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How to Maximize Your 2025 Canada Child Benefit

Everything you need to know to calculate, apply for and make the most of this year's CCB.

How to Maximize Your 2025 Canada Child Benefit

With the cost of living continuing to rise, the Canada Child Benefit (CCB) remains a vital lifeline for many families in 2025. We consulted with experts to get their insight on navigating changes to the process, determining your eligibility and calculating your payment for the year ahead.

What is the Canada Child Benefit?

The Canada Child Benefit is a tax-free monthly payment administered by the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA). This tax-free benefit payment gives families in Canada additional monthly income to help cover the cost of raising children who are under the age of 18 years old.

“The CCB provides financial assistance to families, helping cover expenses related to child-rearing and alleviating child poverty. It is based on the family's net income and the number and ages of children,” explains Qayyum Rajan, CFA and founder of Wealth Awesome. “For the July 2024 to June 2025 benefit year, eligible families can receive up to $7,787 per child under 6 and up to $6,570 per child aged six through 17.”

Families can use their monthly CCB payment on anything that they choose, including saving some or all of it in an RRSP or another chosen savings plan.

How is the Canada Child Benefit calculated?

A woman sitting on a sofa and writing on a piece of paper with a calculator next to her

“The CCB is based on your adjusted net family income [from]. Changes in income, marital status or the number of children in your care can all affect eligibility or benefit amounts," explains Canadian finance expert and founder of FinlyWealth Kevin Shahnazari. "The  CRA website has a helpful CCB Benefit Calculator to estimate your eligibility.”

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It’s also important to note that the benefit year runs from July to June of the following year. For example, the upcoming benefit year covers the period from July 2024 to June 2025.

Why inflation matters for the Canada Child Benefit in 2025

Rajan confirmed that this year’s maximum amount increased by 4.7 percent from the previous year, in order to accommodate for inflation.

 “With recent inflation rates, it's important to be aware that the increase might not fully cover inflation in all categories, particularly essential items like groceries. To address this, families may need to adjust their budgeting strategies,” Shahnazari added.

How to apply for the Canada Child Benefit in 2025

If you’re unsure how to apply for Canada Child Benefit, we’ve got some answers for you.

  1.  First of all, to apply for the CCB you will need to provide proof of your child's birth, which can include any of the following:
    • birth certificate
    • certified copy of birth registration
    • hospital record of birth, or the record of the attending physician, nurse or midwife at the birth
    • baptismal or cradle roll certificate or other church record
    • Indian status card
    • Passport
  2. If you are new to Canada, you will need to ensure that you obtain a Social Insurance Number (SIN).
  3. Fill out Form RC66: Canada Child Benefits Application. You can do this online in the CRA portal.

For the most updated information, the CRA website provides the most comprehensive and accurate information on the CCB, including eligibility criteria, application process details and maximum annual benefit amounts.

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What changes to eligibility criteria should families expect in 2025?

The eligibility requirements for the CCB depend on specific criteria set by the Government of Canada. The general eligibility criteria include:

  • The child is under the age of 18 years old
  • The child primarily resides with you
  • You are the child’s primary caregiver. This includes daily activities such as feeding, clothing, supervising, and more
  • You are a resident of Canada
  • If you have a spouse/common-law partner, they must also meet at least one of these conditions:
    • A Canadian citizen
    • A permanent resident
    • A protected person (refugee status)
    • A temporary resident who has lived in Canada for the past 18 months and holds a valid permit
    • An Indigenous person registered under the Indian Act
A toddler-aged girl handing a coin to a young woman in blue sitting next to her. A piggy bank is visible on the table in front of them

It’s important to note that your Canada Child Benefit may decrease due to a variety of factors, including: 

  • Adjusted family net income: The CCB amount is calculated based on your income. When your net income increases, your CCB amount will reduce based on clawback rates determined by the federal government.
  • The aging of your child: Children under the age of six receive a higher rate than children between the ages of six and 17. Once your child turns six the eligible CCB amount for that child will be reduced, and when your child turns 18 they will become ineligible.
  • Changes in custody: If your custody arrangements change, then your individual allotment for the CCB will too. For example, if you have shared custody, you will have to split the CCB amount per child with the other parent or guardian.
  • Changes in family situation: If your family situation and finances change (either increasing or decreasing), then your eligibility and allotment will also change.
  • Filing taxes late: You and your partner or other parent/guardian must file your taxes on time in order to remain eligible for the CCB. Your tax return is an important document for this process.

How to use the Canada Child Benefit effectively

Families are given the freedom to use their Canada Child Benefit however they choose. Shahnazari suggests the following for ensuring your maximizing your CCB funds:

  • Create a Budget: Make sure to clearly define your essential expenses, such as housing, food and utilities. Allocate a portion of the CCB to cover these.
  • Invest in an RESP: You might consider designating a portion of the CCB towards Registered Education Savings Plans (RESPs) to help with future education costs.
  • Save for a rainy day: Set aside some of your CCB into an emergency savings fund in the event of unexpected bills, such as car repairs or medical expenses.

What resources are available for newcomers to Canada regarding the CCB?

Navigating the CCB process can be challenging even for lifelong Canadian residents and fluent English or French speakers – for newcomers in the country, it can be prohibitively difficult to navigate. Fortunately, there are several support resources available for new immigrants that assist with navigating the process and provide multilingual resources.

Settlement.org, run by the province of Ontario, provides an overview of the CCB program tailored to people who are new to Canada. Their resources—which span several topics related to personal finance in Canada—are available in eleven other languages. There are also community organizations and non-profits, such as the Multilingual Orientation Service Association for Immigrant Communities (MOSAIC), who provide similar resources in addition to hands-on support from counsellors who can walk newcomers through the process.

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In addition to in-person workshops, newcomers can find recorded webinars that walk through the process of applying for the CCB.

How to Calculate Your Canada Child Benefit for 2025

A young couple sitting at a kitchen table with an assortment of papers in front of them

The Child and Family benefits calculator can be found on the Government of Canada’s website and includes a section where you can calculate the anticipated benefit amount for your Canada Child Benefit. It’s important to note that you should answer all required questions as accurately as possible, as any inaccurate statements could lead to an incorrect child benefit estimate.

What Are the payment dates for the Canada Child Benefit in 2025?

The CRA website includes of list of payment dates for 2024 and 2025, as well as relevant and up-to-date information—such as Canada Post strikes that could potentially impact the receipt of cheques.

How community partnerships enhance access to the Canada Child Benefit

There are local, provincial and national community organizations available to support families who have questions about the CCB. These organizations are referred to as 'free legal clinics,' and they are available to offer free advice to families and individuals who do not know how to apply for the benefit or have any questions related to the CCB.

 Community Advocacy & Legal Centre provides families with support on the following:

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  • CCB cut-offs
  • CCB overpayments
  • Information about what happens to your CCB when a child’s custody arrangements change
  • How to apply to the CCB

Steps to Justice provides a section on their website where you can look up local legal clinics in Ontario. CLEO Connect offers a video for newcomers to Canada and the Canada Child Benefit.

Experts

 Qayyum Rajan, CFA and founder of Wealth Awesome

 Kevin Shahnazari, founder of FinlyWealth and a Canadian finance expert

This article was originally published on Jan 15, 2025

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Brianna Bell is a Canadian journalist covering high-control religion, parenting and more. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Globe and Mail, The Guardian. Brianna is currently working on a memoir. 

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