Baby Bonus?

[Katyana08]

You're right. It's more like $327 according to the calculator. The cheques have also increased as of July.

<table class="tableWidth" summary="This table display the information entered by the client and the results of the calculation."><tbody><tr><td colspan="2">CCTB online calculation results <hr> </td> </tr> <tr> <td id="credit1">Basic monthly amount</td> <td class="alignRight" headers="credit1">$108.91</td> </tr> <tr> <td id="credit2">National Child Benefit Supplement monthly amount</td> <td class="alignRight" headers="credit2">$168.75</td> </tr> <tr> <td id="credit3">Ontario Child Benefit Monthly Amount</td> <td class="alignRight" headers="credit3">$50.00</td> </tr> <tr> <td id="totalAmt1">Total monthly amount</td> <td class="alignRight" headers="totalAmt1">$327.66</td></tr></tbody></table>

[aussie]

really dumb question here... forgive me, Im not Canadian lol..... is the "Canada Child Tax Benefit", the same as maternity leave?

[Katyana08]

No, I believe that maternity leave is through our Employment Insurance program, in which you have to have worked a certain amount of "insurable hours" in order to qualify for. The Canada Child Tax Benefit is based on your previous years reported income.

[Katyana08]

Sorry, re-did it with the July 2009-July 2010 calc. I believe that's where I first got the $375 number, as I was looking at the money I would get this month. Here's what came up:

<table class="tableWidth" summary="This table display the information entered by the client and the results of the calculation."><tbody><tr><td colspan="2"> CCTB online calculation results <hr> </td> </tr> <tr> <td id="credit1">Basic monthly amount</td> <td class="alignRight" headers="credit1">$111.66</td> </tr> <tr> <td id="credit2">National Child Benefit Supplement monthly amount</td> <td class="alignRight" headers="credit2">$173.00</td> </tr> <tr> <td id="credit3">Ontario Child Benefit Monthly Amount</td> <td class="alignRight" headers="credit3">$91.66</td> </tr> <tr> <td id="totalAmt1">Total monthly amount</td> <td class="alignRight" headers="totalAmt1">$376.32</td></tr></tbody></table>

[Zonny]

really dumb question here... forgive me, Im not Canadian lol..... is the "Canada Child Tax Benefit", the same as maternity leave?

Nope, not the same. We get a year of maternity leave here, which is paid through the employment insurance program. You get 55% of your pay if you had worked enough hours to qualify for it. Some workplaces also top up that amount. Mine did for the first 17 weeks, so I was making almost the same amount I was when I was working. You can share part of your leave with your partner too - my DH stayed home with us for five weeks. That meant I got five weeks less, but was definitely worth it for us!

Child Tax Benefit is based on your income, so not everybody gets that much. My family gets maybe $75 a month from CCTB.

There's another benefit that was put into place a couple of years ago, a child care amount that gives you $100 a month for each child under age six I think it is (but it's taxable). We pay about $700 a month for childcare, but every little bit helps!

Z

[aussie]

Thanks Katyana, and Zonny for your replies!! do you know ( or where I can look online) how long you have to be working at a place to qualify for mat leave? ( or how many hours..) sorry Im a planner here lol. not planning on TTC till next year...

[Zonny]

Try looking here Aussie:

http://www.servicecanada.gc.ca/eng/s...parental.shtml

Planning is a good thing! We did too. But as I'm sure you know, if you wait till you have enough money to have a baby, you never will!

You don't necessarily have to be working at the same place the whole time to qualify for benefits, although that's ideal if you want to have a job to come back to when you're finished of your mat leave. Just get enough hours in over the course of a year I think it is.

I know you're not TTC now, but once you're pregnant, start looking into daycare! I'm serious - we got on a list for a daycare while we were still pregnant, so he would have a spot when he turned one and I went back to work. I think some places the waiting list is even longer.

Good luck!

Z

[aussie]

Thanks again Zonny! we are basically waiting(to TTC) to go on a trip home first...( september 2010) thats not gonna be so affordable with a newborn! ( DH originally said that he thinks I should study first.... and then work a year in that field.... and THEN TTC! I dont think so!!!!!! LOL Im 28 already!! maybe if I was 10 years younger... last time we talked about it, he didnt mention studying... we still have alot more to talk about!
now Im blabbering LOL
I will check that link out!

Thanks again!

[Katyana08]

LoL Aussie. When we found out I was pregnant my DH said, "But we're not 30 yet!"

[froggiestyle]

apparently children over 6 dont need child care:/ that age really irks me, why not till like 10?

[urouj862]

haha yah true, probably because by age 6 kids start full time school, but some kids still need childcare after school, doesnt really make much sense...

[Katyana08]

haha yah true, probably because by age 6 kids start full time school, but some kids still need childcare after school, doesnt really make much sense...

I think that is the "logic" behind it... though I don't see how it's any less illegal to leave your child at home alone after school than it would be during school hours Or maybe we are only allowed to work day shifts?

[Racket]

1. CCTB:Canadian Child Tax Benefit
2. NCBS: National Child Benefit Supplement(if on welfare they take all or portion of this off your cheque)
3. OCB: Ontario Child Benefit
4. UCCB: Universal Child Care Benefit($100 for each child under 6yrs old)
5. Working Benefit: which I know nothing about (don't qualify).

All the above does go by your previous years income tax claim: married/common-law, # of children and ages....and yes, if you and your kids daddy claim seperately the PTB "will" start asking questions eventually.

[kaella_xo]

Hey, I think that your friend might be getting the Canada Child Tax Benefit (CCTD), the National Child Benefit Supplement (NCBS) and the last one could be Universal Child Care Benefit (UCCB) which is for children under 6.
Hopefully this information helps?