Canada Child Tax Benefit

The Canadian government established the Canada child benefit (CCB) to help families with the cost of raising young children. The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) administered tax-free monthly payments. The CCB may also include the child disability benefit and provincial and territorial programs for families.

To be eligible for the CCB, you must meet all the following conditions:

• The child must live with you, and you must be the child's primary caregiver.
• You must be a Canadian resident, Canadian citizen, permanent resident or Indigenous person. This rule applies to your spouse or common-law partner too.
• Temporary residents who have lived in the country for at least 18 months or protected people may also be eligible.

​Read More:​ Child Tax Credit: What Is It & How to Qualify

You can apply for the CCB when your child is born or when you assume custody of a child. You can also apply for the benefit when you begin a shared child custody arrangement.

Suppose you wish to apply for the CCB for a newborn. In that case, the birth registration documents will ask you for your consent and social insurance number (SIN) to share the birth registration with the CRA. The provincial or territorial government will forward the pertinent information to the CRA, and the agency will determine your eligibility for the Canada Child Benefit.

Processing time is approximately eight weeks.

You also have the option to apply online through My Account, your CRA account.

After you sign in to My Account, go to "Apply for Child Benefits." You will need to confirm your contact information, along with your marital status and your citizenship. Type in your child's name, gender, date of birth and place of birth. Then review and submit your application.

Processing time is approximately ​eight weeks​.

Complete and sign Form RC66, Canada Child Benefits Application. Mail the form to your tax center.

Processing time is approximately ​11 weeks.​

​Read More:​ Tax Breaks for Stay-at-Home Parents

The benefit period runs from July to June of the following year. Canada child benefit payments are made based on the following criteria:

• The number of children in the family
• The children's ages
• The primary caregiver's marital status
• The adjusted family net income (AFNI), collected from the previous year's income tax return.

To qualify for the maximum Canada child benefit from ​July 2021 to June 2022​, the federal government relies on a family's AFNI from the 2020 income tax return.

To receive the full benefit, the adjusted family net income must be under ​$32,028​ (July 2021-June 2022). The CCB starts decreasing as the AFNI rises above this amount.

The maximum for each child under ​six years of age​ is ​$569.41 per month ($6,833 annually)​. For children between ​six and 17 years of age​, the maximum monthly payment is ​$480.41 per month ($5,765 annually)​.

Suppose your child has a severe permanent disability and is eligible for the disability tax credit. In that case, you may qualify for the child disability benefit (CDB). This tax-free benefit is paid monthly on top of the CCB.

The maximum amount available for July 2021-June 2022 is ​$242.91​ per month (​$2,915​ annually).

For more information about the Canada child tax benefit, contact the Canada Revenue Agency.

​Read More:​ What Are the Children of Disabled Parents Entitled To?