The Canada Disability Benefit is a new federal income-tested benefit that provides annual financial support to eligible working-age individuals with severe and prolonged disabilities. The benefit provides monthly payments based on your income tax information from the previous year. Once approved, you do not need to reapply annually—Service Canada will review your eligibility each year automatically.

Benefit Amount

• Maximum Payment: $200 per month or $2,400 per year
• Payment Schedule: Payments are issued on the third Thursday of each month

Eligibility Requirements

To qualify for the Canada Disability Benefit, you must meet all of the following criteria:

• Be approved for the Disability Tax Credit (DTC)
• Be aged 18–64 years
• Have filed a 2024 federal tax return (you and your spouse/common-law partner, if applicable)
• Be a Canadian resident for tax purposes
• Have one of these statuses: Canadian citizen, permanent resident, registered under the Indian Act, or temporary resident in Canada for 18+ months
• Not be incarcerated in federal prison for 2+ years

Retroactive Payments

The Canada Disability Benefit can provide retroactive payments for up to 24 months from when your application is received and approved, but payments cannot extend to any period before June 2025.

The Disability Tax Credit is a non-refundable tax credit that helps people with disabilities, or their supporting family member, reduce the amount of income tax they may have to pay. If your application is approved, you may claim the disability amount on your tax return. The DTC is non-refundable, meaning it can help you pay less taxes, but you will not get any money back.

Benefit Amount

• Base Amount: $10,138 for 2025
• Supplement for Children: An additional $5,914 for individuals under 18 years of age
• Provincial Credit: An additional provincial tax credit is also available (varies by province, typically 5–10% of the disability amount)
• Retroactive Claims: The credits can be claimed retroactively, going back up to 10 years

Eligibility Requirements

You may be eligible for the DTC if a medical practitioner certifies that you have a severe and prolonged impairment in one of the categories, significant limitations in two or more categories, or receive therapy to support a vital function. Your impairment must meet the following criteria:

• You are unable to do the activity, or it takes 3 times longer than someone of similar age without the impairment, even with the use of appropriate therapy, medication, and devices
• This restriction is present all or almost all of the time (generally at least 90%)
• The restriction has lasted or is expected to last for a continuous period of at least 12 months

Income Requirements

All income levels should apply for the DTC. The DTC is available to individuals with any level of income, including patients receiving disability assistance, patients who work full time, and those with no income.

Why apply even with no income: Being approved for the DTC can help you get access to other federal, provincial, or territorial programs. The DTC is a prerequisite for several important benefits and programs, making it essential to apply regardless of your income level.

When to Apply

Apply any time using the digital application form or paper form. Apply for the DTC if you think you may be eligible, even if you have no income to report. If the CRA approves your application, the DTC may help you access other federal programs.

Programs the DTC Provides Access To

Being approved for the DTC unlocks eligibility for many other federal, provincial, and territorial benefits:

• Canada Disability Benefit (CDB) — Monthly payment of up to $200 for low-income individuals with disabilities
• Registered Disability Savings Plan (RDSP) — Long-term savings plan with government grants and bonds
• Child Disability Benefit — Monthly tax-free payment up to $284.25 per child for families caring for a child under 18 who is eligible for the DTC
• Canada Workers Benefit (CWB) Disability Supplement — Additional amount up to $843 for persons with disabilities approved for the DTC
• Home Accessibility Tax Credit — Non-refundable tax credit for eligible home renovations
• Canada Caregiver Credit — Non-refundable tax credit for individuals supporting a family member with a disability
• Canadian Dental Care Plan — Access to dental coverage
• Medical Expense Tax Deduction — Enhanced ability to claim medical expenses
• Home Buyers' Amount — Tax credit available without being a first-time home buyer if DTC-eligible

The Guaranteed Access Program (GAP) is a Final Expense life insurance product designed to provide a one-time, tax-free payout (minimum $10,000) to a person's loved ones at the time of their passing. This program is offered through Canadian insurers and guarantees coverage for people with disabilities and long term medical conditions who might otherwise have difficulty obtaining traditional life insurance, helping to ensure funeral and final expenses don't become a financial burden on their families during an already difficult time.

Key Features

• Guaranteed Approval: No medical underwriting required; approval is guaranteed for applicants under age 80 who meet eligibility criteria
• Designed Affordability: Financially accessible to all income levels, with costs typically ranging from only $1.00 to $1.50 per day
• Guaranteed Benefit Amount: The payout to your beneficiary is guaranteed to never decrease
• Level Premiums: Monthly costs are guaranteed to never increase
• Maturity Benefit: If you outlive the policy term, the benefit amount is paid directly to you to use as you wish
• Guaranteed Payout: Funds are guaranteed to be paid out—either to your beneficiary upon death or directly to you if you outlive the term

Benefit Amounts

• Minimum Coverage: Minimum $10,000 lump sum payment to the person of your choosing (amounts are typically higher)
• Coverage Determination: Requires a person to complete an online questionnaire
• Payment Type: One-time, tax-free lump sum payment to your designated beneficiary upon death

Medical Exclusions

There are no medical exclusions.

The Canadian Dental Care Plan is helping make the cost of dental care more affordable for eligible Canadian residents. The CDCP is managed by Health Canada and administered by Sun Life. This federal program provides coverage for dental services for Canadians who do not have access to private dental insurance.

Important: The CDCP does not provide free dental care. It covers a part of the cost of your care. You may have to pay the portion of costs that are not covered.

Coverage Amount

Income-Based Co-Payments:

• Income under $70,000: 100% coverage (no co-payment)
• Income $70,000–$79,999: 60% coverage (40% co-payment)
• Income $80,000–$89,999: 40% coverage (60% co-payment)

Note: Additional costs may apply if your dental services exceed CDCP reimbursement rates or include non-covered services.

Services Covered

The CDCP will help pay a portion of the cost for a wide range of oral health care services:

• Preventive: Exams, cleanings, polishing, fluoride treatments, X-rays
• Basic: Fillings, simple extractions
• Major: Root canals, crowns, oral surgeries
• Periodontal: Deep cleanings, scaling and root planing
• Prosthodontic: Complete and partial dentures, denture repairs

Note: Some services require preauthorization before treatment.

Eligibility Requirements

You must meet all of the following criteria:

• No Private Dental Insurance: No coverage through employer, family member's employer, pension benefits, or private plans
• Income: Adjusted family net income less than $90,000
• Tax Filing: You and your spouse/common-law partner (if applicable) must have filed Canadian tax returns for the previous year
• Residency: Canadian resident for tax purposes

Exception: If you have dental coverage through a provincial, territorial, or federal government social program, you can still qualify. Coverage will be coordinated between the plans.

When to Apply

All eligible Canadians can now apply for the Canadian Dental Care Plan. Apply before you need dental care, as coverage only begins on your official start date. You will need to renew your coverage every year to confirm you still meet the eligibility requirements.

Canada Pension Plan disability benefits are designed to provide partial income replacement to eligible Canada Pension Plan contributors who are under the age of 65 and have a severe and prolonged disability. This is a taxable monthly payment for individuals who have contributed to the CPP during their working years and can no longer work due to their disability.

Important: Benefits start 4 months after you are deemed disabled. You may receive up to a maximum of 12 months of retroactive payments from the date Service Canada received your application.

Benefit Amount

Disability Pension (2026):

• Maximum: $1,741.20 per month
• Average: $1,191.72 per month

Children's Benefit: Children of CPP disability beneficiaries are also eligible for a monthly benefit up to age 18, or up to age 25 if they are attending school part-time or full-time.

Benefit Ends: At age 65, your CPP disability benefit automatically converts to a CPP retirement pension.

Eligibility Requirements

You must meet all of the following criteria:

• Age: Between 18 and 64 years old
• CPP Contributions: You contributed enough years to the CPP before you first became severely disabled and have been continuously disabled since that time
• Severe Disability: Your condition prevents you from working at any job regularly (not just your previous job). A substantially gainful occupation is a job that pays wages equal to or greater than the maximum annual amount a person could receive as a disability pension. In 2026, this amount is $20,971.45 (before tax)
• Prolonged Disability: Your disability is long-term and of indefinite duration, or is likely to result in death
• Work Earnings: If you earn less than $7,400 (before tax), this should not affect your disability benefits. If you earn between $7,400 and $20,971.45 (before tax), this may demonstrate that you are regularly capable of working and it may affect your disability benefits

When to Apply

Apply as soon as you develop a severe and prolonged disability that prevents you from working regularly at any job. You may still qualify for CPP disability benefits even if you stopped working a while ago or didn't apply right away.

Processing Time: It can take up to 120 days (4 months) for Service Canada to make a decision on your application.

Note: If you live in Quebec, apply to the Quebec Pension Plan (QPP) instead.

The Registered Disability Savings Plan is a long-term savings plan to help people with disabilities who are approved for the Disability Tax Credit save for the future. When you open a plan, you may also get grants and bonds from the Government of Canada to help with your long-term savings. Investment income and capital gains grow tax-deferred within the plan.

Benefit Amount

Canada Disability Savings Grant (CDSG):

• Matching Ratio: The government will pay a matching grant of up to 300%, depending on the beneficiary's adjusted family net income and the amount contributed
• Maximum Annual Grant: Up to $10,500 per year
• Lifetime Maximum: $70,000
• Availability: Until December 31 of the year you turn 49

Canada Disability Savings Bond (CDSB):

• No Contributions Required: You do not need to make any contributions to your plan to receive the bond (if eligible)
• Annual Maximum: Up to $1,000 per year
• Retroactive Maximum: Up to $10,000
• Lifetime Maximum: $20,000
• Availability: Until December 31 of the year you turn 49

Personal Contributions:

• No annual limit
• Lifetime contribution limit: $200,000
• Contributions can be made until December 31 of the year you turn 59 (bond and grant are not paid past age 49)

Eligibility Requirements

To open an RDSP, you must meet all of the following criteria:

• Disability Tax Credit: Must be approved for the DTC
• Residency: Must be a Canadian resident when the plan is set up and when each contribution is made
• Age: Must be under age 60 when the plan is opened (bond and grant are not paid past the age of 49)
• Social Insurance Number: Must have a valid SIN

When to Apply

Open an RDSP as early as possible to maximize grants and bonds. A beneficiary's RDSP can receive a grant on contributions made until December 31 of the year in which the beneficiary turns 49. The plan can be opened until December 31 of the year you turn 59.

Important: To qualify for the bond or to earn a grant, the beneficiary must file income tax and benefit returns for the past two years and all future taxation years when they have an RDSP.