Medical Expense Tax Deductions for Autism

Ontario families with autistic children can claim the Medical Expense Tax Credit (METC) for therapy costs, the Disability Tax Credit (DTC) for eligible dependants, and the Child Disability Benefit (up to roughly $3,480 annually tax-free as announced for 2026-27; confirm with CRA). Eligible medical expenses include psychology services, speech-language pathology, occupational therapy, ABA therapy supervised by a psychologist, and tutoring certified as necessary by a doctor.

Yes. Therapy services provided by licensed practitioners, including psychology, speech-language pathology, occupational therapy, physiotherapy, and ABA therapy supervised by a psychologist, qualify as medical expenses under the CRA Medical Expense Tax Credit. Keep all receipts showing the practitioner's licence number and your child's name, as the CRA frequently audits medical expense claims.

The Medical Expense Tax Credit (METC) is a non-refundable federal tax credit that lets you claim eligible medical expenses that exceed either approximately $2,635 (2025 threshold; indexed annually, confirm with CRA) or 3% of your net income (whichever is less) in a 12-month period. For autism families, eligible expenses include therapy services, doctor-certified tutoring, specialized camps under specific care conditions, travel expenses when traveling 40km or more for care, and incontinence supplies for children over age 3.