If you’re a Canadian parent, mark your calendar: the first Canada Child Benefit payment of 2026 hits bank accounts on Tuesday, January 20.
For thousands of families, this monthly deposit is more than just another transaction—it’s a crucial part of the household budget. But here’s what most parents don’t realize: you might not be getting the full amount you’re entitled to, and a simple mistake could be costing you hundreds of dollars every month.
Let me walk you through everything you need to know about the January payment, including the exact income thresholds that determine your amount and a significant increase coming in July that you’ll want to prepare for.
What Exactly Is the Canada Child Benefit?
The Canada Child Benefit (CCB) is a tax-free monthly payment from the federal government designed to help families with the costs of raising kids under 18.
Here’s what makes it different from other government programs:
It’s completely tax-free. You don’t report it as income, and it won’t affect your tax bracket.
It’s income-tested. The more your family earns, the less you receive. But—and this is important—even families with six-figure incomes can still qualify for partial payments.
It adjusts automatically. Every July, the CRA recalculates your benefit based on your previous year’s income. You don’t need to reapply.
It includes extras. If your child qualifies for the Disability Tax Credit, an additional Child Disability Benefit (up to $284.25/month) gets added to your CCB payment.
Your January 20 Payment: What to Expect
The January deposit falls within the current benefit year (July 2025 to June 2026). For this period, the maximum amounts are:
- $666.41 per month for each child under 6 ($7,997 annually)
- $562.33 per month for each child aged 6-17 ($6,748 annually)
But here’s the critical detail most parents miss: these are maximum amounts. What you actually receive depends on your adjusted family net income (AFNI) from your 2024 tax return.
The Income Thresholds That Determine Your Payment
This is where it gets interesting—and where many families realize they’ve been thinking about the CCB incorrectly.
If your family income is $37,487 or less: You get the full maximum amount. No reductions.
If your income is between $37,488 and $81,222: Your benefit starts getting reduced, and the reduction rate depends on how many kids you have:
- 1 child: 7% of income above $37,487
- 2 children: 13.5% of income above $37,487
- 3 children: 19% of income above $37,487
- 4+ children: 23% of income above $37,487
If your income exceeds $81,222: An additional reduction kicks in. This is structured as a fixed amount plus a percentage of income above that threshold.
Let me give you a real example. Say you’re a family with two kids (ages 4 and 8) and your 2024 family income was $65,000.
Your income is $27,513 above the first threshold ($65,000 – $37,487). With two children, the reduction rate is 13.5%, so you’d see a reduction of roughly $3,714 annually, or about $309.50 per month.
Your maximum combined benefit would be $1,228.74/month ($666.41 + $562.33), minus the $309.50 reduction, giving you approximately $919.24 per month.
That’s still substantial—but it’s far from the maximum, and understanding why helps you plan better.
Why Your Payment Might Change in July
Here’s something that confuses a lot of families: the January payment is based on your 2024 taxes, but when July rolls around, the CRA switches to using your 2025 tax return.
This is why some parents see a noticeable bump or drop in their July payment even though nothing changed with their kids or living situation. It’s all about which tax year the CRA is using.
The benefit year runs from July to June, not January to December. So:
- January through June 2026 payments = based on 2024 income
- July through December 2026 payments = based on 2025 income
If you got a raise in 2025, your July payment might decrease. If you had a rough year and earned less, it might increase.
All the CCB Payment Dates for 2026
The CRA deposits the CCB on the 20th of each month (or the closest business day). Here’s the complete schedule:
- January 20
- February 20
- March 20
- April 20
- May 20
- June 19 (note: not the 20th)
- July 20
- August 20
- September 18 (note: not the 20th)
- October 20
- November 20
- December 11 (note: early for holidays)
Most months it’s the 20th, but watch for those exceptions in June, September, and December.
The July 2026 Increase You Need to Know About
This is important: the CCB gets indexed to inflation every July, and the 2026 increase is already confirmed.
Starting with your July 20, 2026 payment, the maximum amounts jump to:
- $679.75 per month for kids under 6 ($8,157 annually)
- $573.58 per month for kids 6-17 ($6,883 annually)
That’s an increase of about $13-14 per child per month. Not life-changing, but over a year it adds up to roughly $160-170 per child.
The income threshold also increases. In July 2026, the full benefit will be available to families earning up to $38,237 (up from $37,487 now).
Who Actually Qualifies for the CCB?
The CRA has specific eligibility rules, and missing even one can disqualify you. You must:
- Live with a child under 18
- Be primarily responsible for their care and upbringing
- Be a Canadian resident for tax purposes
- Be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, protected person, or qualifying temporary resident
- Not be applying for a foster child already receiving the Children’s Special Allowance
The Tricky Part: Newcomers and Temporary Residents
This is where a lot of families get confused—and where thousands of dollars get left on the table because people assume they don’t qualify when they actually do.
For permanent residents: You’re eligible immediately upon landing in Canada. There’s no waiting period. If you arrived in November 2025 as a PR, you can (and should) apply right away for the CCB. You’ll receive payments retroactive to your arrival.
For temporary residents: This is more complex. To qualify as a temporary resident, you must:
- Have lived in Canada for the previous 18 months, AND
- Hold a valid permit in the 19th month that doesn’t say “does not confer status”
I’ve spoken with immigration consultants who say this 18-month rule catches many families off guard. Work permit holders often assume they qualify right away, then discover they need to wait.
One more critical detail for temporary residents: if your work or study permit expires and you’re on maintained status waiting for renewal, your CCB payments can stop. You need to update the CRA with proof of your continued legal status, or the deposits will pause.
How to Apply (and Which Method Works Best)
There are three main ways to apply for the CCB:
1. Automated registration at birth (easiest for newborns)
When you register your baby’s birth with your province or territory, you can consent to share information with the CRA. They’ll automatically start your CCB application. This is by far the smoothest process for Canadian-born children.
2. CRA My Account (fastest for everyone else)
Log into your CRA My Account and select “Apply for child benefits.” You can upload documents directly through the portal, which speeds up processing significantly compared to mail.
3. Paper form RC66 (when online isn’t an option)
You can download and mail Form RC66 (Canada Child Benefits Application). If you’re a newcomer, you’ll also need Form RC66SCH (Status in Canada and Income Information).
Pro tip from an accountant I spoke with: “Apply as soon as you’re eligible. I see families all the time who wait months to apply because they’re ‘too busy’ or think it’s complicated. They’re literally leaving thousands of dollars on the table. The CRA doesn’t pay retroactively beyond 11 months in most cases.”
Common Mistakes That Cost Families Money
After talking to several tax professionals and reviewing CRA data, here are the top mistakes:
Not filing taxes on time. Even if your income is zero, you MUST file a tax return every year for the CCB to continue. Both spouses or common-law partners need to file.
Not updating marital status. Got married? Separated? The CRA needs to know within a month. Your CCB is calculated on combined family income, so hiding a change can result in overpayments you’ll have to repay later.
Forgetting to update custody arrangements. If custody becomes shared (40-60% time with each parent), both parents can receive 50% of the CCB. But you need to inform the CRA.
Letting temporary permits expire without updating CRA. Temporary residents on work or study permits must keep the CRA informed when permits are renewed. Don’t assume they know.
Not setting up direct deposit. Mailed cheques can get lost or delayed. Direct deposit is faster and more reliable.
What Happens If You Applied Late or Filed Taxes Late?
I get this question constantly: “My taxes were late and my CCB stopped. Did I lose those months forever?”
Good news: the CRA will pay you retroactively for missed months once they process your late tax return. The catch payment will arrive on the next scheduled payment date after your return is assessed.
However, if you’re applying for CCB for a period that started more than 11 months ago, you’ll need additional supporting documents for the entire period you’re requesting. It gets bureaucratic fast, which is why filing on time matters.
How to Check Your Exact Payment Amount
Don’t guess what you’re getting on January 20. Log into your CRA My Account and you can see:
- Your next payment date and exact amount
- The status of each payment for the current benefit year
- Your full CCB statement of account
This is also where you’ll spot if something went wrong—maybe your marital status wasn’t updated, or the CRA is using outdated income information.
The Immigration Question: Does CCB Affect Sponsorship?
This comes up constantly in immigration forums, and there’s a lot of confusion.
The short answer: receiving the Canada Child Benefit should not affect your ability to sponsor family members to Canada.
Here’s why: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) defines “social assistance” for sponsorship purposes as provincial or territorial programs intended to cover basic needs like food, shelter, and utilities.
The CCB is a federal program, not provincial social assistance. Canadian immigration lawyers have clarified that federal benefits generally don’t fall under the IRCC definition because the regulation specifically refers to benefits “provided by a province.”
That said, if you’re in a sponsorship-critical situation, verify with an immigration lawyer how your specific benefits are categorized—especially if you’ve received a T5007 slip or have income reported on line 14500 of your tax return.
A Real Parent’s Perspective
Maria, a mother of three in Mississauga, told me: “I had no idea the CCB was income-tested until my husband got a promotion and our July payment dropped by $200. We were confused at first, but then I logged into My Account and saw our family income had gone up. It’s fair, but I wish someone had explained how it worked from the beginning.”
Her experience is common. The CCB is incredibly valuable, but the way it’s calculated—using last year’s income, recalculating in July, adjusting for age changes—isn’t intuitive.
Your Action Plan for January and Beyond
Here’s what you should do right now:
Before January 20:
- Log into CRA My Account and verify your next payment amount
- Confirm your direct deposit information is current
- Check that your address and marital status are up to date
Before April 30 (tax deadline):
- File your 2025 tax return on time (both you and your spouse/partner)
- This ensures your July 2026 recalculation happens smoothly
- Remember: late filing = stopped payments
Before July 2026:
- Expect the benefit increase to start with your July 20 payment
- If your income changed significantly in 2025, prepare for a possible payment adjustment
- Update the CRA if your child turns 6 or 18 during the benefit year
Bottom Line
The January 20, 2026 CCB payment is more than just another deposit. It’s a checkpoint to make sure you’re receiving what you’re entitled to and that nothing’s fallen through the cracks.
The CCB can be worth over $15,000 a year for a family with two young kids and modest income. That’s not pocket change—that’s rent, groceries, childcare, or RESP contributions.
Don’t leave money on the table. File your taxes on time, keep your information current, and if you’re a newcomer who might qualify, apply as soon as possible.
The system isn’t perfect, but it works—if you understand how to work with it.
