Can You Get the Disability Tax Credit for Mental Illness?
The stigma surrounding mental illness is dissolving – just look at the A-list celebrities and sports stars opening up about their struggles to the public. Thankfully, this has led to more and more people finding the courage to get the professional help they need.
As we get a better understanding of these conditions, the list of mental illnesses grows. Some of the most well known conditions include:
Though the names of the conditions can change, what’s consistent is the impact they have on a person’s well being. And because mental illness can severely impact people’s ability to perform basic, everyday tasks, they can receive disability benefits in Canada in the form of the Disability Tax Credit.
Canadian Disability Tax Credit for Mental Illness
Disability benefits in Canada were an area affected by the stigma associated with mental illness. The criteria outlined by the CRA did not reflect the experiences mental illness patients struggle with, and doctors didn’t feel comfortable certifying these impairments as a ‘disability.’
Favouring physical conditions over psychological is antiquated. The severe impairments mental illness patients battle are reflected in Basic Activities of Daily Living (BADL) criteria, which is arguably the most important factor to the CRA when approving or declining a person’s Disability Tax Credit application.
People with a mental illness such as depression, for example, may be unable socialize and integrate into society, or make big, life-altering choices like financial decisions. This is just as impactful on a person’s life as being physically unable to feed or dress one’s self, so psychological impairments now qualify for the same benefits as physical ones.
Applying for the Disability Tax Credit
While it can be more difficult to access the Disability Tax Credit for mental illness, the National Benefit Authority helps thousands of Canadians break down two of the biggest barriers: knowledge and process.
We have a firm understanding of how mental illness affects BADL, the CRA’s qualification criteria, and how to properly convey that information to doctors in order to complete a detailed Disability Tax Credit certificate. We regularly educate medical practitioners on the criteria and how it should relate to a person’s specific limitations. Our Benefits Specialists manage all aspects of the financial and filing processes with the Canada Revenue Agency.
If you suffer from a mental illness, our Benefits Specialists can help you access all the disability benefits in Canada you’re entitled to, including the Disability Tax Credit and the Registered Disability Savings Plan (RDSP).
Join the 40,000 Canadians who have received their disability benefits with our help – call us at 1-888-389-0080 or apply online now!
