Canada Child Benefit Rates 2025: Amounts, Clawbacks, and Payment Dates

The Canada Child Benefit (CCB) is a monthly, tax-free payment that helps families with the cost of raising children under 18. For the 2025-2026 benefit year, maximum amounts have been indexed upward, and the program remains one of the most significant income-tested benefits in Canada.

2025-2026 CCB Maximum Annual Amounts

The CCB amounts for the benefit year running July 2025 to June 2026 are based on your 2024 adjusted family net income (AFNI).

Child’s Age	Maximum Annual Amount	Maximum Monthly Amount
Under 6 years	$7,786.92	$648.91
6 to 17 years	$6,570.00	$547.50

These figures apply when family net income is below the first phase-out threshold. The amounts are indexed to inflation using the CPI adjustment, which was approximately 2.7% for this benefit year.

Example — Family with one child age 3 and one child age 9, income below $36,502:

$7,786.92 + $6,570.00 = $14,356.92/year or $1,196.41/month

How the Income Clawback Works

The CCB is income-tested and phases out in two steps as family net income rises.

Phase 1 — First Reduction

Begins when adjusted family net income (AFNI) exceeds $36,502.

The reduction rate depends on the number of children:

Number of Children	Reduction Rate (Phase 1)
1 child	13.5% of AFNI above $36,502
2 children	19% of AFNI above $36,502
3 children	22.5% of AFNI above $36,502
4+ children	25% of AFNI above $36,502

Example — 2 children, AFNI of $60,000:

• Excess income: $60,000 − $36,502 = $23,498
• Reduction: $23,498 × 19% = $4,464.62
• Maximum for 2 children: $7,786.92 + $6,570.00 = $14,356.92
• Adjusted CCB: $14,356.92 − $4,464.62 = $9,892.30/year

Phase 2 — Second Reduction

Begins when AFNI exceeds $79,087.

Number of Children	Reduction Rate (Phase 2)
1 child	5.7% of AFNI above $79,087
2 children	9.5% of AFNI above $79,087
3 children	12% of AFNI above $79,087
4+ children	13.5% of AFNI above $79,087

The second phase-out rate is lower because the first phase-out has already significantly reduced the benefit. Both reductions operate simultaneously and are summed.

When the CCB Reaches Zero

For a family with one child under 6 (maximum $7,786.92), the CCB reaches approximately zero at:

• Phase 1 reduces $7,786.92 at 13.5% → exhausted at ~$36,502 + ($7,786.92 ÷ 0.135) = ~$94,204 AFNI

Families with more children or children in the 6-17 age range retain some CCB at higher incomes due to additional child amounts.

CCB for Shared Custody

When parents share custody (at least 40% of the time with each parent), each parent receives 50% of the CCB that would otherwise be paid to the parent with full custody. Both parents must be registered for the CCB and provide the shared custody arrangement details.

Disability Supplement

The CCB disability supplement provides an additional amount for families with a child who is eligible for the Disability Tax Credit (DTC). For 2025-2026:

$3,173.00 per year per eligible child ($264.42/month)

This supplement is subject to its own income phase-out, starting at the same $36,502 threshold.

Payment Dates (2025-2026)

CCB payments are issued on the 20th of each month (or the nearest business day):

Month	Payment Date
July 2025	July 18, 2025
August 2025	August 20, 2025
September 2025	September 19, 2025
October 2025	October 20, 2025
November 2025	November 20, 2025
December 2025	December 12, 2025
January 2026	January 20, 2026
February 2026	February 20, 2026
March 2026	March 20, 2026
April 2026	April 17, 2026
May 2026	May 20, 2026
June 2026	June 19, 2026

How to Apply for the CCB

You can apply for the CCB through:

1. Automated Benefits Application (ABA): When you register a birth in most provinces, you can consent to have the CRA automatically applied for the CCB
2. CRA My Account: Use the “Apply for Child Benefits” service online
3. RC66 form: Mail or submit a completed Canada Child Benefits Application to the CRA

Both parents (or legal guardians) must be registered. The primary caregiver — typically the parent who primarily cares for the child — receives the payment.

CCB and Family Net Income

The CCB calculation uses family net income, which is the sum of:

• Your net income (line 23600 of T1)
• Your spouse’s or common-law partner’s net income

RRSP contributions, union dues, and child care expenses all reduce net income — and therefore increase CCB payments. This gives families with modest to moderate incomes additional incentive to maximize deductions.

Provincial Supplements

Several provinces offer additional child benefit payments alongside the federal CCB:

Province	Supplement Name
BC	BC Family Benefit
Alberta	Alberta Child and Family Benefit
Ontario	Ontario Child Benefit (part of OSTC)
Quebec	Allocation famille (Retraite Québec)
New Brunswick	NB Child Tax Benefit

These are coordinated with the federal application — applying for the CCB typically registers you for provincial supplements automatically.

Common Questions

Is the CCB taxable? No. The CCB is completely tax-free and does not count as income for any purpose.

What if my income changes? The CCB is recalculated every July based on the previous year’s tax return. A significant income increase one year will reduce the following year’s CCB (July to June). Conversely, if income drops, you will see higher CCB from July of the following year.

What happens when a child turns 18? The CCB stops in the month following the child’s 18th birthday. If your child is also eligible for the DTC, the disability supplement may continue if they qualify for the Adult DTC.

Sources

• CRA — Canada Child Benefit
• CRA — CCB rates and calculations