Child Benefit Calculator Canada
Find out how much child benefit your family can receive the federal Canada Child Benefit plus your provincial or territorial top up, calculated together.
Enter your family income, how many children you have and their ages. Choose your province or territory. You'll get your estimated monthly and annual total, using the current July 2026 to June 2027 amounts.
Free, instant, and no personal information required. We never ask for your SIN, your date of birth, or your name income and ages are all the calculation needs.
Canada Child Benefit Calculator
Line 23600 of your tax return (combined with spouse/partner).
$1,101 / month
Total estimated annual tax-free benefit: $13,210
$14,357
For 2 children
-$1,147
Based on AFNI
$1,101
Tax-free CRA benefit
Calculated using Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) 2025/2026 CCB formula rules. Maximum benefit applies up to $36,502 AFNI and phases out gradually as income increases.
Canada Child Benefit Amounts for 2026 to 2027
For the benefit year running July 2026 to June 2027, the maximum Canada Child Benefit is:
| Child's age | Per year | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| Under 6 | $8,157 | $679.75 |
| 6 to 17 | $6,883 | $573.58 |
Families with adjusted family net income of $38,237 or less receive the full amount for every child. Above that, the benefit is gradually reduced.
These figures took effect with the 20 July 2026 payment, following a 2% inflation indexation. They're calculated from your 2025 tax return.
Child Disability Benefit: an additional $3,480 per year ($290 per month) for each child eligible for the Disability Tax Credit.
Source: Canada Revenue Agency. Next indexation: July 2027.
How This Calculator Works
Enter four things: your adjusted family net income, the number of children under 6, the number aged 6 to 17, and your province or territory.
The calculator applies the CRA's two phase reduction formula to work out your federal CCB, then adds your provincial or territorial top up where one exists and tells you whether that top up arrives in the same deposit or separately.
What it covers
- Canada Child Benefit with the current 2026 to 2027 amounts and thresholds
- Child Disability Benefit for children approved for the Disability Tax Credit
- Provincial and territorial top ups for all 13 jurisdictions
- Shared custody, at 50% of what you'd receive as sole caregiver
- Payment timing, including the three jurisdictions that don't pay with the CCB
What it can't do
We'd rather be clear about the limits than let you over rely on an estimate.
- It uses the income figure you enter. If you enter gross pay instead of net, the result will be too low see the next section.
- It can't verify eligibility. Residency, primary caregiver status and immigration status all affect entitlement, and only the CRA can confirm them.
- It doesn't know about mid year changes to your family a new baby, a separation, a child turning 18 unless you model them yourself.
- The CRA's figure is the one that counts. Use this to plan; use your CRA account to confirm.
What Is the Canada Child Benefit?
The Canada Child Benefit is a tax free monthly payment from the federal government to families raising children under 18. It's administered by the Canada Revenue Agency, and the amount depends on your family income, how many children you have, and their ages.
It replaced the Canada Child Tax Benefit and the Universal Child Care Benefit in 2016. Many parents still call it "child tax", "the child tax benefit", or "baby bonus" if that's what you're looking for, this is it.
Two things make it different from most government payments:
You don't report it as income, and it doesn't affect your tax bill or your eligibility for other income tested benefits.
You apply once at birth registration, through your CRA account, or with form RC66. After that the CRA recalculates automatically each July. But you and your spouse or common law partner must both file a tax return every year, even with no income at all. Missing returns are the most common reason payments stop.
Understanding Adjusted Family Net Income
This is where most people get a wrong answer, so it's worth getting right.
Adjusted family net income is not your gross salary. It's:
Net income is line 23600 of the T1 return after RRSP contributions, union dues, childcare expenses claimed, and other deductions. You'll also find it on your Notice of Assessment.
For most families, AFNI is meaningfully lower than combined gross pay. A household grossing $95,000 with $10,000 of RRSP contributions between them might have an AFNI closer to $80,000 and on a two child family that difference is worth well over a thousand dollars a year in benefit.
Why this matters for planning
Because the CCB is calculated on net income, deductions that lower your net income raise your benefit. An RRSP contribution reduces your AFNI dollar for dollar, which means it delivers a tax refund and a higher CCB. For a family with two children in the first phase out band, that's an extra 13.5 cents of benefit for every dollar contributed, on top of the tax saving.
The same logic applies to the Northern residents deduction if you live in a prescribed northern or intermediate zone it lowers net income, which lowers AFNI, which raises your CCB.
Self employed parents should note the reverse: business income flows straight into net income, so a strong year reduces next July's benefit.
How the Canada Child Benefit Is Calculated
Four steps:
- Add up the maximum for each of your children $8,157 for each child under 6, $6,883 for each child aged 6 to 17.
- If your AFNI is $38,237 or less, stop. You receive the full amount.
- If your AFNI is between $38,237 and $82,847, reduce the total by a percentage of the income above $38,237.
- If your AFNI is above $82,847, reduce it by a fixed amount plus a percentage of the income above $82,847.
The reduction rates
Phase one AFNI between $38,237 and $82,847. Applied to income above $38,237:
| Children | Reduction |
|---|---|
| 1 | 7% |
| 2 | 13.5% |
| 3 | 19% |
| 4 or more | 23% |
Phase two AFNI above $82,847. A fixed amount, plus a percentage of income above $82,847:
| Children | Fixed | Plus |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $3,123 | 3.2% |
| 2 | $6,022 | 5.7% |
| 3 | $8,476 | 8% |
| 4 or more | $10,260 | 9.5% |
A worked example
Two children one aged 3, one aged 9 with an AFNI of $60,000.
- Maximum: $8,157 + $6,883 = $15,040
- Income above the threshold: $60,000 − $38,237 = $21,763
- Reduction at 13.5%: $2,938
- Annual CCB: $12,102 about $1,008.50 per month
At what income does the CCB stop?
It phases out gradually rather than cutting off. For one child under 6 the benefit reaches zero at roughly $240,000 of AFNI; for two children, around $241,000. Most families receive something, and families well into six figures often still receive a few hundred dollars a month.
Why Your July Payment Changed
If your July 2026 deposit didn't match what you expected or went down despite the announced increase there's a specific reason, and it catches thousands of families every year.
Three things change at once every July:
- The maximum amounts go up with inflation. This July it was 2%: $7,997 became $8,157, and $6,748 became $6,883.
- The income thresholds go up too. The full benefit ceiling moved from $37,487 to $38,237, and the second threshold from $81,222 to $82,847.
- The base tax year rolls forward. The CRA switched from your 2024 return to your 2025 return.
The first two changes are pure indexation and help every family equally. The third one is personal, and it's the one that can wipe out the increase.
How a payment can fall in a year the benefit rose
A family with two children whose income went from $55,000 in 2024 to $62,000 in 2025:
| June 2026 payment (2024 income) | $1,031.73/month |
| July 2026 payment (2025 income) | $986.00/month |
| Change | −$45.73/month |
Their payment fell by nearly $46 a month even though the maximum benefit rose by $160 and $135 per child. The $7,000 income increase clawed back more than indexation gave.
This is working as designed, not an error. The CCB is income tested, so a higher income means a lower payment. If your household earned more in 2025 than 2024, expect a smaller benefit this year and if you earned less, expect a larger one.
Other reasons a payment changes mid year: a child turning 6 (the higher rate stops), a child turning 18 (payments stop the month after), a change in marital status, a change in custody, a reassessment of either partner's return, or an overpayment being recovered from future payments.
Provincial and Territorial Child Benefits All 13
The federal CCB is identical everywhere in Canada. The top up is not, and the gap between jurisdictions is large. For two children in 2026, Quebec adds roughly $511 a month while Saskatchewan adds nothing at all.
How the top ups reach you
Seven provinces and all three territories have CRA administered programs that are bundled into your single monthly CCB deposit. No separate application the CRA assesses you automatically from the same tax return.
Three sit outside that deposit:
- Alberta pays the Alberta Child and Family Benefit quarterly August, November, February and May as a separate deposit. The next one is 27 August 2026.
- Quebec pays its Family Allowance through Retraite Québec, not the CRA, on its own schedule.
- Manitoba administers its child benefit provincially, and it requires a separate application.
Saskatchewan has no provincial child benefit. Saskatchewan families receive the federal CCB and nothing on top.
The 13 jurisdictions
| Jurisdiction | Program | Amount | Reduces above | Paid |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alberta (AB) | Alberta Child and Family Benefit | Base $1,529 (1 child) to $3,821 (4+); base + working max $5,882 | $28,116 base; working component from $2,760 employment income | Quarterly, separate |
| British Columbia (BC) | B.C. Family Benefit | Up to $1,750 per year first child, $1,000 second, $800 each add'l | $30,176, then $96,562 | Monthly, with CCB |
| Manitoba (MB) | Manitoba Child Benefit | Up to $420 per year per child ($35/mo) | $15,000 net income | Provincial, separate application |
| New Brunswick (NB) | NB Child Tax Benefit + Working Income Supplement | $20.83/mo per child; supplement up to $20.83/mo per family | $20,000 | Monthly, with CCB |
| Newfoundland and Labrador (NL) | NL Child Benefit + Early Childhood Nutrition Supplement | $155.66 first child, rising for each additional; ECNS $150/mo per child under 5 | $17,397 | Monthly, with CCB |
| Nova Scotia (NS) | Nova Scotia Child Benefit | $127.08/mo per child | Full below $26,000, none above $34,000 | Monthly, with CCB |
| Ontario (ON) | Ontario Child Benefit | Up to $146.66/mo per child ($1,760/yr) | $25,646 AFNI | Monthly, with CCB |
| Prince Edward Island (PE) | PEI Child Benefit | Up to $600 per year per child | $30,000 AFNI | Monthly, with CCB |
| Quebec (QC) | Family Allowance | Never below $1,221/child; single parent supplement up to $1,077/yr; school supplies $127/yr per child | Own structure most generous in Canada | Retraite Québec, separate |
| Saskatchewan (SK) | None | $0 | — | — |
| Northwest Territories (NT) | NWT Child Benefit | Up to $67.91/mo first child under 6; $54.33/mo ages 6 to 17 | Phases out at $80,000 | Monthly, with CCB |
| Nunavut (NU) | Nunavut Child Benefit | $29/mo per child ($348/yr) | $22,065 | Monthly, with CCB |
| Yukon (YT) | Yukon Child Benefit | $78.08/mo per child ($937/yr) | $35,000 | Monthly, with CCB |
One thing worth understanding about the thresholds
Most provincial top ups phase out at far lower incomes than the federal benefit does. Newfoundland's begins reducing in the teens, New Brunswick's around $20,000, Ontario's in the mid twenties. So a family at $60,000 typically receives the federal CCB but little or no provincial top up.
Quebec is the structural exception. Its Family Allowance has a floor it never falls below $1,221 per child regardless of income which is why Quebec families at higher incomes receive substantially more total child benefit than families anywhere else in Canada.
The Child Disability Benefit
If your child is approved for the Disability Tax Credit, you may receive the Child Disability Benefit on top of your CCB: $3,480 per year, or $290 per month, for the 2026 to 2027 benefit year.
You don't apply for the CDB separately. Once the DTC is approved, the CRA calculates it automatically and adds it to your CCB payment.
The CDB has its own phase out, starting at $82,847 of AFNI reduced by 3.2% of income above that for one qualifying child, or 5.7% for two or more.
Example: A family with one child under 6 who qualifies for the DTC, with an AFNI of $70,000: CCB of $5,934 plus the full CDB of $3,480 comes to $9,414 a year, about $784 a month.
The DTC application itself requires certification by a medical practitioner on form T2201, and approval can take several months. It's also worth knowing that DTC approval can be backdated, and the CDB can follow.
Shared Custody
When a child spends roughly equal time with two parents, each parent receives 50% of the amount they would get as the sole caregiver, calculated on their own adjusted family net income.
That last part surprises people. Because each parent's half is based on their own household income, two parents sharing custody equally can receive very different amounts. A parent who has re partnered with a higher earner will receive less than their co parent, for the same child, on the same custody split.
Example: Two children in a 50 50 arrangement, one parent with an AFNI of $50,000: the full custody entitlement would be $13,452 a year, so this parent receives $6,726 a year about $560.50 a month.
Points that come up often:
- The CRA doesn't split payments by custom percentages. It recognises shared custody (roughly 40 to 60% of the time with each parent) or primary custody.
- If one parent has the child more than about 60% of the time, that parent generally receives the full amount.
- Child support payments received or paid don't directly change the CCB, but they can affect net income depending on the type and the agreement date.
- Both parents need to keep the CRA informed of the arrangement.
Payment Dates for 2026 to 2027
The CCB is paid monthly, usually on the 20th or the preceding business day. Confirmed 2026 dates:
| Month | Date |
|---|---|
| July 2026 | Monday 20 July |
| August 2026 | Thursday 20 August |
| September 2026 | Friday 18 September |
| October 2026 | Tuesday 20 October |
| November 2026 | Friday 20 November |
| December 2026 | Friday 11 December |
December is early, as it is every year, so that payments land before the holidays. January to June 2027 dates follow the standard pattern and are confirmed by the CRA closer to the time.
The exceptions to remember:
- Alberta Child and Family Benefit: quarterly, separate deposit. 27 August 2026, then November, February and May.
- Quebec Family Allowance: Retraite Québec's own schedule, separate from the CCB.
- Manitoba Child Benefit: provincially administered on its own schedule.
If you're on direct deposit, funds usually appear on the payment date. Cheques take longer. If a payment is more than five business days late, contact the CRA.
Eligibility, Newcomers, and Applying
Who qualifies
You must live with the child, be primarily responsible for their care, be a Canadian resident for tax purposes, and be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, protected person, an Indigenous person under the Indian Act, or a temporary resident who has lived in Canada for the previous 18 months with a valid permit in the 19th month.
The child must be under 18.
Newcomers to Canada
This causes a lot of anxiety, so plainly: permanent residents and protected persons can apply as soon as they meet the residency requirement. Temporary residents including many work and study permit holders generally need 18 months of continuous residence in Canada plus a valid permit in the 19th month.
You'll usually need to submit form RC66 along with RC66SCH (status in Canada and income information), and provide proof of birth for children born outside Canada. Newcomers must also report their income for the relevant years even if it was earned abroad and not taxed in Canada.
How to apply
- At birth registration: the Automated Benefits Application in most provinces and territories registers you at the same time you register the birth. Simplest route.
- Through your CRA account: "Apply for child benefits."
- By mail: form RC66.
Retroactive claims: you can generally request benefits going back up to 10 years. If you've never applied and have been eligible, it's worth doing the amounts can be substantial.
Filing is not optional
You and your spouse or common law partner must each file a tax return every year to keep receiving the CCB even with zero income. This is the single most common reason payments stop.
If cost is a barrier, the Community Volunteer Income Tax Program offers free tax clinics across Canada for people with modest incomes and simple returns.
A note for Indigenous families: income exempt from tax under section 87 of the Indian Act is still not a reason to skip filing. You must file a return to receive the CCB, even if none of your income is taxable. Many families miss out on years of payments for this reason alone.
What Happens If Your Income Changes
Because the benefit is income tested and calculated on a prior year return, income changes reach your payment with a lag and the clawback is steeper than most people realise.
The marginal rate nobody mentions
A family with two children in the first phase out band loses 13.5 cents of federal CCB for every extra dollar of net income. Add a provincial top up clawback and the reduction in the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit, and the combined effective rate on a raise can be considerably higher than the income tax rate alone.
In practical terms: a $5,000 raise for a two child family at $60,000 AFNI costs $675 in federal CCB before any provincial or other clawback, and before income tax. The raise is still worth taking but it's worth knowing the net figure is smaller than the gross, and by more than your tax bracket suggests.
The timing lag
Your July 2026 to June 2027 payments are based on 2025 income. A job loss in early 2026 won't be reflected until July 2027 unless something else changes your file.
But some changes take effect immediately report them promptly:
- Marital status changes: by the end of the month following the change
- A new child, or a change in custody
- A move, especially between provinces, because your top up changes
- A child's death: the CRA extends CCB for six additional months for a child who died on or after 1 January 2026
Worked Examples
All using July 2026 to June 2027 amounts. Federal CCB only add your provincial or territorial top up.
One child under 6, AFNI $45,000
$640.30 / month
Maximum $8,157, reduced by 7% of $6,763. Total $7,684/year.
Two children (ages 3 and 9), AFNI $60,000
$1,008.50 / month
Maximum $15,040, reduced by 13.5% of $21,763. Total $12,102/year.
Two children, AFNI $100,000
$670.02 / month
Above second threshold: reduced by $6,022 plus 5.7% of $17,153. Total $8,040/year.
Three children (two under 6, one aged 9), AFNI $35,000
$1,933.08 / month
Below threshold, so full maximum. Total $23,197/year.
One child under 6, AFNI $150,000
$240.43 / month
Reduced by $3,123 plus 3.2% of $67,153. Total $2,885/year.
One child under 6 with DTC, AFNI $70,000
$784.47 / month
CCB $5,934 plus full CDB $3,480. Total $9,414/year.
Two children, 50 50 shared custody, one parent AFNI $50,000
$560.50 / month
Half of the $13,452 full custody entitlement. Total $6,726/year.
Local Support: Childcare, Subsidies and Tax Help
Your child benefit is the same in every city in your province the programs are set provincially. What differs locally is everything the benefit has to cover, and the extra help available where you live.
Canada wide Early Learning and Child Care agreements ("$10 a day" programs) are delivered provincially.
Separate from CCB, many municipalities and regions offer income tested childcare fee subsidies.
CVITP clinics operate across cities, towns, and reserves to help modest income families file returns.
Find your area
Serving Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver, Surrey, Winnipeg, Halifax, Toronto, Ottawa, Mississauga, Montreal, Quebec City, Saskatoon, Regina, Yellowknife, Iqaluit, Whitehorse and all communities across Canada.
Living outside a city? Child benefits work identically in towns, villages, hamlets, townships, rural municipalities, counties, and on reserve.
Why Use the CalcVault Child Benefit Calculator
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Sources and Disclaimer
Sources: Federal figures are from the Canada Revenue Agency for the July 2026 to June 2027 benefit year, based on the 2025 tax year. Provincial and territorial figures come from CRA provincial program pages and Retraite Québec.
Method: We apply the CRA's published calculation method: maximum amounts by child age, less the two phase income reduction, plus the Child Disability Benefit where applicable, plus provincial top ups.
Limitations: This is an estimate. The CRA determines your actual entitlement based on filed returns, residency, immigration status, and primary caregiver status.
Privacy: This calculator runs in your browser. We don't collect or store your income, and we never ask for your SIN, name, or date of birth.
Disclaimer: CalcVault is not affiliated with the Canada Revenue Agency, Retraite Québec, or any government of Canada. This page is general information, not financial, tax or legal advice.