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That said, in order to receive the GST/HST credit, you do have to meet the qualifications first. One of these is to file your federal tax return. This allows the federal government to assess your annual income and decide if you qualify or not. If you do qualify, you’ll receive payments either directly deposited into your bank account or via cheque on the scheduled payment dates.
Payment Dates for 2024
Every year, the payment dates for your Goods and Services Tax / Harmonized Sales Tax Credit are a little bit different. This is because of weekends as well as statutory holidays. However, you’ll still receive quarterly payments, not a lump sum, with this benefit around the 5th of the month that the benefits are payable. Here are the exact GST payment dates for 2024.
- January 5, 2024
- April 5, 2024
- July 5, 2024
- October 4, 2024
GST/HST Payment Amounts
If you qualify for the GST/HST credit, the amount you’ll receive will depend on a few different factors. These include your annual net income, your partner's income if you have a spouse or common-law partner, and if you receive Canada Child Benefits.
The amount of these payments will also change based on the tax year. Until June of 2024, payment amounts are based on your 2022 income. Payments made between October 2024 and June 2025 will be based on your 2023 income. With that in mind, here are the current maximum amounts that you can receive:
- $519 for a single person
- $680 for those married or in a common-law relationship
- $179 for each child under the age of 18
What Exactly is the GST/HST Credit?
In Canada, the GST/HST tax credit is a non-taxable payment given to those with a low to modest income to help them recoup some of the cost they pay in Goods and Services Tax and Harmonized Sales Tax. Which one you end up paying is based on where you live. However, the GST payments are the same for all provinces and territories.
Whether or not you receive the GST/HST credit payments is based on your household income. As long as your household income doesn’t exceed the household net income limits, you should receive the credit. You may not receive the maximum annual payment, but you could receive a partial amount.
Receiving GST/HST Payments
While GST/HST payments are issued on the days listed above, how and when you receive them is based on how you’ve chosen to receive your benefits. For those who have supplied their direct deposit information, you should see the amount in your bank account the day the payment is issued. Once it’s deposited, it should show up in your account under CANADA FED.
For those who aren’t signed up for direct deposit, it could take up to 10 business days to receive your cheque in the mail. Once you’ve received it, though, it can be deposited into your account at any time. You can also choose to sign up for direct deposit at any time in order to receive your payments faster.
How to Apply
One of the great things about the GST/HST credit is that you don’t have to apply. In order to qualify for the benefits, all you need to do is file your annual income tax and benefit return. As long as you file this on time, your benefit payments will resume as normal. However, if you file your taxes late, there will be a delay in receiving your benefits. If you don’t file your taxes at all, then you will not receive your next payment until you do. If you’ve never received a GST cheque before, then you’ll receive your first payment in July as long as your taxes are filed on time.
Requirements to Qualify for GST/HST Benefits
When it comes to qualifying for these benefits, there are a few requirements that you need to meet other than having a qualifying income. You also need to be a Canadian resident for income tax purposes the month before the benefit as well as the beginning of the month that the benefit is issued. You also need to be at least one of the following:
- 19 years old
- Have (or had) a common-law partner or spouse
- You are a parent and live with your child
- You were a parent and lived with your child
Income Threshold
Even if you meet the above criteria, you still have to meet the income requirements in order to start receiving benefit payments. For the 2023 tax year, the income threshold is:
| How Many Children You Have | Single | Married/Common-law |
| 0 | $54,704 | $57,924 |
| 1 | $61,504 | $61,504 |
| 2 | $65,084 | $65,084 |
| 3 | $68,664 | $68,664 |
| 4 | $72,244 | $72,244 |
Keep in mind, though, that these will change for the 2024 tax year.
GST/HST Payment Increases
When it comes to GST payment increases, we usually see them when a new benefit year begins. However, as of last year, we also saw this increase in the form of the Canada Grocery rebate. In 2023, those who qualified for this rebate received it in July, and it was double their January payment. It is expected that the Canada Grocery Rebate for 2024 will be given out in July as well.
GST/HST Overpayments
While overall, your GST/HST payments are fairly accurate, there is the off time when overpayments can occur. The most common time this happens is when your marital status changes. How exactly do these work, though? Well, if the Canada Revenue Agency has issued you an overpayment, you will receive a letter in the mail notifying you. Once you have been notified, you can either make the repayment, or the CRA will take the repayment off of any future benefit payments until the amount is repaid.
Provincial Sales Tax Credits
While federal GST/HST credits are a great benefit to receive, they aren’t the only sales tax credit available. Depending on which province you live in, there are provincial credits that you could be eligible recipients for as well. Let’s take a look at what’s available.
- BC Climate Action Tax Credit
- Ontario Sales Tax Credit
- Ontario Trillium Benefit
- Nova Scotia Affordable Living Tax Credit
- New Brunswick Harmonized Sales Tax Credit
- Newfoundland and Labrador Income Supplement
- Newfoundland and Labrador Seniors Benefit
- Saskatchewan Low Income Tax Credit
- Prince Edward Island Sales Tax Credit
Depending on which of these benefits you qualify for, some are issued by the provincial government, while the federal government issues others. The payments that the federal government issues will show up in your account as CANADA PRO.
Overview
While not all Canadians will qualify for GST/HST tax credits, there are plenty out there that do. All you have to do to start receiving these credits if you meet the requirements is file your annual income tax and benefit return by the due date. It’s important to keep in mind, though, that once you qualify for these benefits, you’ll receive them for the tax year, not the calendar year. This is from July to July.
As long as you’re signed up for direct deposit payments with the CRA, you should receive your payments right on the payment dates. Depending on your annual income, you could also qualify for the annual Canada Grocery Benefit, which is a once-a-year payment in July. That said, the GST/HST benefit is only one of many benefits that Canadians can qualify for. There are many other provincial and federal benefits that you may qualify for as well, depending on your annual income.
