joycejimi

Hello All,

I am sorry I just have to keep coming back. I hope you are all not angry at all. This forum has been a very valuable part of my immigration journey so far. Anyway, I have some more questions and would appreciate your valuable views/contributions.

1. Child Benefit

a. UCCB
I have searched through the site and found loads of info on child benefit (sometimes conflicting info). As a PR with a child of just two years old, how soon can I start collecting child benefit once we land in two weeks time and how much is the UCCB

b.Child Tax Benefit
I understand this benefit is dependent on ones income. thus for some-one like me without a planned job and income upon landing, does it mean I cannot apply for this? Or can I use my UK annual income earned in 2009 to make a claim? Assuming I was earning £25,000 per annual in the UK before leaving for canada, how much will I get through the child tax benefit. If I can claim this, how soon upon landing do I have to apply.

c. Other Benefits
Are there other benefits that I can claim which I need to know about once I land?

iaink

The UCB is $100 a month (taxable) per kid under 6. I think its available immediately for PRs? Could be wrong.

CTTB is based on income and needs to wait till after your first tax return? That of course can be this years UK income reported (or so Ive heard)

CTTB is means tested, there is a calculator on the CRA website that will give you an idea what to expect.BAsed on $50k or so its probably a few hundred a month (and its net, so not taxable income)

Anything else? Well, not in the way of direct benefits, but there are many child care related tax writeoffs as they get older, some childcare (if working), sporting fees etc.

Even if you have no income you still need to file a tax return.

Alan2005

As far as I'm aware the day your residency for tax purposes starts (which is when you move over to live for most people) is when the canadian irs care about what you are doing. They don't give a crap about what you earned before that date.

Based on this, I'd say no you can't claim against anything that happened in the UK before you moved. Others (JonboyE in particular) know a lot more about this than me though.

Alan2005

Is that right? When I filled my 2008 return in I just put the date I arrived in Canada and my earnings since then. I didn't put my UK earnings before that date down at all.

iaink

Wouldnt like to say.I read it here in the past. To be honest it surprised me, so I would await a more knowledgeable answer...