The Canada Child Benefit (CCB) is a tax-free monthly payment to help parents manage the cost of raising children. Each July, the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) recalculates how much eligible Canadian families will receive in CCB payments, based on your adjusted family net income from the previous year (for the 2026–2027 benefit year, that’s 2025). The CCB is also indexed to inflation, based on Consumer Price Index (CPI) data.
What are the CCB payment dates for 2026?
- January 20, 2026
- February 20, 2026
- March 20, 2026
- April 20, 2026
- May 20, 2026
- June 19, 2026
- July 20, 2026
- August 20, 2026
- September 18, 2026
- October 20, 2026
- November 20, 2026
- December 11, 2026
If you don’t receive a payment on the dates above, wait five business days before you contact the CRA for assistance, according to its website. But do follow up: “A parent who may have been entitled to the CCB but was not registered may still be in luck,” says Jason Heath, Certified Financial Planner at Objective Financial Partners Inc. in Toronto, and MoneySense columnist. “You can request retroactive payment of the benefit going back up to 10 years.”
What is the CCB?
The Canada Child Benefit is a non-taxable monthly payment the CRA sends to eligible families with kids under age 18. It’s intended to help low-income and middle-income families cover child-rearing expenses. The CCB was introduced in 2016, and it has been indexed to inflation since 2018.
CCB payments may include the Child Disability Benefit (CDB), and some provinces and territories offer additional assistance (for example, the Ontario Child Benefit, or OCB).
“The Canada Child Benefit is meant to indirectly help cover the costs of raising a family for parents whose incomes are below the applicable thresholds, The more kids you have, the higher your benefit entitlement, and the higher the income means-testing limit will be for you. Best of all, it is a tax-free benefit, so you do not report the income on your tax return.” —Jason Heath, Certified Financial Planner
How much is the Canada Child Benefit?
For the period of July 2026 to June 2027, the maximum annual benefit per child under age 6 is $8,157 ($679.75 per month), and the maximum annual benefit for children aged 6 to 17 is $6,883 ($573.58 per month).
The total amount you’ll get for CCB payments depends on:
- The number of eligible children in your care
- Your children’s ages (kids under age 6 receive the CCB young child supplement)
- Your adjusted family net income
- Whether your children are eligible for the disability tax credit (DTC) (for the period of July 2026 to June 2027, families could receive up to $3,480 ($290 per month) for each child who is eligible for the DTC)
If your adjusted family net income in 2025 was below $38,237, you will get the maximum amount for each child. Above $38,237, CCB payments gradually decrease with higher adjusted family net incomes. See sample calculations on the CRA website, and use the CRA’s CCB calculator to figure out how much you can receive.
If you share custody of a child, you get 50% of what you would have received if you had full custody. The payment amount is based on your adjusted family net income.
Who can apply for the CCB?
To apply for CCB payments, you must live with and be primarily responsible for the care and upbringing of at least one child under 18. You must also be a resident of Canada for tax purposes. In addition, you or your spouse or common-law partner must be any of the following:
- Canadian citizen
- Permanent resident
- Protected person
- Temporary resident who has lived in Canada for the previous 18 months and has a valid permit in the 19th month other than one that states “does not confer status” or “does not confer temporary resident status”
- Individual who is registered, or entitled to be registered, under the Indian Act
Read more: Eligibility for the CCB
There were changes to the CCB in 2025
There was one major change to the Canada Child Benefit in 2025. Previously, if a family were receiving the Canada Child Benefit and the child died, the CCB recipient (parent or guardian) would stop receiving the benefit the following month.
As of January 2025, CCB payments (as well as the Child Disability Benefit, or CDB) will continue for six months after the child’s death, if the recipient still qualifies. The additional payments are meant to provide financial support and help cover the costs of a funeral.
FAQs
How much is CCB per month?
For each eligible child under 6 years old, you’ll get $8,157 yearly (that’s $679.75 a month). For kids aged 6–17, you’ll get $6,883 yearly (that’s $573.58 a month). You can read more in this section.
Are child tax and CCB the same?
The Canada Child Benefit (CCB) used to be known as the Canada Child Tax Benefit (CCTB). The CCTB was an income-tested basic income program for eligible Canadian families, and was delivered as a tax-free monthly patent to help with the costs of raising children.
What is the maximum salary to get CCB?
If your adjusted family net income (AFNI) is below $38,237 (as of 2025), you will receive the full benefit. The benefit gradually decreases the more you make from there, and is fully phased out when your AFNI is around $204,000.
When should I claim child benefits?
As soon as a child is born or starts living with you. Ideally this would be done using the Automated Benefits Application when you register your child’s birth, but you can also apply online or by mail through the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA).
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