Canada Child Benefit
Calculator
Estimate your monthly Canada Child Benefit payments using the exact CRA formula for the July 2025–June 2026 benefit year. Maximum $7,997/year per child under 6, $6,748 for ages 6–17. Tax-free.
Your family details
• Paid on the 20th of each month (tax-free)
• Based on your prior year's net income (2024 for current year)
• Recalculated every July based on new tax returns
• Shared custody = 50% to each parent
• Does not affect OAS, GIS, or other income-tested benefits
Results are estimates for informational purposes only. Always verify with the relevant government authority before making decisions. Terms →
Understanding the Canada Child Benefit
The CCB runs on a July-to-June schedule, not the calendar year. Your July 2025–June 2026 payments are based on your 2024 tax return. Filing taxes on time every year — even with no income — is critical to receiving CCB without interruption.
CCB amounts are indexed to the Consumer Price Index every July. From July 2026, maximum amounts increase to $8,157 (under 6) and $6,883 (6–17). The income threshold also rises to $38,237. Filing your 2025 taxes on time ensures your July 2026 payments are correct.
If your child qualifies for the Disability Tax Credit (DTC), they automatically receive the Child Disability Benefit on top of regular CCB — $3,411/year ($284.25/month) per child in 2025–26. You must have an approved T2201 form on file with CRA.
When parents share custody roughly equally (40–60%), CRA splits CCB 50/50 between both parents. Each parent receives 50% of what they would get with full custody, calculated based on their own income. Higher-income parents get 50% of a smaller amount; lower-income parents get 50% of a larger amount.
How the CCB clawback actually works
The Canada Child Benefit is one of the more generous family benefits in the developed world, but the way it phases out as income rises catches a lot of families off guard at tax time.
It's based on net family income, not your salary
CCB calculations use adjusted family net income (AFNI) — both parents' net income combined, after deductions like RRSP contributions. This is why two families with the same household salary can receive very different CCB amounts: one where both parents max out RRSP contributions will have a lower AFNI and a higher benefit than one that doesn't, even with identical gross pay.
The clawback has two reduction rates
Once family net income exceeds roughly $37,500, the benefit starts reducing at one rate. Past a second, higher threshold (around $81,200), the reduction rate increases further. The exact percentages depend on how many children you have — more children means a slightly more gradual phase-out, since the program is designed to keep larger families from losing support too quickly as income rises.
Why your payment changes every July
CCB amounts are recalculated annually based on your previous year's tax return, with the new benefit year starting in July. This means a raise you received last year won't reduce your CCB payments until the following July — there's a built-in lag. It also means filing your taxes late can delay or interrupt your payments entirely, since CRA needs the prior year's return on file to calculate the new amount.
CCB FAQs
How is CCB calculated?
The CRA calculates CCB based on your adjusted family net income (AFNI), the number of children, and their ages. Families earning under $37,487 receive the full maximum amount. Above that, benefits are reduced using a tiered phase-out formula: 7% of excess income for 1 child, up to 23% for 4+ children. Above $81,222, an additional reduction applies.
Is CCB taxable?
No. Canada Child Benefit payments are completely tax-free and do not need to be reported on your income tax return. Receiving CCB also does not affect other income-tested benefits like OAS, GIS, or the GST/HST credit.
What is adjusted family net income (AFNI)?
AFNI is the amount on line 23600 of your tax return (and your spouse's or common-law partner's, if applicable), minus any Universal Child Care Benefit received and RDSP income. It is the income figure CRA uses to calculate all income-tested benefits.
What happens when my child turns 6?
When your child turns 6, the CCB payment automatically switches from the higher under-6 rate ($666.41/month) to the lower 6–17 rate ($562.33/month). The change takes effect the month after the birthday. When a child turns 18, CCB payments stop.