The Canada Child Benefit (CCB) is a tax-free monthly payment from the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) to families raising children under 18. The amount depends on your family’s income and your children’s ages. From July 2026 to June 2027, you can get up to $8,157 a year for each child under 6 and up to $6,883 a year for each child aged 6 to 17.
How much you’ll get (July 2026 to June 2027)
The CRA works out your CCB each July using your adjusted family net income from the year before. For July 2026 to June 2027, that means your 2025 tax return (and your spouse’s or partner’s, if you have one).
| Child’s age | Maximum per year | Maximum per month |
|---|---|---|
| Under 6 | $8,157 | $679.75 |
| 6 to 17 | $6,883 | $573.58 |
| Child Disability Benefit (added for an eligible child) | $3,480 | $290.00 |
You get the full amount if your adjusted family net income is $38,237 or less. Above that, the CCB goes down by a set percentage of the income over each threshold.
| Number of children | Income $38,237 to $82,847 | Income over $82,847 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 7% of income over $38,237 | $3,123 plus 3.2% of income over $82,847 |
| 2 | 13.5% of income over $38,237 | $6,022 plus 5.7% of income over $82,847 |
| 3 | 19% of income over $38,237 | $8,476 plus 8% of income over $82,847 |
| 4 or more | 23% of income over $38,237 | $10,260 plus 9.5% of income over $82,847 |
The amount in the table is taken off your yearly maximum. For example:
- A single parent with one child aged 3 and a family income of $30,000 is under the first threshold, so they get the full $8,157 a year, or $679.75 a month.
- A family with children aged 5 and 9 and an income of $65,000 gets about $11,430 for the year, or about $952 a month. This is the government’s own example.
- A family with one child aged 8 and an income of $100,000 gets $6,883 minus $3,123 minus 3.2% of $17,153: about $3,211 a year, or $268 a month.
If your total CCB for the year is under $240, you get it as one payment in July instead of monthly. The CRA’s child and family benefits calculator can estimate your own amount.
The Child Disability Benefit
If your child is approved for the Disability Tax Credit (DTC), the CRA adds the Child Disability Benefit to your CCB. It is worth up to $3,480 a year ($290 a month) for each eligible child.
- You don’t apply for it separately. Once the CRA approves Form T2201, Disability Tax Credit Certificate, for your child, it’s added to your CCB automatically.
- It goes down only when your family income is over $82,847: by 3.2% of the income over that amount for one eligible child, or 5.7% for two or more.
- The CRA automatically pays it back for the current benefit year and the two years before. For earlier years, send a written request to your tax centre.
Who qualifies
You can get the CCB if all of these are true:
- You live with a child who is under 18.
- You are mainly responsible for the child’s care and upbringing.
- You live in Canada for tax purposes.
- You or your spouse or partner is a Canadian citizen, a permanent resident, a protected person, registered under the Indian Act, or a temporary resident who has lived in Canada for the past 18 months and has a valid permit in the 19th month.
- You and your spouse or partner file your tax returns every year, even if you had no income.
Shared custody
If a child lives with you 40% to 60% of the time, you have shared custody and both parents should apply. Each parent gets 50% of what they would get with full custody, based on their own family income. If the child lives with you less than 40% of the time, you can’t get the CCB for that child.
Newcomers to Canada
If you are new to Canada or coming back to live here, apply with Form RC66 and Schedule RC66SCH, Status in Canada and Statement of Income, and mail them with your documents. If your spouse or partner doesn’t live in Canada, you may also need Form CTB9.
How to apply
- When your baby is born: tick the box to apply for benefits on the birth registration form at the hospital or birthing centre (the Automated Benefits Application).
- Online: sign in to CRA My Account, choose “Benefits and credits” and add your child.
- By mail: fill out Form RC66, Canada Child Benefits Application, and send it to your tax centre.
To keep the payments coming, file your taxes by April 30 each year and tell the CRA quickly if your address, bank account, marital status or custody changes.
Provincial child benefits paid with the CCB
Most provinces and territories have their own child benefit. You don’t apply separately: when you apply for the CCB and file your taxes, the CRA checks whether you qualify.
- Ontario: the Ontario Child Benefit pays up to $1,760 a year per child, in the same monthly deposit as the CCB.
- British Columbia: the BC Family Benefit pays up to $145.83 a month for a first child, $91.66 for a second and $75 for each other child, plus up to $41.66 a month for a single parent’s first child. It’s combined with the CCB into one monthly payment.
- Alberta: the Alberta Child and Family Benefit is also run by the CRA, but it’s paid four times a year (August, November, February and May), not monthly.
- Quebec: the Family Allowance comes from Retraite Québec, not the CRA, in a separate deposit. It’s paid every three months unless you ask for monthly payments.
What changed in 2026
- In July 2026 the CCB went up with inflation, by up to $160 per child under 6 and up to $135 per child aged 6 to 17. The CCB has been raised this way every July since 2018.
- The income thresholds rose to $38,237 and $82,847, and the Child Disability Benefit rose to $3,480.
- If a child dies on or after January 1, 2025, the family may keep getting the CCB and Child Disability Benefit for 6 more months (or until the child would have turned 18). Call the CRA to tell them the date of death.
- The GST/HST credit is now called the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit. Many CCB families get it too.
The next increase is due in July 2027. The new amounts haven’t been announced yet.
Payment late, missing or different?
Wait 5 business days after the payment date. Then check your payment status in CRA My Account. If it still hasn’t arrived, call the CRA benefits line at 1-800-387-1193.
Common reasons a CCB payment stops or changes:
- You or your spouse or partner didn’t file a tax return on time.
- Your address or bank account changed and the CRA wasn’t told.
- Your income went up, so the new amount in July is lower.
- Your yearly total is under $240, so you get one payment in July only.
- Your marital status or custody changed, or your child turned 18.
Watch for scams. The CRA never sends refunds or benefit payments by e-transfer or text message, and never asks for payment by gift card, prepaid card or cryptocurrency. It doesn’t ask for personal or financial information by email or voicemail. If a message says your CCB is waiting, don’t click the link. Sign in to CRA My Account yourself or call the number above.
Other help you might be missing
- Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit: a quarterly payment for low- and modest-income families, with an extra amount for each child.
- Canada Workers Benefit: a tax credit for low-income working families, with part paid in advance.
- Canada Disability Benefit: a monthly payment for adults 18 to 64 who are approved for the Disability Tax Credit.
- Ontario Trillium Benefit: help with energy, rent or property tax, and sales tax for Ontario families with lower incomes.
Common questions
When does the CCB go up in 2026?
The new amounts started with the July 2026 payment. They stay the same until June 2027, unless your family situation changes.
Is the Canada Child Benefit taxable?
No. The CCB is tax-free, so you don’t report it as income on your tax return.
Why did my CCB go down in July?
Each July the CRA uses your latest tax return. If your family income went up in 2025, your payments from July 2026 to June 2027 are lower.
Do I get the CCB if I have no income?
Yes, if you qualify. You still have to file a tax return every year, even with no income, or your payments can stop.
How long does it take to get the Child Disability Benefit?
It starts once the CRA approves your child for the Disability Tax Credit. The CRA also pays it back automatically for the current benefit year and the two years before.
