The 2026 CCB increase explained
The CCB increase for 2026 took effect July 1, 2026, the start of the 2026-27 benefit year. CRA's annual indexation raised the per-child maximums by roughly 2% across both age bands, plus the income thresholds where the phase-out kicks in moved up. For most Canadian families with kids under 6, the monthly deposit went up by $24-$40 starting with the July 2026 cheque.
The CCB increase for 2026 looks small on a per-month basis but compounds across a multi-kid family over a full year. A 2-kid family at low to middle income picks up about $300-$400 more in tax-free transfers over the 2026-27 benefit year than they would have in 2025-26.
TL;DR: For 2026-27 (July 2026 to June 2027), the CCB maximum rose to $8,157/year per child under 6 (up from $7,997) and $6,883/year per child 6-17 (up from $6,748). The Tier 1 phase-out threshold went from $37,487 to $38,237, and Tier 2 went from $81,222 to $82,847. A 2-kid family at the maximum picks up $295/year more. A 2-kid family at $60,000 AFNI picks up about $396/year more, or $33/month.
Quick answer: how much the CCB went up for 2026
The headline numbers for the 2026-27 benefit year (July 2026 through June 2027):
- Per child under 6: $8,157/year, up from $7,997 in 2025-26. Increase: $160/year = $13.33/month per kid.
- Per child 6-17: $6,883/year, up from $6,748 in 2025-26. Increase: $135/year = $11.25/month per kid.
- Tier 1 phase-out starts at: $38,237 AFNI, up from $37,487. Increase: $750.
- Tier 2 phase-out starts at: $82,847 AFNI, up from $81,222. Increase: $1,625.
For a 2-kid family with both kids under 6, the absolute maximum CCB rose from $15,994 to $16,314, a $320 increase. For a 2-kid family with both kids 6-17, the maximum rose from $13,496 to $13,766, a $270 increase.
The actual increase your family sees depends on where you sit in the phase-out. Families below the Tier 1 threshold of $38,237 collect the full maximum and see the full $295-$320 increase. Families in the middle of Tier 1 see slightly less, because the Tier 1 rate (13.5% for 2 kids) eats most of the threshold-shift gain. Families in Tier 2 see the smallest increase, because the phase-out has already eaten most of the gain.
CRA started paying the new amounts on the July 18, 2026 monthly deposit. Every subsequent monthly deposit through June 2027 uses the 2026-27 rates.
New CCB maximum amounts for 2026-27
The CCB increase for 2026 raised per-child maximums by about 2% in line with CRA's annual indexation formula. The exact numbers:
For a child under 6:
- 2024-25: $7,787/year
- 2025-26: $7,997/year (+$210)
- 2026-27: $8,157/year (+$160)
For a child age 6-17:
- 2024-25: $6,570/year
- 2025-26: $6,748/year (+$178)
- 2026-27: $6,883/year (+$135)
The under-6 max grew slightly faster in dollar terms than the 6-17 max. CCB indexation compounds on the prior year's amount, so the larger starting figure grows in larger absolute terms. The relative percentage increase was about 2% for both age bands.
Family maximums combine these. A family with three kids (two under 6, one 6-17) gets a max of 2 × $8,157 + $6,883 = $23,197 for 2026-27, up from $22,742 in 2025-26.
Phase-out thresholds also indexed up for 2026
The two CCB phase-out thresholds also moved up for 2026-27. This matters because a higher threshold means more of your AFNI falls into the no-clawback range, before the phase-out percentage kicks in.
- Tier 1 threshold: $38,237 in 2026-27, up from $37,487. Increase: $750.
- Tier 2 threshold: $82,847 in 2026-27, up from $81,222. Increase: $1,625.
The Tier 1 rates are unchanged. Your CCB drops by 7% per dollar of AFNI above the threshold for 1 kid, 13.5% for 2 kids, 19% for 3 kids, 23% for 4+ kids.
The Tier 2 rates are also unchanged: 3.2% for 1 kid, 5.7% for 2 kids, 8% for 3 kids, 9.5% for 4+ kids.
What this means for a 2-kid family at $60,000 AFNI: in 2025-26, the family was $22,513 above the Tier 1 threshold, paying a $3,039 phase-out. In 2026-27, the family is $21,763 above the threshold, paying a $2,938 phase-out. The $101 saving on the phase-out, combined with the $320 higher maximum, produces a net $421 annual increase, or about $35/month more in CCB.
The phase-out indexation is the part most casual readers miss. Headlines focus on the per-child maximums going up. The thresholds going up matters just as much for the typical middle-income family. The full clawback formula walks the math step by step.
Why the CCB increase matters for your monthly deposit
CCB is paid out monthly. The 2026-27 amounts translate into monthly deposit numbers:
- Per child under 6: $679.75/month at maximum.
- Per child 6-17: $573.58/month at maximum.
For a 2-kid family with both under 6 at low income (AFNI below $38,237), the monthly deposit is $1,359.50. That's up from $1,332.83/month in 2025-26.
For the same family at $60,000 AFNI (mid-Tier-1), the monthly deposit is about $1,008.50/month in 2026-27, up from $975.50/month in 2025-26.
For the same family at $100,000 AFNI (early Tier 2), the monthly deposit is about $665/month in 2026-27, up from $638/month in 2025-26.
A monthly increase of $30-$35 covers one extra utility bill, or three months of school lunches per year, or six tanks of gas. Small per month, meaningful over a year.
CGEB replaced GST/HST credit alongside the CCB increase
The CCB increase was not the only change for the 2026-27 benefit year. The federal GST/HST credit was replaced by the new CGEB (Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit) effective July 2026.
CGEB pays much more than the old GST credit did:
- Single adult: $679/year, up from $340.
- Couple combined: $890/year, up from $680.
- Per child under 19: $234/year, up from $179.
For a couple with two kids, the quarterly CGEB pays about $1,358/year, vs about $738 under the old GST credit. That's $620 more in quarterly transfers, on top of the $295-$420 CCB increase.
Combined federal benefit increase for a 2-kid Canadian couple from 2025-26 to 2026-27: roughly $900-$1,000/year in additional tax-free transfers, depending on AFNI.
The CGEB phase-out is similar to the old GST credit (5% above approximately $46,500 AFNI). High-income families still see most of it phased out. But families in the low-to-middle-income range got a meaningful raise in 2026 across both programs.
The full breakdown of CGEB is on the dedicated /learn/cgeb-explained page.
A worked example: 2-kid family in 2025-26 vs 2026-27
Ontario family, two kids under 6, $60,000 household income (single earner). No RRSP contributions.
2025-26 benefit year (July 2025 to June 2026):
- CCB max: 2 × $7,997 = $15,994
- Tier 1 phase-out: 0.135 × ($60,000 − $37,487) = $3,039
- Net CCB: $12,955/year
- Ontario Child Benefit: $1,547/year (post phase-out)
- GST/HST credit: $738/year
- Total annual federal + Ontario tax-free transfers: $15,240
2026-27 benefit year (July 2026 to June 2027):
- CCB max: 2 × $8,157 = $16,314
- Tier 1 phase-out: 0.135 × ($60,000 − $38,237) = $2,938
- Net CCB: $13,376/year
- Ontario Child Benefit: $1,679/year (also indexed up)
- CGEB: $1,358/year (replaced GST credit)
- Total annual federal + Ontario tax-free transfers: $16,413
Difference: $1,173/year more in 2026-27, or about $98/month more in combined tax-free transfers. The CCB increase contributed $421 of that. The CGEB increase contributed $620. The OCB increase contributed $132.
For a family at this income, the total federal + provincial increase from 2025-26 to 2026-27 works out to about 8% more in tax-free transfers. That ignores any income changes the family had.
When the 2026 CCB increase lands in your account
CRA started paying the new 2026-27 amounts on the July 18, 2026 monthly CCB deposit. Every subsequent monthly deposit through June 2027 uses the new numbers.
CCB payment dates in 2026-27 follow the standard 20th-of-the-month schedule, adjusted for weekends:
- July 18, 2026 (first new-amount deposit)
- August 20, 2026
- September 18, 2026
- October 20, 2026
- November 20, 2026
- December 11, 2026 (early for Christmas)
- January 20, 2027
- February 19, 2027
- March 19, 2027
- April 20, 2027
- May 20, 2027
- June 18, 2027
The June 2027 deposit is the last one at 2026-27 rates. The next CRA refresh kicks in July 2027 with 2027-28 rates.
If your CCB deposit in July 2026 didn't reflect the increase, check that your 2025 tax return was filed and assessed. CRA bases the 2026-27 benefit year on your 2025 AFNI, so any tax-return delay can hold up the new payment amounts.
Frequently asked questions
How much did CCB go up in 2026?
For 2026-27 (effective July 1, 2026), the per-child maximum rose by $160/year for kids under 6 ($8,157 vs $7,997) and $135/year for kids 6-17 ($6,883 vs $6,748). A 2-kid family at the maximum picks up $295/year. At $60,000 AFNI the same family picks up about $400/year, or $33/month.
What is the new maximum CCB for 2026?
$8,157/year per child under 6 and $6,883/year per child 6-17, for the 2026-27 benefit year (July 2026 to June 2027). A 2-kid family with both under 6 collects up to $16,314/year if AFNI is below the Tier 1 threshold of $38,237. Monthly that's $1,359.50.
When does the 2026 CCB increase take effect?
July 1, 2026, the start of the 2026-27 benefit year. The first monthly CCB deposit at the new amounts was July 18, 2026. Every subsequent deposit through June 18, 2027 uses the 2026-27 rates. The next refresh is July 2027.
Did the CCB income threshold change in 2026?
Yes. The Tier 1 phase-out threshold rose from $37,487 to $38,237 (an extra $750 of AFNI below the phase-out). The Tier 2 threshold rose from $81,222 to $82,847 (an extra $1,625). The phase-out percentages themselves did not change.
How much will my CCB increase in 2026?
Depends on your AFNI and number of kids. A 2-kid low-income family picks up $295/year. At $60,000 AFNI the same family picks up $400/year. By $120,000 AFNI the increase shrinks to about $200/year. The calculator on this site computes the exact number for your family using the 2026-27 numbers.
Verdict on the CCB increase for 2026
The CCB increase for 2026 is a modest annual indexation, in line with CRA's standard formula. About $300-$400 a year more for a typical 2-kid Canadian family, on top of a much larger CGEB increase that took effect at the same time. Combined, the federal benefit raise for 2026-27 is the largest in roughly a decade for low-to-middle-income families.
The CCB increase by itself moves a monthly deposit by $25-$35 for most middle-income two-kid families. Not life-changing, but consistent. The CGEB transition (covered separately on the /learn/cgeb-explained page) is where the bigger story sits for 2026-27.
The calculator on this site already uses the 2026-27 numbers. Run yours to see what your family's monthly deposit looks like under the new rates. The next refresh lands July 2027.