Does this dependant live with you?

Your answer to this question helps us determine if you’re eligible to claim certain dependant-related deductions and credits on your return, including:

  • Eligible dependant amount
  • Canada caregiver tax credit*
  • Disability transfer
  • Tuition transfer

*Starting in 2017, the Canada caregiver amount has replaced the family caregiver amount, the infirm dependant credit, and the caregiver credit.

Other information, like the age of your dependant, will be used to calculate amounts like your GST/HST credit or your Working Income Tax Benefit (WITB).

To be considered eligible, a dependant is typically someone who:

  • Is a child under 18, grandchild, parent, grandparent, brother, sister, niece, nephew, aunt, or uncle (of yourself or your spouse or common-law partner), or someone who is mentally or physically infirm

  • Is related to you by blood, marriage, or adoption

  • Lived with you in Canada in a home that you maintained

Remember, if you share custody of your dependant with someone else, only one parent can claim the deductions mentioned above.

Where do I claim this?

Follow these steps in H&R Block’s 2017 tax software:

  1. Under the GET STARTED tab, click the ABOUT YOU icon then click the Your family link.

  2. Answer Yes to the question, Do you have dependants? then click Continue.

    DIY17_do_you_have_dependants_EN.png

  3. Click the ABOUT YOUR DEPENDANTS icon. You’ll find yourself here:

    DIY17_Your_dependants_EN.png

  4. Enter your dependant’s information into the spaces provided on the page. Before you click Continue, make sure you answered Yes to the question, Does this dependant live with you?.

How do I claim credits for dependants that live with me?

Once you’ve entered your dependant’s information into the tax software, follow these steps to claim your dependant-related credits*:

  1. Click the name of the dependant located on the left-hand navigation panel.

  2. Under the Expenses and Transfer amounts headings, select all the expenses and transfer amounts that applied to you in 2017. When you’re finished, click Continue.

  3. When you arrive at the page(s) of the expense(s) and transfer amounts you selected, enter your information into the tax software.

*Certain credits, like the eligible dependant amount, can be optimized in the Dependant amounts section of the Optimization page.

Important: If you indicated that your marital status was married or in a common-law relationship, you might need to tell us which of you will be claiming which credit. To do this:

  1. Click the OPTIMIZATION icon under the WRAP-UP tab.

  2. Under the Here are the additional credits we’ve claimed for you heading, select who will be claiming which credit from the applicable dropdown menu(s).
Back to Top