Canada Child Benefit Overview
The Canada Child Benefit (CCB) is a non‑taxable monthly payment issued by the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) to eligible families with children under the age of 18. Introduced in 2016 and indexed to inflation since 2018, the benefit is designed to help low‑ and middle‑income households cover the costs of raising children.
As Jason Heath, Certified Financial Planner at Objective Financial Partners Inc., explains, the CCB is meant to indirectly help cover the expenses of raising a family for parents whose incomes fall below applicable thresholds. The more children a family has, the higher the benefit entitlement, and the benefit is tax‑free, so recipients do not report the income on their tax returns.
How the Benefit Is Calculated
Each July the CRA recalculates the CCB based on the family’s adjusted net income from the previous year. For the benefit year that began in July 2026, the amount was adjusted for inflation and increased by 2 % according to Consumer Price Index (CPI) data.
The total CCB a family receives depends on several factors:
- The number of eligible children in the household.
- The children’s ages – children under six receive the young‑child supplement.
- The adjusted family net income.
- Whether any child is eligible for the disability tax credit (DTC). For the period July 2026 to June 2027, families could receive up to $3,480 per eligible child ($290 per month) through the Child Disability Benefit (CDB).
If the adjusted family net income for 2025 was below $38,237, the family receives the maximum amount for each child. Above that threshold, the benefit gradually decreases with higher income.
Payment Amounts for July 2026‑June 2027
For this benefit period, the maximum annual amounts are:
- $8,157 per child under age six ($679.75 per month).
- $6,883 per child aged six to seventeen ($573.58 per month).
These figures represent the top‑end of the benefit; the actual payment will be lower if family income exceeds the threshold or if other reducing factors apply.
2026 Payment Schedule
CCB payments are normally issued on the 20th day of each month, unless that date falls on a weekend or statutory holiday, in which case the payment is made on the preceding business day. The scheduled payment dates for 2026 are:
- January 20, 2026
- February 20, 2026
- March 20, 2026
- April 20, 2026
- May 20, 2026
- June 19, 2026
- July 20, 2026
- August 20, 2026
- September 18, 2026
- October 20, 2026
- November 20, 2026
- December 11, 2026
If a payment does not arrive on the expected date, the CRA advises waiting five business days before contacting them for assistance.
Eligibility Requirements
To qualify for the CCB, you must:
- Live with and be primarily responsible for the care and upbringing of at least one child under 18.
- Be a resident of Canada for tax purposes.
- Have you or your spouse or common‑law partner be one of the following:
- A Canadian citizen.
- A permanent resident.
- A protected person.
- A temporary resident who has lived in Canada for the previous 18 months and holds a valid permit in the 19th month (excluding permits that state “does not confer status” or “does not confer temporary resident status”).
- An individual who is registered, or entitled to be registered, under the Indian Act.
If you share custody of a child, you receive 50 % of the amount you would obtain with full custody, based on your adjusted family net income.
Recent Change to the Benefit (2025)
Prior to January 2025, if a child died, the CCB (and any associated Child Disability Benefit) would stop the following month. Effective January 2025, the benefit continues for six months after the child’s death, provided the recipient still qualifies. This extension is intended to give families financial support to help cover funeral and related expenses.
Additional Notes
The CCB may be supplemented by provincial or territorial programs, such as the Ontario Child Benefit. Families are encouraged to use the CRA’s CCB calculator or consult the CRA website for personalized estimates based on their specific circumstances.
