carry forward the contribution such that none of the contribution is claimed this year, BUT the RRSP Worksheet is a little scary because it shows an "Excess amount with may be subject to a penalty tax in 2026". And WITH a designated transfer, it seem to claim the full contribution (which is wrong of course), and it won't let me carry any amount forward (at least in Easy Step mode). I think it's supposed to be a designated transfer, but because I did the transfer in the "first 60 days of 2026", I won't get my T4RIF until next year. So at this point, I think I will wait until next year to claim the contribution (as a designated transfer), and then hope that the T4RIF correctly cancels out that contribution. Maybe I'll give CRA a call, and hope that someone answers and can help me handle this scenario to their satisfaction.
