Latest news with #OntarioTrilliumBenefit
Hamilton Spectator
01-05-2025
- Business
- Hamilton Spectator
May 2025 government benefit payments: When to expect your Ontario Trillium Benefit, CPP, Canada Child Benefit, ODSP, carbon rebate and more
Several provincial and federal government benefit payments come out in May. The Ontario Trillium Benefit (OTB), Canada Child Benefit (CCB), Canada Pension Plan (CPP), Old Age Security (OAS), Ontario Disability Support Program (ODSP) and the Veteran Disability Pension come out this month for eligible Canadians. Here's a guide to the payment dates. OTB is the first to be paid out during the month. Payments for that three-in-one benefit is scheduled for May 9. The CCB is set to come out May 20. The payment dates for both CPP and OAS are set for May 28. So if you're entitled to receive either of those benefits, the money should arrive in your bank account then. The Veteran Disability Payment date is May 29 and the ODSP payment date is May 30. The OTB is a combined three-in-one payment of the Ontario energy and property tax credit, the northern Ontario energy credit and the Ontario sales tax credit, based on your tax return from the previous year. You must meet eligibility criteria and be entitled to receive a payment for at least one of the following credits to get the OTB: the Ontario energy and property tax credit , the northern Ontario energy credit , and the Ontario sales tax credit . Follow the links to each individual benefit to access their individual requirements. To be eligible for the OTB, you must have paid property tax or rent for your principal residence in Ontario in the prior tax year, paid living expenses for a nursing home, paid energy costs while living on an Ontario reserve, or have lived in a designed post-secondary school residence in the prior year. You need to apply for the trillium benefits every tax year. Your eligibility is based on your family's net income from the previous tax year, which may change due to differences in your family net income, your place of residence, your age or your family status. To get the three-in-one benefit, you must file your previous year's income tax and benefit return. Each year, you must apply for the Ontario Trillium Benefit by filing your personal income tax and benefit return and completing and enclosing the ON-BEN application form included in your tax return package. You can use the child and family benefits calculator to find out what child and family benefits you may be able to access and how much your payments may be. To be eligible for CPP, you must be at least 60 and have made at least one contribution to the plan. Contributions must have been made from work conducted in Canada, or as a result of credits from a former spouse or former common-law partner. The amount of your CPP retirement pension depends on different factors, such as: For 2025, the maximum monthly amount you could receive if you start your pension at age 65 is $1,364.60. The average monthly amount paid for a new retirement pension (at age 65) in July 2024 was $815. Your situation will determine how much you'll receive up to the maximum. You can get an estimate of your monthly CPP retirement pension payments by signing in to your My Service Canada account . Here's what federal and provincial benefits are paying out to people who are eligible for them during the last week of February. The CCB is a tax-free monthly payment meant to help eligible families with the costs of raising children under 18. Among other things, it's based on the number of children, marital status and income. The CCB is recalculated every July based on a family's adjusted net income for the previous year, with families with an adjusted net income under $36,502 eligible for the maximum amount for each child. Calculate what you will receive by using the government's child and family benefits calculator . The Old Age Security pension is a monthly payment you can get if you are 65 and older. In most cases, Service Canada will be able to automatically enrol you for the OAS pension if sufficient information is available. Service Canada will inform you if you have been automatically enrolled. The Ontario Disability Support Program provides money to help you and your eligible family members with living expenses, including food, rent, health benefits, including prescription drugs and vision care and employment support to help you find and keep a job or advance your career. If you are eligible for ODSP, the amount of money you get will depend on your specific situation. You could receive up to $1,368 a month for basic needs and shelter if you are single. Payments are on the last business day of each month. December payments may be available earlier in the month. A disability benefit through Veterans Affairs Canada is a tax-free, financial payment intended to support your well-being. The amount you receive depends on the degree to which your condition is related to your service (entitlement) and the severity of your condition, including its impact on your quality of life (assessment). Haven't received your payment? Wait 10 working days from the payment date to contact the Canada Revenue Agency . For information about ODSP, visit the province's information page .
CBC
17-03-2025
- Business
- CBC
This free income tax clinic for low-income earners in Thunder Bay, Ont., is seeing more calls than ever
Marie Klassen says her team at the Lakehead Social Planning Council (LSPC) is receiving an unprecedented number of calls from people looking to file their income taxes. The Thunder Bay, Ont., organization has run a volunteer income tax clinic for many years, aimed at helping low-income earners in the district complete their forms for the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA). While the clinic operates year-round, it's busiest between late February and mid-May. "The surge of calls is something we've never experienced before," said Klassen, executive director of the LSPC. "I would say maybe 50 per cent more than last year." The clinic helps prepare nearly 10,000 tax returns in the Thunder Bay district each year. Eligibility is based on a person's annual income and the size of their household; for example, a single person who earns $35,000 or less qualifies, as do two people in a household that earn $45,000 or less. With the rising cost of living, Klassen said the high volume of calls may be related to people's reliance on income tax benefits. "Whether [it's] GST cheques, the Ontario Trillium Benefit, they're certainly waiting for the Canada child benefit cheque — and all of that makes a difference in their lives," she said. "The sooner they're able to get it, the better it is." Information gathered through the tax clinic helps LSPC with its broader anti-poverty advocacy, particularly when it comes to determining the type of support needed for low-income earners in the community. Preventing people from 'falling through the cracks' More than 257,600 people in Ontario were helped by free tax clinics last year through the Community Volunteer Income Tax Program, according to the CRA. There are three main ways people can file their income taxes through the LSPC clinic, according to Klassen: Completing the process over the phone by calling 211 and pressing "three." Attending the clinic's walk-in Wednesdays from 9:30 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. Booking an appointment in advance. Those filing multiple years of taxes are encouraged to book an appointment, as these sessions tend to take longer, she added. People can also have their case workers submit information and paperwork on their behalf. The clinic team is managing the high volume of calls the best it can, said Klassen, but she encourages people to "be patient." "We will get back to you — make sure that you do get a hold of us in some way," Klassen said. "If it's not today, it might be tomorrow." The clinic is seeking more volunteers to help manage the workload, including making callbacks and helping with intake. A key priority for the team is making sure people know what kind of benefits they may qualify for, said Klassen. "A lot of seniors are coming to us that are on fixed incomes and we're paying special attention to that population, mainly because in the past, we've noticed that some seniors are just unaware of some of the benefits that they're entitled to," Klassen said. "We want to make sure that they're not falling through the cracks," she said. The CRA's deadline for most people to file their tax return and pay any amounts owing is April 30, in order to secure this year's benefits.
