The Canada Recovery Caregiving Benefit (CRCB) has recently opened and is accepting applications. Administered via Canada Revenue Agency (CRA), this benefit provides support to Canadians that must stop working so they can provide supervised care for family members.
Who is eligible?
To meet the definition of a provider of supervised care, you must have stopped employment/self-employment to care for a child under 12, whose school or daycare program has closed due to the pandemic. Supervised care also applies to the care given to family members of any age that must isolate due to being sick from COVID-19, or are at high risk of complications should they get the virus.
This is a fairly flexible benefit as it allows for a partial workload reduction. According to CRA, you may apply if “you are unable to work at least 50% of your scheduled work week because you are caring for a family member.”
Another requirement before you apply is proof of earning at least $5,000 in 2019 or 2020, and this income could be any combination of employment, self-employment, or parental benefits.
What is the benefit period?
The benefit period is weekly, meaning if the individual providing the care will be away from work for more than one week, they must reapply. A total of 26 weeks are available between September 27, 2020, and September 25, 2021.
How much does the CRCB provide?
The CRCB is a tax-withheld benefit. This means that while the benefit is actually $500, the individual receives $450 due to taxation.
Can I collect the CRCB and other benefits at the same time?
Individuals do not qualify for the CRCB and may not apply for it if they, during the same eligibility period, applied for or received the following:
- Canada Recovery Benefit (CRB)
- Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit (CRSB)
- Short-term disability benefits
- Workers’ compensation benefits
- Employment Insurance (EI) benefits
- Québec Parental Insurance Plan (QPIP) benefits
How to apply for the CRCB
Applications for the CRCB are accepted online or by phone. You can do a quick self-assessment by visiting https://bit.ly/3m9pLNm to check your eligibility. As with any benefit offered to individuals through CRA, the fastest and easiest way to apply is through My Account. In addition to processing benefit applications, My Account allows you to handle your income taxes, leave messages, see assessments, see direct deposit due dates, and more. It’s a great way to manage all your personal CRA dealings in one location, and since call volumes are high right now, it’s also a faster way to apply for and get the help you need.
How AF Accounting Helps
There have been a variety of COVID-19 benefit programs for individuals and businesses. Some have come to an end, some have renewed, and some new ones have opened. It can be difficult to know which supports you or your business are entitled to, on top of dealing with day-to-day personal or professional finances. We are here to help both individuals and businesses. We will answer questions you have about benefits programs, help with your income taxes, provide virtual CFO services, and show you cloud-based programs that transform bookkeeping for e-commerce businesses. All this and more is available through us at AF Accounting. Contact us today.
