TAX TIP: Disability Tax Credit - You may be missing out
By Alex Atamanenko
In our community, people with disabilities are still uncertain about whether they are eligible for an important tax credit with a significant refund. I remain committed to raising awareness about their legitimate entitlement under the Income Tax Act.
For your information, every eligible person should be aware of his/her rights of the Disability Tax Credit, which can amount to up to $1380 per year, and can be claimed retroactively for up to 10 years.
It doesn’t matter whether your disability is the result of a workplace injury, an accident, declining health, or a chronic condition. Nor do you need to be in a wheelchair to be eligible. You need to meet just one of the 9 conditions listed below.
While the Income Tax Act stipulates that this is a non-refundable tax credit, it is transferable to spouses and other family members if the disabled person’s income is too low.
You may be eligible for the Disability Tax Credit if you meet any of these conditions:
- Walking: You cannot walk normally for 100 meters without angina, pain, or a cane/walker.
- Seeing: You have vision loss exceeding 20%.
- Speaking: You are markedly restricted in communicating.
- Hearing: You cannot hear clearly, even with hearing aids.
- Eating: You require feeding assistance.
- Dressing: You are unable to bathe or fully dress yourself without assistance.
- Eliminating: You have poor bladder or bowel functioning.
- Mental impairments: You have problems perceiving instructions, thinking or remembering.
- Life-sustaining therapies: You need therapies such as dialysis or chemotherapy three times per week.
Note: If a child under 18 years of age is eligible for the DTC, that child is also eligible for the Child Disability Benefit, an amount available under the Canada Child Tax Benefit.
If you are eligible for the DTC and you have working income, you may be eligible for the working income tax benefit disability supplement.
If you are eligible for the DTC, you may be eligible to open a registered disability savings plan (RDSP).
You can find more information at www.cra.gc.ca/disability.
Alex Atamanenko is the MP for BC Southern Interior.
