DISABILITY AMOUNT

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Individuals suffering from a severe and prolonged mental or physical impairment can claim a federal disability amount of $8,001 for 2016. If the person with a disability is a child under 18, there’s an additional supplement of $4,667 for 2016, for a total disability amount of $12,668.

 

To qualify, a doctor must certify on Form T2201 that there exists a severe and prolonged impairment that “markedly restricts” the individual’s daily living activities. The impairment must have lasted, or can reasonably be expected to last, for a continuous period of 12 months.

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Those making a new application for this credit will find that the CRA will review the claim to determine eligibility before assessing the tax return. For this reason, if you’re claiming the disability tax credit for the first time, you must paper-file your tax return. Once approved, this credit can continue to be claimed as long as circumstances do not change. There is no requirement to file a new certificate each year unless the CRA asks for one.

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A certificate may be requested for a deceased taxpayer, provided it could reasonably be expected that the serious and prolonged mental or physical impairment would have lasted more than 12 months had the taxpayer not died.