Maximum annual CDB (2026-2027)
CDB clawback income threshold
Maximum retroactive DTC/CDB claim
Maximum Canada Disability Savings Grant
Figures above: Canada Revenue Agency — Canada Child Benefit · Canada Revenue Agency — CCB calculation · Canada Revenue Agency — T2201 Disability Tax Credit Certificate · Government of Canada — RDSP
Guide values reviewed . Program amounts and eligibility can change; confirm them with the administering agency.
CRA child disability benefit amounts2026–27 maximum and income threshold checked July 10, 2026.
If your child was diagnosed with autism years ago but you never applied for the DTC, you can file retroactively. The CRA allows DTC applications to be backdated up to 10 years. If approved, the CDB is recalculated for all eligible years.
Retroactive CDB payments can be substantial. A family that missed 5 years of maximum CDB could receive over $16,000 in a lump sum. The payment is tax-free and does not affect other benefits.
To claim retroactively, submit Form T2201 with the DTC application. Indicate the year the disability began. The CRA will reassess your past tax returns and issue any owed CDB payments.
CDB payments decrease as family net income rises above the threshold. For the 2026-2027 benefit year, the clawback begins at $82,847 in adjusted family net income. Each dollar above the threshold reduces the CDB.
Income splitting strategies can help keep family net income below the clawback threshold. Spousal RRSP contributions, pension income splitting, and business income allocation are common approaches. Consult a tax professional for your specific situation.
RRSP contributions reduce net income dollar-for-dollar. A family with income just above the clawback threshold can contribute to RRSPs to reduce net income and preserve CDB payments. The tax savings compound with the benefit preservation.
The Registered Disability Savings Plan (RDSP) is a separate program but works alongside the CDB. Children approved for the DTC are eligible for the RDSP. The federal government matches RDSP contributions through the Canada Disability Savings Grant.
CDB payments can be deposited directly into an RDSP. This creates a powerful savings loop: tax-free CDB funds grow tax-sheltered in the RDSP. The government matches contributions up to $3,500 per year through the Grant.
Even families with zero income receive the Canada Disability Savings Bond of up to $1,000 per year in the RDSP. No personal contributions are required for the Bond. This makes the RDSP valuable for all income levels.
Canada Revenue Agency
Canada Child Benefit and CDB calculation tables (canada.ca/child-benefit)
Government of Canada
Registered Disability Savings Plan — Grants and Bonds (canada.ca/rdsp)
Written by Spencer Carroll
Founder & Autism Advocate
Evidence on this page
Key claims are paired with their source, evidence tier, and verification date so readers can inspect the public record directly.
$200/month
The Canada Disability Benefit provides up to for eligible Canadians with disabilities
89,799
children are registered in the Ontario Autism Program
1 in 50
According to the 2019 Canadian Health Survey on Children and Youth, about children and youth aged 1 to 17 in Canada had an autism diagnosis
23%
Only 20,633 children have active funding agreements — less than one in four
WHO recommends accessible, community-based early interventions for children with autism — timely evidence-based psychosocial interventions improve communication and social engagement