Canadian Tax Benefits
Tax-free benefits CRA pays from your return, and how to keep them coming.
The short version
- CRA pays several tax-free benefits based on your tax return: the Canada Child Benefit, the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit (formerly the GST/HST credit), and many provincial benefits.
- You don't apply for most of them each year. You file your return, and your spouse files theirs. That's the application.
- Benefits are recalculated every July from the previous year's family net income.
- Benefit payments aren't taxable and don't go on your return.
- Not filing is the most common reason families lose them.
Canadian Tax Benefits: Paid Through Your Return
The tax system doesn't only take money. For millions of families it pays out more than it collects, through benefits calculated from the tax return. The catch is simple and costly: no return, no benefits. Here's what's paid and where the details are.
The Main Federal Benefits
| Benefit | July 2026 to June 2027 | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Canada Child Benefit | Up to $8,157 per child under 6, $6,883 per child 6 to 17 | Canada Child Benefit |
| Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit | $445 per adult, $234 per child, plus supplements | CGEB (formerly the GST/HST credit) |
| Child Disability Benefit | Up to $3,480 per child | Child Disability Benefit |
| Canada Workers Benefit | Up to $1,665 single, $2,869 family (claimed on the return) | Canada workers benefit |
Provinces add their own, often paid with these: Ontario's Trillium Benefit and Child Benefit, the BC Family Benefit, Alberta's Child and Family Benefit, and others. See provincial taxes in Canada.
Benefits by Situation
| Your situation | Guide |
|---|---|
| Low or no income | Benefits for low-income Canadians |
| Raising children on your own | Benefits for single parents |
| Children living in two homes | Shared custody and the CCB |
| 18 to 64 with the disability tax credit | Canada Disability Benefit |
| 65 or older, or 60 to 64 with a spouse on GIS | Benefits for seniors |
How to Keep Them Coming
- File every year, both spouses, even with no income. See do I have to file taxes in Canada.
- Tell CRA about changes: marital status, a new child, custody changes, moving provinces.
- Keep direct deposit current in My Account; dates are on benefit payment dates, and what to do when one stops on why benefits stop.
- Check what you're missing with the what can I claim tool.
- Behind on filing? Catch up; see filing years of unfiled taxes.
Which benefits should your family be getting?
Tell the assistant your family size, ages, province and rough income. It estimates your Canada Child Benefit, CGEB and provincial benefits, and flags any you might be missing.
Benefit Questions
Do I have to apply for the Canada Child Benefit every year?
No. After the first application, the benefit is recalculated each July from both parents' tax returns. You must keep filing every year.
Are CRA benefit payments taxable?
No. The Canada Child Benefit, the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit and related provincial benefits are not taxable.
What replaced the GST/HST credit?
The Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit replaced the GST/HST credit in July 2026, with a 25% increase for 2026 to 2031.
Sources: CRA, How CCB is calculated; CGEB payment amounts; 2026 indexation table. Checked October 2026. Provincial benefit names are examples; amounts vary by province.
Last reviewed October 5, 2026 against CRA and Government of Canada sources. How we check our facts.