Benefits glossary
Government benefits, tax, disability and drug-coverage terms explained in plain language.
Definitions are educational. Official program rules still apply.
13 matching terms
Reset filtersTax credits
The income amount the government uses to calculate many income-tested benefits. It starts with family net income and applies specific adjustments from your tax return.
Small changes in AFNI can change CCB, GST/HST credit, and other benefit amounts.
Tax credits
The 12-month period many federal benefits use, often running from July to June, based on prior-year tax information.
Payments starting in July reflect income from the tax year two years earlier in many cases.
Tax credits
Your tax year is the calendar year on your return; many benefits use a July to June benefit year based on an earlier tax year.
Income changes today may not affect CCB until the next benefit year.
Tax credits
A refundable tax credit for low-income workers, with additional amounts for eligible families and people with disabilities.
CWB rewards employment income, amounts change as earnings rise.
Tax credits
A non-refundable tax credit on your return when you are eligible for the Disability Tax Credit.
Unused disability amounts may be transferred to a supporting spouse or parent in some cases.
Tax credits
When a person with DTC approval cannot fully use the disability tax credit, a supporting family member may claim part of it.
Transfers require coordination on tax returns, both people must agree on who claims what.
Tax credits
The combined net income of you and your spouse or common-law partner, used to test eligibility for many family benefits.
A partner's income can reduce or eliminate benefits even if your own income is low.
Tax credits
Many federal and provincial benefits require a tax return even if you had no income or owe no tax.
Not filing can stop CCB, GST/HST credit, and other payments automatically.
Tax credits
A quarterly tax-free payment to help low- and modest-income individuals and families offset sales tax.
You generally must file a tax return to receive it, even with no income to report.
Tax credits
Your total income minus specific deductions on your tax return, before some benefit-related adjustments.
Many benefits use net income or a related adjusted amount, not gross pay alone.
Tax credits
A tax credit that reduces the tax you owe but cannot be paid to you as cash if you have no tax payable.
These credits help people who pay tax but may provide little direct cash to very low-income filers.
Tax credits
A tax credit that can be paid to you even if you owe no tax. If the credit is larger than your tax owing, you receive the difference as a payment.
Refundable credits can provide cash to low-income households that pay little or no income tax.
Tax credits
The calendar year (January 1 to December 31) covered by a specific income tax return.
Benefit amounts often use income from a prior tax year, filing late can delay payments.
Use these MyEligible tools to explore programs after you understand a term.
Definitions explain common government and program language in plain words. They are starting points for understanding, not legal advice or official eligibility decisions. Confirm important details with the official program, CRA, Service Canada, or a qualified professional.
Glossary reviewed September 13, 2026