Canada Child Benefit (CCB): How Much You Get and How It’s Calculated in 2025

What Is the Canada Child Benefit?

The Canada Child Benefit (CCB) is a tax-free monthly payment made by the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) to eligible families to help cover the cost of raising children under the age of 18. It replaced a patchwork of older programs (the Universal Child Care Benefit and Canada Child Tax Benefit) in July 2016 and has been indexed to inflation annually ever since.

The CCB is one of the most significant financial benefits available to Canadian families. A family with two young children and a moderate income can receive $10,000 or more per year — all completely free of tax. Unlike employment income or investment returns, CCB payments do not appear on your T4 or any other tax slip, and you never report them on your return.

The 2025–2026 CCB Amounts (Maximum Benefit)

The benefit year runs from July 2025 to June 2026 and is based on your 2024 tax return (the return you filed in spring 2025). CRA automatically recalculates your entitlement every July after processing your prior-year return.

At the maximum benefit level — for families with adjusted family net income (AFNI) below the phase-out threshold — the annual and monthly amounts are:

These maximums apply per child. A family with three children — two under 6 and one aged 9 — could receive up to $7,997 + $7,997 + $6,748 = $22,742 per year before any phase-out, assuming their income is below the threshold.

How the Phase-Out Works: Adjusted Family Net Income (AFNI)

The CCB is income-tested, meaning it gradually reduces as your family’s net income rises. CRA uses your adjusted family net income (AFNI), which is the combined net income of you and your spouse or common-law partner as reported on your tax returns.

There are two phase-out tiers. In the first tier (income between $37,487 and $79,087 for a one-child family), the benefit reduces at a rate of 7.0% of income above $37,487 for one child, or 13.5% for two children, and higher percentages for three or more. In the second tier (income above $79,087), an additional reduction applies.

CCB Approximate Amounts by Family Income (1 Child Under 6)

Note: Amounts are estimates. Actual CCB depends on the exact ages of your children, your precise AFNI, and annual indexation adjustments. Use the CRA’s Child and Family Benefits Calculator for a precise figure.

CCB Approximate Amounts by Family Income (2 Children: 1 Under 6, 1 Age 6–17)

Why You Must File Your Taxes Even With $0 Income

This is one of the most important points families with low or no income need to understand. CCB is based on your filed tax return. If you do not file a return — even if you had absolutely no income — CRA cannot calculate your entitlement, and your payments will stop.

Filing a $0-income return costs nothing and takes only a few minutes with free software like NETFILE-certified apps (SimpleTax/Wealthsimple Tax is popular and free). Once filed and assessed, CRA will begin or resume your CCB payments, often backdated to the month of your child’s birth or your arrival in Canada.

The same logic applies to your spouse or common-law partner. Both partners must file tax returns for the combined family income to be calculated correctly. If one partner does not file, CRA may use an estimated income figure — which is almost always higher than the actual income — resulting in lower CCB payments or an overpayment situation where money must be repaid.

Child Disability Benefit (CDB): An Important Supplement

If your child qualifies for the Disability Tax Credit (DTC) — meaning a qualified practitioner has certified that they have a severe and prolonged impairment in physical or mental functions — your family may also receive the Child Disability Benefit (CDB).

For 2025–2026, the CDB supplement is up to $3,411 per year ($284.25 per month) per child who qualifies. This amount is added on top of the regular CCB and is also completely tax-free. The CDB phases out at higher income levels as well, but it provides meaningful additional support for families caring for children with disabilities.

To claim the CDB, your child’s DTC application (Form T2201) must be approved by CRA. Once approved, the supplement is applied automatically — you do not need to do anything additional on your tax return.

Shared Custody: How CCB Is Split Between Parents

When parents separate or divorce, the CCB does not automatically go to one parent. CRA determines who receives the benefit based on who is the primarily responsible parent — generally, the parent the child lives with most of the time.

However, when custody is shared relatively equally (each parent has the child at least 40% of the time), both parents are entitled to 50% of the CCB that the primary parent would otherwise receive. Each parent’s share is then calculated separately based on their own individual net income — not the combined household income.

This means that in a shared custody arrangement, CRA actually runs two separate calculations: one using the custodial parent’s income and one using the non-custodial parent’s income, and each parent receives half of their respective calculated amount. This can result in a higher combined CCB than if only one parent claimed the full benefit.

To set up or update a shared custody arrangement with CRA, contact them by phone or update your information through My Account. You’ll also need to ensure your mailing address and marital status are current.

Newcomers to Canada: Applying for CCB With Form RC66

If you are a new permanent resident, protected person (refugee), or a temporary resident who has been living in Canada for at least 18 months, you may be eligible for the CCB right away. You do not need to wait until you have filed a Canadian tax return.

Newcomers apply using Form RC66 (Canada Child Benefits Application), available on the CRA website. You submit this form along with:

• Form RC66SCH (Status in Canada / Statement of Income) for the year of arrival
• Proof of your child’s birth (birth certificate or equivalent document)
• Immigration documents (confirmation of permanent residence, refugee protection, etc.)

Once your RC66 is processed, CRA will calculate an initial CCB entitlement using your estimated Canadian income. After you file your first full-year tax return, the benefit will be recalculated based on your actual income.

It is worth applying as soon as possible after arriving, because retroactive payments are generally only available for the 11 months prior to your application. Do not wait — apply immediately.

Automatic Enrollment: If You File Taxes

For Canadian-born families, enrollment in CCB is largely automatic. When you register a child’s birth with your province, the province shares that information with CRA, which automatically begins the CCB application process. You may receive a letter from CRA asking you to confirm your eligibility details, or payments may begin within a few weeks of birth registration.

Alternatively, if you did not receive automatic enrollment, you can apply online through CRA My Account, by mail using Form RC66, or in person at a Service Canada office. Ensure your direct deposit information is on file with CRA to receive payments quickly and securely rather than waiting for paper cheques.

CCB Payment Dates for 2025–2026

CCB is paid on or around the 20th of each month. For the 2025–2026 benefit year, approximate payment dates include the 20th of July 2025, August 2025, September 2025, October 2025, November 2025, December 2025, January 2026, February 2026, March 2026, April 2026, May 2026, and June 2026.

If you are registered for direct deposit (strongly recommended), the payment appears in your bank account on the payment date. Paper cheques take additional mailing time.

What Can Reduce or Stop Your CCB?

Several situations can reduce or temporarily stop your CCB payments:

• Failing to file your tax return — your most common risk; always file on time
• Income rising significantly — if your 2024 income is much higher than 2023, your July 2025 CCB will drop accordingly
• Change in marital status — getting married or starting a common-law partnership will combine incomes and may reduce the benefit
• Child turns 18 — payments stop in the month after the child’s 18th birthday
• Child no longer in your care — report any changes to CRA promptly to avoid overpayments you will have to repay
• Leaving Canada — CCB generally stops if you are no longer a Canadian resident

If CRA determines you received an overpayment, they will send a notice and attempt to recover it — either by reducing future payments or issuing a debt notice. To avoid this, always keep CRA informed of life changes as soon as they occur.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Canada Child Benefit taxable income?

No. The CCB is completely tax-free. You do not report it as income on your tax return, and receiving CCB does not affect your marginal tax rate or other income-tested benefits such as the GST/HST credit or Ontario Trillium Benefit. It is genuinely free money from the government, not a deduction or credit.

When does CCB get recalculated?

CCB is recalculated every July based on your prior year’s Notice of Assessment. The July 2025 to June 2026 benefit year is based on your 2024 tax return. This is why filing your taxes on time every year matters so much — a late return can delay or interrupt your payments, and an unfiled return will stop them entirely.

What happens to CCB in shared custody situations?

When parents share custody roughly equally (at least 40% of the time each), both parents receive 50% of the CCB they would otherwise receive as the primary caregiver. Each parent’s share is calculated based on their own individual income — not a combined household figure — so each parent files their own return and receives their own CCB cheque. Inform CRA of the shared arrangement by phone or through My Account.