Canada Child Benefit Payment Dates 2024

The Canada Child Benefit (CCB) is one of the key government benefit programs available for families with children in Canada.

It’s no secret that raising a family is expensive. For some parents, the costs that accompany the care and upbringing of children can strain their finances, causing hardship and emotional stress as they struggle to pay bills and purchase everyday items.

Both federal and provincial governments have implemented many kinds of programs over the years to help reduce parents’ financial burden. Some programs regularly put money directly into parents’ bank accounts, while others provide federal tax credits and GST/HST rebates.

One popular type of benefit program is the Canada Child Benefit (CCB).

What Is the Canada Child Benefit (CCB)? 

The CCB is a tax-exempt benefit program available for eligible families with children under 18 years of age. The program’s goal is to help alleviate poverty by providing struggling parents with access to government-sponsored financial aid. The CCB is aimed at eradicating child poverty in Canada, and it is unique in that the benefits received are not considered taxable income.

The CCB payment you get may also include provincial and territorial program benefits such as:

• Alberta Child and Family Benefit (ACFB)
• British Columbia child opportunity benefit
• New Brunswick child tax benefit (NBCTB)
• Ontario child benefit
• Newfoundland and Labrador child benefit
• Northwest Territories child benefit
• Nova Scotia child benefit
• Nunavut child benefit
• Yukon child benefit

Eligibility Requirements for CCB Payments

To qualify for the CCB, you must be the primary caregiver for a child under 18 years of age and live with them and be a Canadian resident for tax purposes. Also, you or your spouse must be considered at least one of the following:

• A Canadian citizen
• A permanent resident
• A protected person
• A temporary resident who’s lived in Canada for a minimum of 18 months or has a valid permit

How To Apply for The Canada Child Benefit

You can apply for the CCB right after your child is born using one of three methods:

1. Through Birth Registration

Apply for the CCB when registering the birth of your child in your province or territory. This is often completed at the hospital.

Each province has its own birth registration package you must complete. Ensure you provide your social insurance number and consent so that relevant information can be shared with the CRA.

2. Apply Online

Navigate to “Apply for child benefits” once you’re logged into your account with the CRA. Confirm all your information, provide details for your kid, and submit any documents requested.

3. Through the Mail

CCB applications can be completed by filling out Form RC66 and mailing it to the nearest tax center.

New immigrants in Canada need to complete Schedule RC66SCH and Form RC66 to apply for Canada Child Benefits.

If you have questions regarding the application process, you can contact the CRA’s Canada child benefit phone number at 1-800-959-8281

For the tax year 2024, you’ll receive payment from July 2024 to June 2025. The maximum you can receive is $7,437 annually for each child under the age of 6 and up to $6257 for each child between the ages of 6 and 17. If you share custody of your children, you’ll get 50% of what you’d have received if you had full custody.

Maximum CCB Payments 

The government will calculate the monthly amount you qualify for based on your previous year’s tax return. You can use the Government of Canada website CCB calculator to get an idea of what monthly payment you can expect to receive.

• For a child born in March 2024, you will be eligible to receive the CCB in April 2024 or the month following the month you become eligible
• For a child turning 6 years of age in March 2024, you will be paid at the under 6 years of age rate for the month of March and, at the 6 to 17 years of age rate for the month of April 2024.
• For a child turning 18 in December 2023, the last payment will be in December 2023 at the 6 to 17 years of age rate.

The size of your CCB benefit is calculated using several factors, including:

• The number of children you have
• Your family’s adjusted net income
• Whether your child is eligible to receive the child disability benefit
• Your marital status
• Your residence and whether you qualify for provincial benefits

How Does Income Affect Your Canada Child Benefit Payment?

Your family's net income(AFNI) is one of the most important things that determines how much money you can get from the CCB program. If your family's net income is less than $ $34,863 per year, you will receive the maximum payment. CCB benefits are clawed back based on your family's net income and the number of children you have.

Any reduction to the maximum benefit payment depends on your AFNI and on the number of children. The payments gradually start decreasing when the adjusted family net income is over $34,863.

Every month of the benefit year (July to June of the following year), CCB payments are adjusted based on:

• the number of children in your care
• the age of your children
• your adjusted family net income (AFNI), as reported in last year's tax return

CCB Payment Reductions Depending on Income Level and Number of Children

Canada Child Benefit Payment Dates

The CCB payment period starts in July and ends in June every year. Generally, you should receive your first payment 8 weeks after sending your online application and 11 weeks if you send it by mail. The CCB payments will be sent out to qualified applicants on the following dates:

Please note that if your total yearly CCB payment is less than $240, you will not receive monthly payments. Instead, you’ll receive it in one lump sum in July.

Is CCB Taxable?

The Canada Child Benefit is a tax-free payment which means it is not included in your taxable income. It is also not reported on your income and benefits tax return.

While CCB payments are tax-free, you should always file your tax return every year even if you have no income to report.

The CRA automatically assesses your eligibility for CCB by looking at your tax return for the previous year.

Child Disability Benefit Payment Dates

The child disability benefit (CDB) is a tax-free monthly payment made to families who care for a child under age 18 with a severe and prolonged impairment in physical or mental functions.

Your CDB payments are calculated using the following information:

• number of eligible children
• adjusted family net income (AFNI)

Every July, your CDB payments are recalculated based on your AFNI from the previous year.

For the period of July 2023 to June 2024, you could get up to $3,173 ($264.41 per month) for each child who is eligible for the DTC.

The benefit starts being reduced when the adjusted family net income is greater than $75,537. The reduction is calculated as follows:

• For families with one child eligible for the benefit, the reduction is 3.2% of the amount of adjusted family net income greater than $75,537.
• For families with two or more children eligible for the benefit, the reduction is 5.7% of the amount of adjusted family net income greater than $75,537.

The CDB is included in CCB payments for those who qualify and payment dates occur on the same dates as the CCB as follows:

• January 19, 2024
• February 20, 2024
• March 20, 2024
• April 19, 2024
• May 17, 2024
• June 20, 2024
• July 19, 2024
• August 20, 2024
• September 20, 2024
• October 18, 2024
• November 20, 2024
• December 13, 2024

Provincial Canada Child Benefit Plans

While the CCB is administered and funded by the federal government, there are also child benefit programs at the provincial and territorial levels.

Some of these programs include:

• BC Child Opportunity benefit
• Alberta Child and Family benefit
• Manitoba child benefit
• New Brunswick child tax benefit
• Newfoundland and Labrador child benefit
• Northwest Territories child benefit
• Nova Scotia child benefit
• Nunavut child benefit
• Ontario child benefit
• Yukon child benefit

Most of these programs are administered by CRA and combined with the monthly CCB payments as a single credit to beneficiaries.

One of the few exceptions is the Alberta Child and Family Benefit (ACFB). This is paid quarterly, and the ACFB payment dates for 2023 are:

• February 27, 2024
• May 27, 2024
• August 27, 2024
• November 27, 2024

The Alberta Child and Family Benefit (ACFB) was introduced in July 2020 to replace two separate programs: the Alberta Child Benefit and the Alberta Family Employment Tax Credit.

Final Thoughts

The CCB is a program that you should investigate if you have children or plan to in the near future. It’s easy to apply for, and you can expect regular monthly payments for as long as you remain eligible. Also, utilizing the CCB won’t disqualify you from other income support benefits, such as the GST/HST rebate and disability tax credit. Having access to extra funds when raising a family is always helpful, so ensure you take advantage of the CCB as well as its provincial equivalents.

In conclusion, if you have more concerns about the Canada Child Benefits don’t hesitate to contact the Filing Taxes team of professional accountants today at 416-479-8532. Schedule an NTR engagement appointment with us and take the first step toward proper management of your finances.

Disclaimer: The information provided on this page is intended to provide general information. The information does not consider your personal situation and is not intended to be used without consultation from accounting and financial professionals. Salman Rundhawa and Filing Taxes will not be held liable for any problems that arise from the usage of the information provided on this page.