Due to the extended tax filing date, it was announced that eligible Canadians, who are presently receiving the Goods and Services Tax/Harmonized Sales Tax (GST/HST) credit, will continue to receive these payments until the end of September 2020.
On April 9, 2020, the one-time supplementary GST/HST credit payment was issued. People already receiving the GST/HST credit should have gotten it automatically.
Payment amounts will be based on information from 2018 tax return(s) if their 2019 tax return has not been assessed, and the CRA has not had time to calculate benefits and/or credits for the July to September 2020 payment.
You’re still required to file your 2019 income tax return. If the CRA is unable to assess your return by early September 2020, your estimated benefits and/or credits will stop in October 2020 and you’ll have to repay the estimated amounts that were issued to you starting in July 2020.
GST/HST credit amount increase
The one-time payment will be calculated based on information from your 2018 tax return.
The maximum amounts for the 2019-2020 benefit year will increase from:
- $443 to $886 if you’re single
- $580 to $1,160 if you’re married or living common-law
- $153 to $306 for each child under the age of 19 (excluding the first eligible child of a single parent)
- $290 to $580 for the first eligible child of a single parent.
There will be no changes to:
- The family net income used to calculate the amount.
- The family net income used to calculate the single supplement.
Payment dates
The Canada Revenue Agency usually send the GST/HST credit payments on the fifth day of July, October, January, and April.
The federal government is temporarily extending its guaranteed income supplement and allowance payments for seniors, if their 2019 income information hasn’t been assessed.
Check CRA website for the latest updates https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/child-family-benefits/gsthstc-payment-dates.html