Canada Child Benefit is financial aid to low-income Canadians to raise their children. The Canada Revenue Agency has announced Canada Child Benefits (CCB) Payment Dates for 2025. The payments are scheduled in the last week of every month. The CRA has also outlined eligibility requirements and other important details about the CCB.
CCB CANADA
The Canada Child Benefit (CCB) is a tax-free monthly payment provided by the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) to help eligible families with the cost of raising children under 18 years old.
Key Details
Payment Amounts: For the 2024–2025 benefit year, families can receive up to $7,787 annually ($648.91/month) for each child under 6, and $6,570 annually ($547.50/month) for each child aged 6 to 17. Payments decrease as family income exceeds $36,502.
Payment Schedule: CCB payments are issued on the 20th of every month, with direct deposit being the fastest option.
Eligibility: Families must live in Canada, be primarily responsible for the care of a child under 18, and file annual tax returns. Payments are based on the previous year’s adjusted family net income.
Application: Apply online through My Service Canada Account or by submitting Form RC66 by mail. Payments begin within 8–11 weeks of application approval.
CCB payments are recalculated annually in July to account for changes in income and inflation.
Important Note:The CRA offers the additional benefit amount as a Child Disability Benefit of up to $3,322 per year. In some provinces and territories, extra benefits are provided with CCB amounts. If the parents share the custody of the child, each parent will get 50% of the payment amount.
If your total CCB payment is less than $240, you will get your whole amount in a single payment. To stay updated on the next payments and upcoming updates, login to your CRA MY Account.
CCB Payment Amount
The CCB payment amount is calculated based on various factors such as:
Adjusted net income of the family.
Number of children in your care.
The age of each child under your care.
There is an increase in the payment amounts as compared to the previous year. The CRA increases the payments due to annual indexing to inflation. The maximum payment amounts for 2025 are:
$7,787 per year ($648.91 per month) for each child under 6 years old.
$6,570 per year ($547.50 per month) for each child aged 6 to 17.
Use the CCB payment calculator to estimate your benefits. The CRA calculates payments based on income, number of children, and their ages.
For Example: A family taking care of one child under six years old with a net incomeof $45,000 is eligible to receive $599 per month.
1. Payment Recalculations
The CRA recalculates CCB payment amounts annually in July based on the previous year’s adjusted family net income (AFNI). Here are the factors for recalculations:
The change in family marital status.
The change occurs in the number of eligible children.
CRA notices any change that has effects on the benefit.
The eligible child turns 18.
The number of children under your custody changes.
2. Payment Stop
The Canada Revenue Agency will stop your payments due to the following reasons:
You didn’t file your tax returns.
You didn’t respond to CRA’s letter about your situation.
You did not inform the CRA about the changes in your banking details and address.
Specific changes in your marital status like marriage divorce, etc.
Your income increases and becomes too high.
The eligible children turn 18 or no longer in your care.
You are no longer according to eligibility criteria.
You or your spouse are missing a world income statement.
3. Repayments Of Overpayment
Sometimes, the overpayment is done by the CRA. In this case, you will receive a notice from CRA along with a remittance letter. The letter contains all the information and calculations about overpayments.
The CRA will keep your CCB, GST/HST credit, income tax, OAS, and all other FPT payments until the overpayment is repaid.
Tip: Always report any changes to CRA that can affect the child’s benefit as soon as possible. Keep in mind that your payments will stop if you do not inform the CRA about changes.
Canada Child Benefit Retroactive payments
Retroactive payments are those that you had not received when you were eligible for them. This is helpful for the families to recover the payments that are missed due to certain circumstances.
How to Apply For Retroactive Payments
Gather all the required documents. You will need to provide the following documents:
Proof of residency in Canada during the retroactive period.
Your child’s birth certificate or proof of adoption.
Tax returns filed for all relevant years.
Custody agreements (if applicable).
Submit Form RC66 (Canada Child Benefits Application) if you haven’t already applied for the CCB. This form consists of a section through which you can apply for retroactive payments.
In case, if you were receiving the benefits in the past and missed payments of some previous months, contact CRA directly through their helpline or online portal (My Account). You will need to provide a documented claim to CRA.
Once your application is submitted, the CRA will review your application. The review periods depends upon situation. However, it typically takes a few months.
A total of three options are available to apply for Canada Child Benefit. Here are the details.
1. Through Birth Registration
Mostly the CCB application is automatically applied when you register your child’s birth in your province or tertiary. In most provinces, childbirth registration is done by paper form.
However, the facility of online birth registration is available for the residents of Ontario, Quebec, British Columbia, and Alberta.
You will receive your payment within 8 weeks after applying.
Note: It is important to provide your consent and Social Insurance Number (SIN) while birth registration. If you do not share SIN, the CRA will not receive information and you will need to apply through any other method.
2. Online Through My Account
Here is how to apply online
On the overview page, you will get the “Benefit and Cridet” option in the left corner of the menu. Click on that button.
From the benefits and credit page, navigate to the Canada Child Benefit and click on the “Add++” button.
Now you will be asked to provide important details such as contact information, marital status, citizenship, and information about your child.
After finishing it, review your application to confirm accuracy. After reviewing, submit the form.
Now you will get the status of your application.
In some cases, it is asked to provide the documents. In such a case, click on the submit button and submit the required documents. You will receive your payment within 8 weeks after applying.
3. Apply By Mail
To apply via mail, you should:
First of all, fill out the Canada Child Benefit form (Form RC66).
Add the required documents to the application form.
Now mail the form to CRA through TaxCenter. You will receive your payment within 11 weeks after applying.
Important Note: The documents are only acceptable in English and French. It is important to provide the English and French copy of the documents if the documents are in any other language. Otherwise, your application will be rejected.
You are eligible for CCB if you fulfill the following conditions:
You are responsible for the care of a child under 18.
You must be a resident of Canada for tax.
You or your suppose must follow one of the following:
A Canadian citizen.
A permanent resident.
A protected person (approved by the Immigration and Refugee Board).
A temporary resident who has lived in Canada for at least 18 months and holds a valid permit in the 19th month (not one that says “does not confer status”).
Registered or entitled to be registered under the Indian Act.
Here is the list of requirements to apply for CCB 2025
Proof of citizenship/immigration status
Proof of residency in Canada
Proof of birth for each child
Proof of primary caregiver
Social insurance number
Canada Child Benefit Deposit
There are two methods to receive the payments. Here is the detailed guidance about each method.
1. Direct Deposit
Direct deposit is the reliable method in which payments are directly submitted to the bank on the scheduled date. It is the latest, most secure, and fastest method for payment deposits. There are three ways to set up direct deposit for payments.
Online
Log in to your CRA My Account via the official web portal or use the MyCRA mobile app.
Navigate to the “Profile” section and select the “Direct Deposit” option available there.
Enter or update your banking information, including Institution number (3 digits), Branch/transit number (5 digits), and Account number (varies in length)
By Phone
You can also set direct deposit via the helpline by following the steps:
Call the CRA helpline at 1-800-959-8281.
You will need to provide some important information to CRA. The information includes the Social Insurance Number (SIN) Full name, address, date of birth, Most recent tax return details, and Banking information.
By Mail
To set the direct deposit via mail by
First of all, Complete the official Canada Direct Deposit Enrolment Form.
Attach a void cheque or stamped banking information from your financial institution.
After completing the form and attaching the documents, mail the form to the following address:
Receiver General for Canada P.O. Box 5000 Matane QC G4W 4R6
2. Cheque
In the cheque payment method, the CRA sends the payment cheque to the registered address. The cheques usually take a long time to arrive. There are many risks in cheque methods like late payment, cheque loss, and other such things. In case, if you lose your cheque, contact CRA as soon as possible.
Tip: Direct deposit is strongly recommended for faster and safer access to your CCB payments. The CRA also encourages direct deposit.
Tips For Smooth Payments
Here are some practical tips that can help you to receive maximum benefits from Canada Child Tax.
To receive your payments on time without any hassle, file your taxes on time even if you have no income.
Keep your information updated and report every change to CRA as soon as possible.
Use the direct deposit method. Direct deposit is a competitively safe, reliable, and fast payment method.
Keep an eye on the CCB payment dates to get an idea about the next payment date.
The CRA normally asks you to provide some important documents and details. Respond quickly to every request of CRA.
Use MY Account to stay informed of the latest updates and changes by CRA.
By following these tips, you can ensure smooth and timely receipt of your Canada Child Tax Benefits, maximizing the support provided for your family.
Canada Child Benefit Contact Details
Here is the contact details of the CRA
Helpline Number
Call CCB and related provincial and territorial programs (1-800-387-1193) For Alberta (1-800-959-2809) Call to make a payment arrangement on CCB overpayments (1-888-863-8662)
Mail Adress
The mailing address is available on the official CRA website and app.
FAQs
No, you don’t need to reapply annually if you’re already receiving payments. The Canada Revenue automatically determines your eligibility when you file your annual tax returns
If you or your spouse fail to file taxes by April 30th each year, your payments may be delayed or stopped until you file. The payments will be continued after filing the tax.
In shared custody arrangements, each parent of a child will receive 50% of total payment.
Login to your CRA account or subscribe email to get updates about upcoming payment dates.
Yes! Extra support for disabled children is available. The Child Disability Benefit provides additional financial assistance to families responsible for the care of disabled children.
Conclusion
Canada Child Benefits is a vital program in Canada that helps the parent to raise their child. It plays an important role in the care taking of a child. To ensure smooth payments, parents should file taxes on time, report any changes in family status to the CRA, and use direct deposit for faster transactions. Understanding CCB payment dates, eligibility, and benefit amounts is essential for parents. For any questions or issues related to CCB, visit the official CRA website.
