People with FASD and their caregivers are entitled to the Government of Canada’s disability tax credit (DTC).
The DTC is a non-refundable tax credit that helps people with disabilities, or their caregivers, reduce the amount of income tax they might have to pay.
Read on to find out if you are eligible, how to apply and look at some resources to help you further.
Who is eligible
The Government of Canada states that “You may be eligible for the DTC if a medical practitioner certifies that you have a severe and prolonged impairment in 1 of the categories, significant limitations in 2 or more categories, or receive therapy to support a vital function”.
More detail on each of the categories can be found on the Government website.
How to apply
To apply you will need to work with a medical practitioner to fill out an application. You can complete this either online or by filling out a paper form.
You, or your legal representative, will begin with completing Part A of the form. After receiving a reference number, you will need to provide it to your medical practitioner. Once they have completed their part of the form, the digital form is automatically submitted to the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA).
If you prefer to fill out a paper copy of the form, you can download it from the Government website. You will fill out Part A of the form and then give it to your medical practitioner to fill out Part B and then sign the “Certification” section on the final page. Either you or your medical practitioner can then submit it by uploading a scanned copy of the form online or sending it by mail.
You should then hear within 8 weeks the outcome of your application.
Managing your finances
Managing your money can feel overwhelming and stressful for everyone, including people with FASD. We recommend the following resources to make taking control of your finances a little easier:
- The Registered Disability Savings Plan Webinars – Plan Institute
- List of financial and other support resources for each part of Canada – CanFASD
- Frequently Asked Questions about the DTC – CanFASD