CCB Decoded — Canada Child Benefit in plain English

The Canadian flag flying in Victoria, British Columbia. — The Canadian flag in Victoria, British Columbia. The CCB is a federal benefit, paid the same way in every province and territory. Photo: Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Centre Block on Parliament Hill in Ottawa. — Centre Block on Parliament Hill, Ottawa — the CCB is set by federal law and run by the Canada Revenue Agency. Photo: Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0.

A red maple leaf. The CCB follows the child, not the parent's job: there is no work requirement. Photo: Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.

The Canada Child Benefit (CCB) is a monthly, tax-free payment the federal government pays to eligible families raising children under 18. It is not a tax credit you claim on a return, and it is not tied to having a job: there are no premiums, no hours test, and no work requirement. If you live with the child, are primarily responsible for their care and upbringing, are a resident of Canada for tax purposes, and meet the status rules, the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) can pay you every month until the child turns 18.

The amount is recalculated every July from the previous year's tax return. This site headlines the current benefit year, July 2026 to June 2027, which is based on the 2025 tax return and reflects the July 2026 indexation. Figures from the previous year appear only where a comparison helps — never as headlines.

Key 2026–27 numbers at a glance

Maximum, child under 6: $8,157 a year ($679.75 a month) per child.
Maximum, child 6 to 17: $6,883 a year ($573.58 a month) per child.
Full amount at or below: adjusted family net income (AFNI) of $38,237.
Second threshold: AFNI of $82,847, where a second, slower reduction tier begins.
Child Disability Benefit (CDB) maximum: $3,480 a year ($290 a month) per eligible child.
Payment day: usually the 20th of each month, moved to the last business day before it when the 20th is a weekend or federal holiday.

Only one CCB payment is made per family per month. Where two parents live together, the female parent is usually presumed to be primarily responsible under the legislation, but a signed letter can redirect the payment to the other parent. Applying for the CCB also registers your children for the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit (CGEB) and for any provincial or territorial programs the CRA administers — one application, several programs.

How this site is organized

Start with Who qualifies for the four conditions, then How much you get for the maxima and the full reduction table, and How income affects it for AFNI, the July recalculation, and overpayments. After that: the Child Disability Benefit, shared custody, how to apply, payment dates, life changes, provincial benefits, and CCB vs other benefits.

Three things people get wrong about the CCB

First, it is not a tax refund. You do not claim it on your return. You apply once, then file a return every year so the CRA can keep calculating it. No return, no payment — even if you had no income.

Second, there is no single income cutoff. The phase-out end depends on how many children you have and their ages, because the reduction rates and the starting maxima differ. A one-child family and a four-child family stop receiving the CCB at very different incomes.

Third, the CRA does not publish an "average CCB". It publishes maxima and a formula. Any website quoting an average payment has invented it — this site does not.

Benefit years after June 2027: no July 2027–28 maxima, thresholds, or indexation rate are announced at the time of writing, and none are projected on this site. The CCB is recalculated each July; the figures here are for July 2026 to June 2027 only.

Sources

Headline figures on this site come from CRA publication T4114(E) Rev. 26, "Canada child benefit", for the period July 2026 to June 2027: canada.ca — T4114. Payment dates follow the CRA's 20th/last-business-day rule; July to December 2026 dates are the published CRA calendar dates, and January to June 2027 dates follow the same rule — confirm your own dates in CRA My Account.

General information only. This page explains the Canada Child Benefit in plain English. It is not legal, financial, or tax advice, and it cannot decide whether you qualify. Only the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) can decide a claim. Figures change every July — always confirm the current figure with the CRA before you act on it. Contact: hello [at] tapetoolhq.com.