CRA GST/HST Credit 2026: CRA GST/HST Credit 2026: If you’ve been keeping an eye on your bank account waiting for your GST cheque, you’re not the only one, eh. Millions of Canadians count on this tax-free top-up from the CRA every few months to help cover the cost of groceries, gas, and everyday essentials. And 2026 is shaping up to be a big year for it — there’s a name change, a top-up bonus, and a proper raise coming down the pipe. Let’s break it all down, no cap, no confusion.
CRA $698 GST/HST Credit 2026
The GST/HST credit is a quarterly, tax-free payment from the Canada Revenue Agency designed to help low- and modest-income Canadians offset the GST or HST they pay on everyday purchases. Doesn’t matter if you’re in an HST province like Ontario or Nova Scotia, or a GST-plus-provincial-tax province like B.C. or Alberta — everyone pays the federal GST portion, and this credit is the government’s way of giving some of that back.
Best part? You don’t apply for it separately. File your taxes every year — even if you made zero income — and the CRA automatically figures out what you’re owed.
How Much Is the GST Credit for 2026? The $533 / $698 / $184 Breakdown
For the July 2025 to June 2026 benefit year, calculated off your 2024 tax return, the maximum annual amounts are:
- Single individual: $533/year
- Married or common-law couple: $698/year
- Per child under 19: $184/year
So a couple with two kids could be looking at up to $1,066 a year, split into four quarterly instalments of roughly $266.50 each. The couple figure isn’t just double the single rate — it includes a $165 spousal top-up baked in on top of the base amount.
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Who Actually Qualifies?
To get the credit, you generally need to:
- Be a Canadian resident for tax purposes
- Be at least 19 years old (or have a spouse/common-law partner, or be a parent)
- Have filed your tax return, even with no income to report
Newcomers to Canada often get this as their first CRA benefit. If you’re new here, you may need to apply manually in your first year using Form RC151 (no kids) or Form RC66 if you’ve got children — after that, CRA reassesses you automatically each year.
When Does the Credit Phase Out?
The credit phases out at 5% of income above $45,521 in adjusted family net income (same threshold no matter your family size). Roughly speaking, it hits zero around:
- ~$56,181 for a single person
- ~$59,481 for a couple
- ~$63,161 with one kid
- ~$66,841 with two kids
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GST/HST Payment Dates 2026: Mark Your Calendar
Payments land quarterly, usually on the 5th of the month (bumped to the last business day before if the 5th falls on a weekend or holiday). Here’s the full 2026 schedule:
- January 5, 2026 — regular GST/HST credit payment
- April 2, 2026 — final payment under the old GST/HST credit structure
- June 5, 2026 — one-time top-up (more on this below)
- July 3, 2026 — first payment under the new Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit (CGEB)
- October 5, 2026 — second CGEB payment
Heads up: if your total credit works out to less than $50 a quarter, CRA won’t bother splitting it four ways — they’ll just send you the whole thing in one lump sum in July.
The One-Time Top-Up: What Was That $349-ish Extra Deposit?
On June 5, 2026, CRA dropped a one-time GST/HST credit top-up into eligible accounts — no application, no paperwork, totally automatic. The amount was generally equal to 50% of your annual GST/HST credit for the July 2025–June 2026 period, based on your family situation and 2024 income. So if your annual credit was $698 (couple, no kids), your top-up would’ve been roughly $349.
To qualify, you needed to have been eligible for the GST/HST credit in January 2026 and have filed your 2024 tax return. If you’re in a shared custody arrangement, each parent got half of what they’d receive with full custody.
Big Changes Ahead: Say Hello to the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit (CGEB)
Starting with the July 3, 2026 payment, the GST/HST credit is officially getting rebranded as the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit, or CGEB for short. Don’t panic, though — the eligibility rules, the way it’s calculated, and the quarterly schedule are all staying exactly the same. Same benefit, shinier name.
What IS changing is the money. CRA has locked in a 25% increase to the maximum amounts, guaranteed for five years, running from 2026 through 2031. Here’s what that looks like:
| Family Type | Old Max (2025–26) | New CGEB Max (2026–27) |
|---|---|---|
| Single individual | $533 | $679 |
| Couple | $698 | $890 |
| Per child under 19 | $184 | $234 |
So that couple with two kids who was getting up to $1,066/year? Under CGEB, they could be looking at up to $1,358/year.
There’s been a fair bit of buzz online about a mysterious “$680” or “$250” payment — just to clear that up, the $680 figure people are talking about is basically the new $679 single-adult maximum under CGEB, not some secret bonus payment. Don’t let the rumour mill get you confused, folks.
Quick-Reference Table: All the Numbers in One Place
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Single max (2025–26, old credit) | $533/year |
| Couple max (2025–26, old credit) | $698/year |
| Per child max (2025–26, old credit) | $184/year |
| Single max (2026–27, CGEB) | $679/year |
| Couple max (2026–27, CGEB) | $890/year |
| Per child max (2026–27, CGEB) | $234/year |
| Income phase-out starts at | $45,521 |
| One-time top-up (June 5, 2026) | 50% of your 2025–26 annual credit |
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Do You Need to Apply for CGEB Separately?
Nope — good news, this one’s on the house. Since CGEB is just a renamed, boosted version of the same GST/HST credit, if you’re already getting the GST/HST credit, you’ll automatically roll into CGEB payments starting July 2026. No forms, no extra hoops to jump through. Just keep filing your taxes on time and keeping your marital status and family info up to date with CRA.
The GST/HST credit has quietly been one of the most reliable little cheques Canadians can count on — and 2026 is turning it up a notch with the CGEB rebrand and a real 25% bump in the amounts. Whether you’re single, coupled up, or raising a family, the moves are simple: file your taxes every year without fail, keep your CRA My Account info current, and let the deposits roll in on autopilot.
Official Sources
This article reflects the most recent published CRA figures as of mid-2026. For the official, most up-to-date numbers, always cross-check with the CRA’s website directly before making financial decisions.
“While you’re here, you might as well check if you’re cashing in on [Canada Pension Payment 2026 Full Schedule] too.”
