65 years and older? Find out how the CRA can help!

Benefits and credits can put money in your pocket and help you make ends meet. There are many helps available from the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) and Revenu Québec that you may not know about. Read on to see what may be available to you and how to get them when you are eligible. 

How do you get benefits and credits?

You and your spouse or common-law partner need to do your taxes each year to get the benefits and credits you may be eligible for. If you live in Quebec, you also have to do a provincial tax return. You have until April 30 each year to do your taxes and continue getting your benefits.
The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) uses the information from your tax return to calculate your benefit and credit amounts and any related provincial or territorial payments. Other government departments use this information to calculate payments, such as the Old Age Security pension and the Guaranteed Income Supplement.

What could you get?

Goods and services tax / harmonized sales tax (GST/HST) credit – up to $467 per year for an eligible individual and up to $612 per year for an eligible couple.

Age amount – non-refundable tax credit up to $7,898 per year if you are 65 and older.

Pension income splitting – you may be able to split your eligible pension income with your spouse or common-law partner to reduce any income tax you owe.

Disability tax credit (DTC) – eligible individuals with a disability or their supporting family member may claim $8,870 per year as a non-refundable tax credit. Go to canada.ca/disability-tax-credit.

Canada caregiver credit – non-refundable tax credit that may be available to you if you provide support to a spouse, a common-law partner, or certain other individuals with a mental or physical impairment.

Home accessibility tax credit – non-refundable tax credit for eligible renovations to improve the accessibility of your home. A maximum of $20,000 per year in eligible expenses can be claimed.

Medical expenses – deduct eligible medical expenses that you, your spouse, or your common-law partner paid during the year.

Check out the Benefits Finder to see all benefits you may be eligible to receive. Go to canada.ca/benefits-finder.

More information on Tax-related benefits, credits, deductions and support

Click the link below and see the benefits that may be available to you, your family, learn how to apply, and estimate how much you could get.

You may be eligible to get benefits and credits for up to 10 years back.

Go to:  canada.ca/benefits-credits-ad 

If you prefer to call, you can use the numbers below:   

To ask about benefits, call  1-800-387-1193

For other questions or to get forms , call 1-800-959-8281

If you are calling from the 867 area code, call 1-866-426-1527

For Revenu Québec, call  1-800-267-6299

Information provided by:

Canada Revenue Agency

The Outreach Program