The B.C. family benefitprovides a tax-free monthly payment to families with children under the age of 18.
Budget 2024 providesa B.C. family benefit bonus payment to eligible families with theB.C. family benefitpayment, beginning July 2024through June 2025. Learn more.
On this page
- About the benefit
- How to applyfor the benefit
- Maximumannual benefit amount
- Supplement for single parents
- Calculate your benefit amount
- Legislation
About the benefit
The B.C. family benefitis administered by the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) for the Province.
Each month, eligible familieswith children under the age of 18receive the benefit paymentas a combined payment with theCanada child benefit.
How to applyfor the benefit
To receive the B.C. family benefit, you (and your spouse or common-law partner) must file a T1 Income Tax and Benefit Return.
If your child is registered for the Canada child benefit, they'reautomatically registered for the B.C. family benefit.No action is required.
If your child is not registered for the Canada child benefit, youneed toapply for the Canada child benefit.
The CRA uses the information from your Canada child benefit registration to determine your eligibility for the B.C. family benefit.
If you’re eligible, the amount of the paymentis calculated automatically by the CRA based on information from the personal tax returns you (and your spouse or common-law partner) have filed.
If you move to B.C., your eligibility for the B.C. family benefit will be determined once you update your information with CRA. If you move outside B.C., make sure you advise the CRA as soon as possible to avoid any potential benefit overpayment that you will be required to repay.
Maximum annual benefit amount
For the July 2024to June 2025benefit period
Eligible families will receive a B.C. family benefit bonus with their monthly B.C. family benefit payment. The B.C. family benefit bonus continues through June 2025.
The B.C. family benefit bonus will be included in the monthly B.C. family benefit payment.
The maximum annual benefit, including theB.C. family benefit bonus payment, you may receive is:
- $2,188 for your first child
- $1,375 for your second child
- $1,125 for each additional child
If your adjusted family net income for the 2023 tax year is less than $35,902, you'll receive the maximum annual benefit.
If your adjusted family net income for the 2023 tax year is between $35,902 and$114,887, you'll receive a reduced amount of at least:
- $969 for your first child
- $937 for your second child
- $906 for each additional child
If your adjusted family net income for the 2023 tax year is more than $114,887, you'll receive a reduced amount up to:
- $969 for your first child
- $937 for your second child
- $906 for each additional child
These amounts are reduced by 4 percent of the portion of adjusted family net income over $114,887 until they are reduced to zero.
The B.C. family benefit payment amounts will return to the usual levels for July 2025.
Supplement for single parents
Low-income single parent families will receive an annual supplement of up to $500 per family, if at the beginning of the month:
- You’re receiving a B.C. family benefit payment for that month
- You’renotthe cohabitating spouse or common-law partner of another person
If your adjusted family netincome is more than $35,902, your supplement will be reduced as part of the overall calculation of your B.C. family benefit.
Calculate your benefit amount
Your B.C. family benefit is based on your family composition and your adjusted family net income.
Your annual B.C. family benefit is the total maximum amount allowed for each child in your family reduced by 4 percent of the amount that your adjusted family net income exceeds the threshold.
| Base year (tax return) | Benefit period | Maximum benefit received if income less than | Reduced benefit with guaranteed minimum amount if income between | Reduced benefit (no guaranteed minimum amount) if income more than |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | July 2024 to June 2025 | $35,902 | $35,902 and $114,887 | $114,887 |
Your monthly benefit amount is the annual B.C. family benefit amount divided by 12.
To find outyour estimated monthly benefit amount, use the federal child and family benefits calculator.
Families with shared custody
If you share custody of a child with another person, you'll receive half the amount you'd receive for thechild if you had full custody of that child.
Previous threshold amounts
The adjusted family net income threshold amounts are indexed to inflation each year.
| Base year (tax return) | Benefit period | Maximum benefit received if income less than | Reduced benefit with guaranteed minimum amount if income between | Reduced benefit (no guaranteed minimum amount) if income more than |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | July 2023 to June 2024 | $27,354 | $27,354 and $87,533 | $87,533 |
| 2021 | July 2022 to June 2023 | $25,806 | $26,806 and $82,578 | $82,578 |
| 2020 | July 2021 to June 2022 | $25,275 | $25,275 and $80,880 | $80,880 |
Previous benefit amounts
July 2023 to June 2024 benefit period
For the July 2023to June 2024benefit period, the maximum annual benefit amounts are:
- $1,750 for your first child
- $1,100 for your second child
- $900 foreachadditional child
If your adjusted family net income for the 2022 tax year is less than $27,354, you'llreceive the maximum annual benefit.
If your adjusted family net income for the 2022 tax year is between $27,354 and$87,533, you'llreceivea reduced amount of at least:
- $775 for your first child
- $750 for your second child
- $725 foreachadditional child
If your adjusted family net income for the 2022 tax yearis more than $87,533, you'll receive a reduced amount up to:
- $775 for your first child
- $750 for your second child
- $725 foreachadditional child
These amounts are reduced by 4 percent of the portion ofadjusted family netincome over $87,533 until they are reduced to zero.
The B.C. government provideda temporary benefit enhancement of up to $175 per child for the period January 2023 to March 2023 (up to $58.33 per month).
For eligible families with an adjusted family net income between $25,806 and $82,578, the minimum enhancement is $150 per child ($50 per month).
- The enhancement was combined with your regular monthly benefit amountsinto one monthly paymentfor January 2023, February 2023 and March 2023
- You may receive the January 2023, February 2023 and March 2023 benefit payments even if you donot receive the B.C. family benefit for other months because of your family net income
Recalculating your benefit amount with the enhanced amounts
The maximum monthly benefit amount B.C. families may receive for January 2023, February 2023 and March 2023, including the temporary benefit enhancement is:
- $191.66 per month for your first child
- $141.67 per month for your second child
- $125per month for each additional child
Net income: $25,806 or less
If youradjusted family net income for the 2021 taxation yearis $25,806 or less, you’ll receive the maximum enhanced benefit amount.
Net income: $25,806 to $82,578
If youradjusted family net income for the 2021 taxation yearis more than $25,806 but less than $82,578, the monthly enhanced benefit for January to March 2023 is reduced by 0.33% (1/300th) of the portion of adjusted family netincome over $25,806. However, you’ll receive a minimum of:
- $108.33 per month for your first child
- $106.67 per month for your second child
- $105per month for each additional child
Net income: $82,578 orhigher
If your adjusted family net income for the 2021 taxation year is $82,578 or more, the maximum benefit you can receive is:
- $108.33 per month for your first child
- $106.67 per month for your second child
- $105per month for each additional child
Those amounts are reduced by 0.33% (1/300th) of the portion of adjusted family net income over $82,578 until it'sreduced to zero.
Note: Thefederal child and family benefits calculator has not been updated to reflect the three-month enhancement of the benefits.
Legislation
The following legislation applies to the B.C. family benefit.
- Income Tax Act(B.C.) Section 13.092
- Bill 3 – Budget Measures Implementation Act, 2024
