Requirements for Canada Child Benefit (CCB)

This publication will guide you step by step through the CCB benefit application process and the details you need to know.

CCB Overview

The Canada Revenue Agency is in charge of administering the Canada Child Benefit (CCB) (CRA). It’s a tax-free monthly payment given to qualified families to assist with the costs of rearing children under the age of 18. The child disability benefit, as well as any associated provincial and territory programs, may be included in the CCB.

Who can get the CCB?

You must fulfill all of the following requirements:

• You have a child under the age of 18 living with you.
• You are the one who is in charge of the child’s care and upbringing.
• Take a look at who is mostly accountable.
• For tax reasons, you are a Canadian resident.

Any of the following applies to you, your spouse, or your common-law partner:

• A citizen of Canada.
• A long-term resident.
• A person who is protected.
• A temporary resident who has been in Canada for 18 months and holds a valid permission for the 19th month.
• An Indigenous person who fits the Indian Act’s description of “Indian”.

Keep in mind:

For any month in which Children’s special allowances (CSA) are payable, you cannot get the Canada child benefit (CCB) for a foster kid.

If you live with and care for a kid who is part of a kinship or close connection program, you may be eligible for the CCB as long as CSA is not due for that kid.

Who bears primary responsibility for the child’s care?

The CCB should be applied for by the person who is principally responsible for the child’s care and upbringing. This individual is in charge of items like:

• Observing and assisting the youngster with his or her regular activities and demands.
• Ensuring that the child’s medical requirements are satisfied.
• If required, arranging for child care.
• When the child has a female parent living with them.
• When a kid lives with both a female and male parent, the female parent is typically assumed to be the primary caregiver and educator. She should be the one who submits the CCB application.

Keep in mind:

If the male parent is the primary caregiver, he should apply and include a signed statement from the female parent saying that he is the primary caregiver for all of the children in the household.

If the child lives with parents who are of the same gender, just one parent should apply for all of the children in the house.

Arrangements for custody and the benefits

If your child only resides with you part of the time, you must establish if you have joint custody. Check to see whether you have joint custody if the following how the youngster spends his or her time:

About evenly between both parents

If the kid spends about equal amounts of time with both parents, both parents are regarded to have shared custody under the CCB:

• Each parent must notify the CRA of their new custody arrangement as soon as possible.
• The CRA will determine how much each parent will get based on their adjusted family net income.
• Each parent will get precisely half of what they would have received if they had full custody of the kid, depending on their adjusted family net income.
• The CRA will not split the money into various portions or award it to one of the parents in whole.

Mostly with you.

If the kid spends the most of his or her time with you, you are regarded to have full custody under the CCB:

• You are the only one who can apply for the CCB.
• Your payment will be calculated by the CRA based on your family’s net income.
• The sum will not be shared between you and the other parent by the CRA.

Mostly with one of the parents

If the kid spends the most of his or her time with the other parent, the other parent is regarded to have complete custody under the CCB:

• Only the other parent is eligible to apply for the CCB.
• Their payment will be calculated by the CRA based on their family’s net income (not taking into account your income)
• The sum will not be shared between you and the other parent by the CRA.

Mostly with the other parent, but for a short while with you as well.

Changes in custody aren’t always permanent. This may occur, for example, if the child generally lives with one parent but spends the summer with the other.

In these situations, the parent who has temporary custody can apply for CCB payments for that time period. When the kid returns to the other parent, the other parent must reapply in order to resume receiving payments.