How much you can get
The amount you can expect to receive for the Canada Workers Benefit (CWB) depends on your income and your province or territory of residence.
On this page
- Basic benefit maximum amount
- Disability supplement maximum amount
- How we calculate your CWB refundable tax credit
- Calculating your advanced payments
- How we determine the recipient for married or common-law spouses for advanced payments
- Life changes that affect the advanced payments
- Advanced payment dates
Basic benefit maximum amount
The maximum basic amount for the CWB is:
$1,518 for single individuals:
The amount is gradually reduced if your adjusted net income is more than $24,975. No basic amount is paid if your adjusted net income is more than $35,095.
$2,616 for families:
The amount is gradually reduced if your adjusted family net income is more than $28,494. No basic amount is paid if your adjusted family net income is more than $45,934.
The maximum basic CWB amount will vary for residents of Quebec, Nunavut and Alberta.
Disability supplement maximum amount
The maximum amount for the disability supplement is:
$784 for single individuals:
The CWB disability supplement is gradually reduced if your adjusted net income is more than $35,098. No disability supplement is paid if your adjusted net income is more than $40,325.
$784 for families:
The CWB disability supplement is gradually reduced if your adjusted family net income is more than $45,932. No disability supplement is paid if one spouse is eligible for the disability tax credit and your adjusted family net income is more than $51,159, or if both spouses are eligible for the disability tax credit and your adjusted family net income is more than $56,386.
The maximum amount for the disability supplement will vary for residents of Quebec and Nunavut.
How we calculate your CWB refundable tax credit
The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) uses all of the following information to calculate your CWB:
- Marital status - eligible spouse
- Province or territory of residence
- Earned working income
- Adjusted family net income
- Eligible dependant
- Eligibility for the disability tax credit
Calculating your advanced payments
If you are entitled to receive the CWB, you will get up to 50% of your CWB in advanced payments under what is referred to as the Advanced Canada workers benefit (ACWB). If you are entitled to receive the disability supplement, you will also receive 50% of your disability supplement amount with your basic advanced payments.
You must be a resident of Canada on the first day of the quarter to be eligible for the advanced payments.
You can estimate your advanced payments by using the child and family benefit calculator.
Note: you must enter the information based on your situation as of December 31 provided on your income tax and benefit return.
How we determine the recipient for married or common-law spouses for the advanced payments
Only one spouse will receive the advanced payments for the family.
When neither spouse is entitled to a disability supplement
For couples, the basic advanced payment amount is sent to the spouse with the higher working income. If both spouses have the same working income, the basic advanced payment amount is paid to the first filer.
When one or both spouses is entitled to receive the disability supplement
If you and your spouse are both eligible for the advanced payments and one of you is also eligible for the disability tax credit, the person with the disability will receive the basic advanced payment amount for the family and their disability supplement payment.
If you and your spouse are both eligible for the advanced payments and the disability tax credit, only one of you will receive the basic ACWB amount for the family. However, each of you will receive your own disability supplement.
Life changes that affect the advanced payments
The only life event changes that will affect the advanced payments are death, incarceration, or emigration.
If there is another change to your situation (like a change in marital status, eligible dependant(s) or a move) it will not be reflected in your advanced payments unless you request a reassessment and your CWB amount changes.
Circumstances that change your eligibility for the advanced payments
You are not eligible for any remaining advanced payments for the benefit year if you:
- Are incarcerated for a period of 90 consecutive days or more
- Emigrated from Canada
However, you remain eligible for any payment periods prior to the event.
Deceased individuals are not eligible for advanced payments
An individual deceased prior to July 1 of the benefit year is not eligible to receive advanced payments.
A change in the eligibility which occurs during a quarter will not impact the advanced payment amount for the current quarter.
Advanced payment dates
The advanced payments are issued in 3 payments, on:
- July 12
- October 11
- January 10
When the issuance date falls on a Saturday, a Sunday, or a federal statutory holiday, the payment will be made on the last business day prior to the issuance date.
If you did not get your payment on the expected date, please wait 10 working days before contacting the CRA.
Go to My Account to see your next payment or sign up to receive benefit and credit payment reminders about one week before the payment is issued.
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