The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) is helping you keep more money in your pocket with tax credits, deductions, and benefits for you when you do your taxes. Even if you have little or no income, you should still file your income tax and benefit return to claim tax credits and get benefits and credits.
Here are nine of your top tax-time savings and potential benefits and credits. Remember you need to file on time if you want your credits!
- Eligible tuition fees – You may be able to claim the tuition fees paid to attend certain post-secondary educational institutions for the tax year in question.
- Education amount – As a full-time student (or a part-time student, who has a certified mental or physical impairment or who is eligible for the disability tax credit), you can claim $400 for each month you were enrolled in a qualified education program in a designated educational institution. As a part-time student, you may be able to claim $120 for each month you were enrolled.
- Textbook amount – Claim this amount only if you are entitled to claim the education amount.
- $65 for each month you qualify for the full-time education amount
- $20 for each month you qualify for the part-time education amount
- Interest paid on your student loans – You may be able to claim an amount for the interest paid in 2016 on your student loan for post-secondary education after you complete your education. You can also claim interest paid over the prior five years if you haven’t already claimed it. It must be interest paid on a loan received under the Canada Student Loans Act, the Canada Student Financial Assistance Act, the Canada Apprentice Loans Act, or a similar provincial or territorial law.
- Public transit amount – You can claim the cost of eligible public transit passes or eligible electronic payment cards for travel within Canada on public transit for 2016.
- Eligible moving expenses – If you moved for your post-secondary studies and are a full-time student, you may be able to claim moving expenses. You can deduct these expenses only from the part of your scholarships, fellowships, bursaries, certain prizes, research grants, and artists’ project grants that have to be included in your income. If you moved to work, including for a summer job, or to run a business, you may also be able to claim your moving expenses. However, you can deduct these expenses only from the income you earned at the new work location. To qualify, your new place of residence must be at least 40 kilometres closer to your new school or work location.
- Goods and services tax/harmonized sales tax (GST/HST) credit – If you are turning 19 before April 1, 2018, you may be eligible for the GST/HST credit. The CRA will determine your eligibility when you file your 2016 tax return and will send you a notice if you are eligible for the credit.
- Canada child benefit (CCB) –The CCB is a tax-free monthly payment made to eligible families to help them with the cost of raising children under the age of 18. The CCB might include the child disability benefit and any related provincial and territorial programs. It replaces the Canada child tax benefit, national child benefit supplement and the universal child care benefit.
- Child care expenses – If you pay someone to look after your child while you go to school, you may be able to deduct child care expenses.
You may be able to transfer the unused amount from your eligible tuition fees, education and textbook amount to a parent, grandparent, or to the parent or grandparent of your spouse or common-law partner. For information on this and other topics of interest to students, go to cra.gc.ca/youth or read guide P105 Students and Income Tax.
Want to learn more about the benefits of filing a tax return? Check out our videos designed to help you put cash back in your pockets this tax season: Filing your Tax Return and Filing by Yourself, or our videos series created specifically for students.
Canada Revenue Agency
