Federal Individual Tax Credits for 2017

By knowing what tax credits are available to you at the beginning of the year, you can create a more effective tax plan.

Dollar amounts on which individual non-refundable federal tax credits for 2017 are based, and the actual tax credit claimable, are as follows.

Basic Personal Amount

Everyone in Canada can earn taxable income of $11,635 in 2017 before they have to start paying federal tax. As a result, a tax credit is given to each Canadian to offset the taxes owed on this portion of your income.

Credit Amount: $11,635.00
Tax Credit: $1,174.25

Spouse or Common Law Partner Amount

If at any time during the year, you supported your spouse or common law partner, or their net income was less than $11,474, you can claim this amount. 

Credit Amount: $11,635.00
Tax Credit: $1,174.25

Eligible dependent Amount

If, at anytime during 2017 you meet the following criteria, you may be able to claim the amount for an eligible dependent, which is equivalent to the spousal amount).

At any time in the year, you must have met all of the following conditions.

• You did not have a spouse or common law partner or, if you did you were not living with, supporting or being supported by them 
• You supported a dependent during 2016
• You lived with the dependent in a home you maintained (you can't claim the eligible dependent amount for someone who was visiting)

In addition, your dependent must have been:

• your parent by blood, marriage, common-law partnership, or adoption; or
• your grandparent by blood, marriage, common-law partnership, or adoption; or
• your child, grandchild, brother, or sister, by blood, marriage, common-law partnership, or adoption, and be under 18 years of age or had an impairment in physical or mental functions.

Credit Amount: $11,635.00
Tax Credit: $1,174.25

Age Amount

If you are 65 years old or older as of December 31, 2017 and you have a net income, on line 236 of your income tax return, that is less than $83,427 you may claim the Age Amount. 

Credit Amount: $7,225.00 
Tax Credit: $1,083.75
Net Income Threshold For Erosion of Credit: $36,430.00

Infirm Dependent Amount (over 18)

This amount can be claimed on a child, grandchild, parent, grandparent, brother, sister, uncle, aunt, nephew or niece who was born in 1998 or earlier and has a physical or mental impairment. You must also meet a set of eligibility criteria laid out by the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA).  

Credit Amount: $6,883.00
Tax Credit: $1,032.45
Net Income Threshold For Erosion of Credit: $6,902.00

Caregiver Amount (For Parent or Grandparent)

If, in 2017, you maintained a home where you and at least on of your dependents lived, you may be eligible for the caregiver amount, so long as your dependent meets the following criteria:

• they are 18 years old or older
• their net income, on line 236 of their income tax return, is less than $20,895 (this amount increases if they are eligible for the family caregiver amount)
• they are dependent on you due to a physical or mental impairment of functions, or they are a parent or grandparent of your or your spouse/common law partner born in 1951 or before

Credit Amount: $4,732.00
Tax Credit: $709.80
Net Income Threshold For Erosion of Credit: $16,163.00

Disability Amount 

You may be eligible for the disability amount if you are eligible to claim the disability tax credit. 

Credit Amount: $8,113.00
Tax Credit: $1,216.95

Adoption Expense Credit 

If you adopt a child, you can claim up to $15,670 for eligible adoption expenses, incurred to adopt a child under 18 years of age. They must be claimed in the year that the adoption period ended. 

Eligible expenses could include: 

• fees paid to the adoption agency 
• court, legal and administrative expenses
• document translation fees
• reasonable travel and living expenses 
• immigration expenses 

Credit Amount: $15,670.00
Tax Credit: $2,350.50

Medical Expense Tax Credit Threshold Amount 

You can receive a tax credit for eligible medical expenses over and above the following amount. 

Eligible expenses can include: 

• payments to medical practitioners, dentists and nurses
• expenses for training courses related to the care of a dependent
• the cost of purchased or leased equipment to provide relief or assistance for an illness
• premiums paid to private health insurance plans 

The list of eligible expenses is extensive. For the complete list, visit the CRA website. 

Credit Amount: $2,268.00

Maximum Refundable Medical Expense Supplement

This is a refundable tax credit for working individuals who have high medical expenses and a low net income. 

To be eligible, all of the following must apply to you: 

• there is an amount on line 215 or line 332 of Schedule 1
• you were a resident of Canada in 2017
• you will be 18 years or older as of December 31, 2017
• you must have minimum earnings of $3,514

For more information, visit the CRA website.

Credit Amount: $1,203.00

Old Age Security Clawback Income Threshold

If you have a net income greater than $74,788 you will have to pay back all or a portion of your Old Age Security (OAS) Payments. This clawback is also known as the OAS recovery tax. 

Credit Amount: $74,788.00