Ottawa, Ontario, July 18, 2008... The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) encourages individuals and families to apply for benefits and credits to which they may be entitled. In 2007, the CRA issued more than 85 million benefit payments, totalling $16 billion, to more than 11 million recipients.
In 2007, more than 3 million families benefited from Canada Child Tax Benefit (CCTB) payments. The CCTB is a tax-free monthly payment made to eligible families to help them with the cost of raising children under the age of 18. Monthly payments are made on the 20th of each month.
The CRA recalculates the entitlement every July, based on the family net income for the previous year, to determine the eligibility for federal, provincial and territorial child benefit programs that the CRA administers. Individuals can become eligible to receive child and family benefits if their family net income has decreased.
The Universal Child Care Benefit (UCCB) is designed to help Canadian families, as they try to balance work and family life, by supporting their child care choices through direct financial support. The UCCB is for children under the age of 6 years and is paid in instalments of $100 per month per child. In 2007, more than 1.4 million families received UCCB. Monthly payments are made on the 20th of each month.
To receive these child and family benefits, individuals must complete Form RC66, Canada Child Benefits Application. Also, individuals and their spouses or common-law partners are required to file their 2007 Income Tax and Benefit Return even if there is no income to report.
In 2007, more than 9 million individuals benefited from the goods and services tax/harmonized sales tax (GST/HST) credit. The GST/HST credit is a tax-free quarterly payment that helps individuals and families with low and modest incomes offset all or part of the GST or HST that they pay. Quarterly payments are generally issued on the 5th of April, July, October, and January.
By signing up for CRA's online service, My Account, you can track your child and family benefit payments, update your address and telephone numbers, arrange direct deposit, and so much more. For more information on My Account, visit www.cra.gc.ca/myaccount.
Please advise the CRA immediately when life event changes occur regarding your marital status, the number of children in your care, the information concerning your direct deposit and bank account, your home or mailing address, your province of residence, your or your spouse's or common-law partner's residency or immigration status, or your family net income. These changes can affect how we calculate and where we deliver your benefit payment.
For more information on child and family benefits, including the eligibility criteria, visit www.cra.gc.ca/benefits or contact the CCTB and UCCB enquiries line at 1‑800‑387-1193.
For information about the GST/HST credit, contact the CRA at 1‑800‑959-1953.
To get immediate access to information about your child and family benefits, visit www.cra.gc.ca/quickaccess.
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