Benefits paid through the tax system
| Benefit | Who it’s for | How it’s paid |
|---|---|---|
| Canada Child Benefit (CCB) | Families with children under 18; more on lower incomes | Monthly, tax-free |
| Groceries and Essentials Benefit (formerly the GST/HST credit) | Individuals and families on low and modest incomes | Every three months, tax-free |
| Canada Workers Benefit (CWB) | Low-income workers | With your refund, plus advance payments |
| Disability tax credit | People with a severe and prolonged impairment, and carers | Lowers your tax |
| Provincial benefits and credits | Varies: many provinces add their own family and low-income payments | Often with the federal ones |
The CRA works out the amounts from your tax return (and your spouse’s or partner’s), so both of you need to file, on time, every year. See when each one is paid in benefit payment dates.
How the Canada Child Benefit shrinks with income
The CCB is the biggest of these for most families. You get the full amount up to $38,237 of family net income, and then it shrinks gradually, so many middle-income families still get some:
The full amount is paid up to $38,237 of family net income. Above that it shrinks, faster until $82,847 and more slowly after. Provincial child benefits come on top.
With one child under 6 and one aged 6 to 17, a family on $60,000 gets about $12,100 a year, or about $1,008 a month. Work out yours with the Canada Child Benefit calculator. A child who qualifies for the disability tax credit also gets the Child Disability Benefit, of up to $3,480 a year, on top.
Credits and deductions that lower your tax
These don’t arrive as payments, but they cut the tax you owe, so check you’re claiming them:
- Medical expenses above a small threshold, including prescriptions, dental work and glasses not covered by a plan.
- Charitable donations, with a bigger credit on the part over $200 in a year.
- Tuition, which students can carry forward or transfer to a parent.
- The Canada caregiver credit, if you support a relative with a physical or mental impairment.
- Moving expenses, if you moved at least 40 km closer to a new job or school.
- RRSP and FHSA contributions, which come off your income. See RRSP vs TFSA.
Other help worth checking
- Employment Insurance (EI) if you lose your job, and maternity and parental benefits (in Quebec, the Quebec Parental Insurance Plan).
- The Canada Dental Care Plan for people without dental insurance on lower family incomes.
- The Canada Disability Benefit for working-age people with a disability tax credit certificate.
- A Registered Disability Savings Plan (RDSP), with government grants and bonds for people who qualify for the disability tax credit.
- Provincial programs for child care, housing, prescription drugs and energy costs.
How to check what you can get
- The benefits finder at canada.ca asks a few questions and lists federal, provincial and territorial programs.
- CRA My Account shows your benefit payments, when they’re due and how they were worked out.
- Free tax clinics (the Community Volunteer Income Tax Program) file returns for free for many people on modest incomes.
- Missed something? You can usually file a past return, or ask the CRA to adjust one, and get back-payments.
Why it matters
These payments can add thousands of dollars a year, especially for families. Put them in your budget, and if one arrives as a lump sum, use it to start an emergency fund or clear expensive debt.