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For confidentiality reasons, the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) can only discuss a file with the person who receives the benefits or credits. We can speak with someone else if the benefit recipient sends the CRA written permission naming the person they would like us to deal with. For more information, go to Authorize a representative.

You need to contact the CRA when:

Your marital status changes

You must tell us if your marital status changes to make sure you are receiving the correct benefit and credit payments.

You change your address

You need to tell us your new address if you move. Your benefit and credit payments may stop if you do not. This is the case even if you use direct deposit and your bank account does not change. See how to change your address.

You want to start, change, or end direct deposit

Your benefit and credit payments can be deposited directly into your bank account.

You can start direct deposit or change your banking information at any time. If you are changing bank accounts, don't close your old account until your first payment is deposited in your new account.

It can take up to a month for payments to show up in your new bank account.

If we cannot deposit a payment into your account, we will mail you a cheque.

The number of children in your care changes

Let us know if the number of children in your care changes. This could happen in any of the following situations:

You have a newborn or a child starts to live with you

You should apply for child benefits following the birth of your child or a child starts to live with you. See how to apply.

A child is no longer in your care

You must tell us right away if you are getting benefit or credit payments for a child that is no longer in your care, stops living with you, or dies. This will avoid overpayments and requests to pay back some of your benefits.

Your entitlement to benefit payments stops the month after the child is no longer in your care.

If you are receiving the GST/HST credit for a child who moves out, becomes a spouse or common-law partner or a parent, you must also let us know.

You can let us know in one of the following ways:

You start or end sharing custody of a child

Do you share custody? You must immediately tell us of your new custody arrangement when you start sharing custody of a child. See Child custody arrangements and your benefits

If you already get the benefit or credit for a child, you may use "Modify shared custody" in My Account, send us a letter explaining the shared custody or call 1-800-387-1193.

When a shared custody situation ends, you must let us know.

If the child is no longer in your care:

If the child is now living with you full-time:

A death has occurred

Let us know if any of the following situations apply:

Child benefits:

The benefit recipient has died

If the benefit recipient has died, the next of kin or the estate must tell us as soon as possible. Someone else may be eligible to get the benefits for the child.

If you are the surviving spouse or common-law partner of the former recipient, in most cases you won't have to fill out a new child benefits application. The child will be transferred automatically to your account.

We may still send a payment after the date of death if we are not aware of the death. If this happens, return the payment to your tax centre and let us know the date of death so we can update our records.

You are the benefit recipient and your spouse or common-law partner has died

If you receive benefit payments for a child and your spouse or common-law partner dies, contact us to tell us his or her date of death.  We will recalculate your payments based on your revised family net income.

You are the new primary caregiver

If anyone other than the parent is now primarily responsible for the child (such as a grandparent or guardian), that person will have to apply for benefit payments for the child in one of these ways:

If the deceased recipient was getting payments under provincial or territorial child benefit and credit programs administered by the CRA, there is no need to apply separately. We will use the information from your completed application to determine the new caregiver's eligibility for these programs.

GST/HST credit:

The GST/HST credit recipient has died

An individual is not entitled to receive the GST/HST credit after they die. The CRA may send a payment after the date of death if we are unaware of the situation. If this happens, please return the payment to your tax centre and let us know the date of death so we can update our records.

The deceased was single, separated, divorced, or widowed

If the individual died before the month the CRA issues the credit, we cannot make any more payments in that person's name or to that person's estate.

If the individual died during or after the month that the CRA issues the credit, and the payment has not been cashed, please return it to the CRA so that we can send the payment to the person's estate.

If the individual had been receiving a credit for a child, the child's new caregiver should contact the CRA to request GST/HST credit payments for that child.

The deceased was married or living common law

If the deceased individual's GST/HST credit included an amount for a spouse or common-law partner, that spouse or common-law partner can ask to receive any remaining GST/HST credit payments. If the spouse or common-law partner did not file a return for the previous year, they must do so.

You or your spouse or common-law partner's residency status has changed

If you or your spouse or common-law partner’s residency status has changed, contact us.

If your non-resident spouse or common-law partner immigrates to Canada, they must provide all of the following information in writing immediately:

Your notice shows outdated personal information

Your child benefits notice shows the amount of your annual payment. It also shows the information we used to calculate it. If any of your personal information has changed or is different from what your notice shows, then you need to contact us so we can recalculate your payment amounts.

If you need to update your personal information, you can:

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