Workers Receive Disability Benefits Too

In a recent Globe and Mail article, contributor Michael Prince laid out Seven Reasons Why Disabled Canadians Are Losing CPP Benefits.

Most of you know that Canada’s Pension Plan offers benefits to some people who have disabilities and low employment potential. (Twitter follower @mierzwei reports that CPP benefit payments are low, too. She says,”$590 a month on CPP disability? That is #EconomicViolence. Abysmal.”)

You might also be aware of troubles plaguing the Social Security Tribunal, the office responsible for awarding CPP disability benefits. They currently have a backlog of 10,000 cases.

However, the trouble with CPP goes beyond its low payments and organizational structure; the trouble with CPP is that workers with disabilities are less likely to receive benefits through this program.

As Michael Prince writes, “The legal test for CPP disability is one of employability, rather than medical eligibility.” It is hard to be gainfully employed and qualify for CPP/D.

Workers are Eligible for Financial Disability Benefits

Too many Canadians workers believe they are not eligible for disability benefits. In reality, people who live with disabilities and draw taxable incomes are eligible to apply for disability tax credits.

Disability tax credits are different from Canada Pension Plan in a number of ways, one being that disability tax credits are often available to people who work.

Benefits for Workers with Disabilities

Just because a person has a disability doesn’t mean he or she cannot hold a job. In fact, in today’s society it seems necessary to be gainfully employed. We need money to provide shelter, food, and clothing for ourselves and the ones we love. On top of daily living costs, managing disability implies added expenses. Often times, this can force people with disabilities to find employment even if their physical or mental impairments make it challenging to work.

In recognition of this, the government of Canada offers disability tax credits. Through Canada Revenue Agency, tax credits are available to people who experience significant restrictions or require life sustaining therapies.

For people who juggle work and disability, disability tax credits offer relief from annual tax burdens. More so, the credit can be claimed retroactively up to 10 years, meaning people with disabilities have the potential to claim up to $40,000 in tax refunds.

Why Don’t Workers Apply for Benefits?

Unfortunately, a high number of Canadian workers do not apply for disability tax credits even though they have severe and prolonged impairments. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) reported that less than five per cent of Canadians who are working-age take part in government disability support programs. Why?

It may be because they do not know financial benefits are available to them. It’s possible that, because they hold down jobs, they think they are not entitled to government benefits. However, the disability tax credit is different: it benefits workers with disabilities.

To navigate the application and filing processes, many Canadians choose to work with professional benefit specialists. National Benefit Authority helps thousands of Canadians with disabilities (some who are able to work and some who are not) by helping file successful disability tax credit certificates.

If you have questions about qualifying for the disability tax credit, call the National Benefit Authority at 1888-389-0080. Benefit specialists are available to talk with you and guide you in this process.

The National Benefit Authority always strives to promote people with disabilities. If you dislike this article or find it to be inaccurate, please share why in the comment section of this post.