Can I appeal a decision about child tax benefits?
After you apply for the Canada child benefit (CCB), the (CRA) sends you a notice within 80 days. This notice tells you:
- if you're eligible to get the CCB
- how much CCB money you'll get
- how they decided on the amount
You might disagree with a decision that the CRA makes when you apply or while you're getting the CCB. For example, you might disagree with a decision about:
- whether you're eligible to get the CCB
- how much CCB money you'll get
- how the CRA decided on the amount
- whether you owe money because the CRA paid you too much
If you disagree with the decision that the CRA makes, sometimes you can fix the problem by talking to the tax centre that handled your income tax return. See Step 1.
If you can't fix the problem by talking to the tax centre, the next step might be to “file an objection”. See Step 2.
When you agree that you owe money
You might agree that you owe the CRA money but have no way to pay it. If this happens, talk to a community legal clinic. There may be something that you can do.
Sometimes this happens because CRA paid you money by mistake. But even if that's the reason, they'll ask you to pay it back.
Getting help
If you disagree with a decision by the CRA, it's a good idea to get legal help.
