James Daw Toronto Star, January 6, 2007
Parents: Remember those $100-a-month Universal Child Care Benefit cheques that started arriving last July? They are paid for children under 6 if the responsible adult receives or applies for the Canada Child Tax Benefit, the Child Disability Benefit or, if not those, then the new UCCB.
The new benefit is not counted against the parent for determining eligibility for federal, provincial or social benefits or for low-income tax credits, but it is taxable. Fortunately, the benefit is to be declared by the lower-income spouse, who may not earn enough income to owe taxes.
Choose your children’s supervised physical activity carefully in 2007 if you want to claim the new Children’s Fitness tax credit ($500 per able child up to 16, up to $1,000 per disabled child up to 18). Think cardiovascular endurance, plus one or more of muscular strength or endurance, flexibility or balance.
This isn’t new, but Ontario reminds parents who may be eligible to apply for its tax-free Child Care Supplement for Working Families (up to $91.67 a month per child with two parents, $109.17 with one) to file tax returns early if you want to be considered.
