CCTB: Calculation and payment information

1. When are Canada Child Tax Benefit (CCTB) payments made?
2. I did not receive my Canada Child Tax Benefit payment this month. What should I do?
3. How do I tell the CRA about my change of address?
4. Can I start getting my CCTB payments by direct deposit?
5. How do I change my banking information if I receive my payments by direct deposit?
6. What happens to CCTB payments if the recipient dies?
7. When do we recalculate your CCTB?
8. What happens if you owe money for CCTB?
9. How are the Canada Child Tax Benefit and the National Child Benefit Supplement calculated?
10. What determines the maximum payment for the National Child Benefit Supplement (NCBS)?

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1. When are Canada Child Tax Benefit payments made?
Benefits are paid over a 12‑month period from July of one year to June of the next year. Generally, payments are made on the 20th of each month or, if your annual entitlement is less than $240, we will send it all in one payment on July 20th.

You can subscribe to the Benefit Recipients – Payment Issuance electronic mailing list to be notified when the next CCTB payments will be issued.

2. I did not receive my Canada Child Tax Benefit payment this month. What should I do?
We generally pay your benefit on the 20th of each month. If your payment does not arrive on that day, please wait five working days before calling us at 1-800-387-1193.

3. How do I tell the CRA about my change of address?
See How to change your address.

4. Can I start getting my Canada Child Tax Benefit (CCTB) payments by direct deposit?
You can have your CCTB payments deposited directly into your account at a financial institution. To start direct deposit or change your banking information, use My Account or send us a completed Form T1-DD(1), Direct Deposit Request - Individuals. You cannot change your banking information by calling us unless you have other CRA products deposited into that same account.

If for any reason we cannot deposit a payment into your account, we will mail a cheque to you at the address we have on file.

5. How do I change my banking information if I receive my payments by direct deposit?
If you get your payments by direct deposit and your banking information changes, use My Account or send us a completed Form T1-DD(1), Direct Deposit Request - Individuals. You cannot change your banking information by calling us unless you have other CRA products deposited into that same account.

6. What happens to Canada Child Tax Benefit (CCTB) payments if the recipient dies?
If an individual dies who was receiving CCTB payments for a child, the child's new caregiver should contact us and give us the date of the recipient's death.

We may still send out a payment after the date of death because we are not aware of the death. If this happens, please return the payment to us with a brief letter of explanation to the tax centre that serves your area.

If you are the surviving spouse or common‑law partner of the deceased individual and you lived with that person at the time of his or her death, in most cases you won't have to complete a new CCTB application. If certain requirements have been met, the children will be automatically transferred to your account.

If you are any other caregiver (such as grandparent or guardian), you will have to complete Form RC66, Canada Child Benefits Application, and send it to us or you can also use the Apply for child benefits online service on My Account to report this change to the CRA.

Note
If you are the new caregiver and the deceased individual was receiving payments under provincial or territorial child benefit programs that we administer, you do not have to apply separately to qualify for these payments. We will use the information from Form RC66 to determine if you are eligible for these programs.

7. When do we recalculate your CCTB?
We will recalculate your benefit and send you a Canada Child Tax Benefit Notice showing our revised calculation:

• every July based on the returns that you and your spouse or common‑law partner filed for the previous year;
• after each reassessment of either your tax return or your spouse or common‑law partner's tax return that affects the calculation of your benefit;
• after a child for whom you receive the CCTB turns 18 (the last payment you will receive will be for the month of his or her birthday); and
• after you tell us about changes to your situation that could affect your benefit (see When to contact us about your CCTB).

8. What happens if you owe money for CCTB?
If you received a CCTB overpayment, please refer to our Balance owing – Benefits overpayment page.

9. How are the Canada Child Tax Benefit and the National Child Benefit Supplement calculated?
You can use our CCTB calculator to get an estimate of your benefits.

Your CCTB payments for the period of July 2011 to June 2012 are calculated using the following information:

• The number of children you have;
• Your province or territory of residence;
• Your 2010 adjusted family net income and;
• Your child's eligibility for the Child Disability Benefit.

Basic benefit:

• The basic benefit is $1,367 ($113.91 a month) for each child under age 18 (the basic benefit is different for residents of Alberta, see the note below).
• There is a supplement of $95 ($7.91 a month) for your third and each additional child.
• We subtract a benefit reduction from this amount if your family net income is more than $41,544. For a one-child family, the reduction is 2% of the amount of your family net income that is more than $41,544. For families with two or more children, the reduction is 4%.

Note
The Alberta provincial government has chosen to vary the amount of the basic benefit that its residents receive. The basic benefit is:

• $1,256 ($104.66 a month) for children under 7;
• $1,342 ($111.83 a month) for children 7 to 11;
• $1,501 ($125.08 a month) for children 12 to 15; and
• $1,590 ($132.50 a month) for children 16 or 17.

National Child Benefit Supplement (NCBS):

• One-child family: $2,118 a year ($176.50 a month).  
• Two-child family: $1,873 a year ($156.08 a month).  
• Three-or-more-child family: $1,782 a year ($148.50 a month).
• We subtract a benefit reduction from these amounts if your family net income is more than$24,183.  For a one-child family, the reduction is 12.2% of the amount of your family net income that is more than $24,183.  For a two-child family, the reduction is 23% of the amount of your family net income that is more than $24,183.  For a three-or-more-child family, the reduction is 33.3% of the amount of your family net income that is more than $24,183.

Note
If you are on social assistance, the NCBS may affect the amount of your social assistance payments. Many provinces and territories will consider the NCBS you get as income and will adjust your basic social assistance by this amount.

10. What determines the maximum payment for the National Child Benefit Supplement?
The National Child Benefit Supplement (NCBS) is intended for low-income families with children. Therefore, the maximum is paid only if family net income is less than $24,183. It is reduced by a percentage amount (which depends on the number of children) when family net income is more than $24,183. Families with three or less children and family net income between $24,183 and $41,544 will receive partial NCBS. Families with four or more children will still receive some NCBS if their family net income is less than $46,500.