5 Federal Benefits In Canada You Can Still Get Money From In 2023

GST/HST credit

The goods and services tax/harmonized sales tax (GST/HST) credit is a tax-free quarterly payment that goes out to individuals and families with low and modest incomes to offset the GST or HST that they pay.

You are automatically considered for the GST/HST credit when you file your taxes.

For the payment period between July 2023 and June 2024, you could get up to:

• $496 if you're single
• $650 if you're married or have a common-law partner
• $171 for each child under 19 years of age

The last GST/HST credit payment date in 2023 is October 5.

Climate action incentive payment

The climate action incentive payment is a tax-free amount to help individuals and families offset the cost of the federal pollution pricing.

It's available to residents of Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, P.E.I. and New Brunswick.

You're eligible for the credit if you're a resident of Canada for income tax purposes at the beginning of the month that the CRA delivers a payment.

You need to be a resident of a province that is eligible for the climate action incentive on the first day of the payment month.

Also, you must be at least 19 years old the month before the CRA makes a quarterly payment.

If you're eligible for the Canada Child Benefit, a credit for each eligible child will be included in your climate action incentive payment.

In Ontario, there is an annual credit of:

• $488 for an individual
• $244 for a spouse or common-law partner
• $122 per child under 19
• $244 for the first child in a single-parent family

Residents of Manitoba get an annual credit of:

• $528 for an individual
• $264 for a spouse or common-law partner
• $132 per child under 19
• $264 for the first child in a single-parent family

The Saskatchewan program provides an annual credit of:

• $680 for an individual
• $340 for a spouse or common-law partner
• $170 per child under 19
• $340 for the first child in a single-parent family

In Alberta, there is an annual credit of:

• $772 for an individual
• $386 for a spouse or common-law partner
• $193 per child under 19
• $386 for the first child in a single-parent family

If you live in Newfoundland and Labrador, you can get a quarterly credit of:

• $164 for an individual
• $82 for a spouse or common-law partner
• $41 per child under 19
• $82 for the first child in a single-parent family

The Nova Scotia program provides a quarterly credit of:

• $124 for an individual
• $62 for a spouse or common-law partner
• $31 per child under 19
• $62 for the first child in a single-parent family

The P.E.I. program provides a quarterly credit of:

• $120 for an individual
• $60 for a spouse or common-law partner
• $30 per child under 19
• $60 for the first child in a single-parent family

In New Brunswick, there is a quarterly credit of:

• $92 for an individual
• $46 for a spouse or common-law partner
• $23 per child under 19
• $46 for the first child in a single-parent family

The last payment date for the climate action incentive this year is October 13.

That will be a double payment for people in New Brunswick to cover the July to September and October to December periods.

Canada Child Benefit

The Canada Child Benefit (CCB) is a tax-free monthly payment for eligible families to help with the cost of raising children under 18 years of age.

You are eligible for the CCB if:

• you live with a child who is under 18 years of age
• you are primarily responsible for the care and upbringing of the child
• you are a resident of Canada for tax purposes
• you or your spouse or common-law partner is a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, protected person, temporary resident or an individual registered under the Indian Act

The maximum CCB payment amount has been boosted to $7,437 per year ($619.75 a month) for each child under six years old and $6,275 per year ($522.91 a month) for each child 6 to 17 years of age.

Payment dates for the rest of 2023 are:

• August 18
• September 20
• October 20
• November 20
• December 13

Advanced Canada Workers Benefit

The Canada Workers Benefit (CWB) is a refundable tax credit for individuals and families who are working and earning a low income.

Starting in July 2023, the CWB will provide advance payments equal to 50% of the CWB across three payments under the Advanced Canada Workers Benefit.

You are eligible for the basic amount of the CWB if you:

• earn working income and your net income is below the net income level set for your province or territory of residence
• are a resident of Canada throughout the year
• are 19 years of age or older on December 31, or you live with your spouse or common-law partner or your child

The maximum basic amount for the CWB is $1,428 for single individuals and $2,461 for families.

CWB maximums will vary for residents of Quebec, Nunavut and Alberta.

You don't need to apply to receive the advanced payments. Instead, the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) will determine your eligibility when you file your income tax and benefit return.

To receive the advanced payments, the CRA must get your income tax and benefit return before November 1 of the benefit period.

Advanced payments of the CWB in 2023 will go out on July 28 and October 12.

Canada Dental Benefit

The Canada Dental Benefit helps lower dental costs for eligible families earning less than $90,000 annually.

Parents and guardians may be eligible if they pay for dental care for a child under 12 years old who doesn't have access to a private dental insurance plan.

Depending on your adjusted family net income, you could get a tax-free payment of $260, $390 or $650 for each eligible child.

You can apply for a maximum of two payments per child.

Applications are open until June 30, 2024, for dental care that's received between July 1, 2023, and June 30, 2024.

You must meet all of the following for each child that you apply for:

• your child was born on or after July 2, 2011
• your child receives dental care services in Canada between July 1, 2023, and June 30, 2024
• your child doesn't have access to a private dental insurance plan
• your child's dental costs aren't fully covered by another government dental program
• you are the only parent/caregiver receiving the CCB for your child as of July 1, 2023, or you have shared custody of your child and receive half of the CCB
• you filed your 2022 taxes
• your spouse or common-law partner filed their 2022 taxes or you don't have a spouse or common-law partner as of July 1, 2023
• your adjusted family net income was less than $90,000 in 2022
• no one has applied for the additional payment for your child's dental costs for the first benefit period

So, you could receive payments from the federal government before the end of 2023 for dental care your child receives for the rest of the year.