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CRA Disability Tax Credit Retroactive Claims

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Once you’ve successfully qualified for the Canadian Disability Tax Credit, you may be eligible for even more money from the Canada Revenue Agency through a retroactive Disability Tax Credit claim.

According to the CRA’s taxpayer relief provisions, you may be able to claim up to 10 years of Disability Tax Credit retroactive adjustments that went unclaimed in previous years on your tax return. This significant retroactive DTC refund is life changing for those living with a medical condition or disability that has hampered their quality of life.

Making a Retroactive Disability Tax Credit Claim

The Disability Tax Credit retroactive amount you can claim is determined by when your doctor documented you as markedly restricted in your basic activities of daily living. You can claim your Disability Tax Credit retroactively from the date indicated by your physician.

There are many steps involved in making a retroactive DTC claim, starting with an adjustment request for your tax returns for all pertinent years you’re submitting a claim for. You must back-file your taxes for each year you’re claiming the Disability Tax Credit for, which the CRA limits to 10 years. You’ll also need to fully complete a T1ADJ form from the CRA – but remember, a single error can nullify your entire retroactive claim!

Transferring a Retroactive Disability Tax Credit

Under the same provisions, the Canada Revenue Agency allows qualified people to transfer their retroactive Disability Tax Credit to a common-law partner, spouse, or qualifying family members such as parents, grandparents, brothers, sisters, etc. To be eligible for this DTC transfer, your family member must prove he or she has provided food, clothing, shelter, or financial support for the person transferring the Disability Tax Credit. This is similar to making an independent Disability Tax Credit claim, apart from areas of the adjustment request that need to be filled out (i.e. for family members, the person claiming must ask for the adjustment on Line 318 of their tax returns; for spouses, that changes to Line 326).


If you’re struggling with tax forms or don’t have time to chase your doctor for the necessary paperwork, our Benefits Specialists are always on call. We manage all medical and financial aspects of the DTC process for you, from forms, to communicating with doctors and the CRA, with real guidance every step of the way.

Contact us now to see how we can help you maximize your retroactive Disability Tax Credit claim.