Changes, renewals and appeals
The CDB is not a set-and-forget payment. It is recalculated every July, it depends on a tax return being filed every year and on a DTC certificate staying valid, and it ends at 65. Most interruptions are predictable — and preventable — if you know the four dates that matter: your DTC expiry date, the April 30 tax-filing deadline, the July recalculation, and the 180-day reconsideration deadline on any decision letter.
The July recalculation
Every July, Service Canada recalculates your CDB from the previous year's return. Your 2025 return sets July 2026 to June 2027; your 2026 return will set July 2027 to June 2028. That is why an income change in one calendar year does not change your CDB until the following July, and why a year with no return filed breaks the chain: with no return, there is nothing to recalculate from, and payments can stop. File by April 30 each year even if you owe no tax. If you file late, expect a gap or a catch-up payment rather than a smooth continuation, and contact Service Canada rather than assuming the payment will resume on its own.
Changes to tell Service Canada about
Report a change of marital status, a change of address or banking details, a change in your DTC status, and anything affecting your residence in Canada. A new spouse or common-law partner changes the household calculation (threshold, exemption and reduction rate all switch to the couple rules), so a marriage or new common-law relationship should be reported promptly even though the CDB amount itself will not change until the next July recalculation. Turning 65 ends CDB eligibility in that month — plan the handover to OAS and GIS before the birthday, not after the last CDB payment.
Overpayments
An overpayment arises when you were paid more than your entitlement — for example, because a return was filed late with higher income, a DTC certificate was found invalid for a period, or a household change was reported late. Service Canada will notify you of the amount and the recovery plan; overpayments are typically recovered from future payments rather than demanded at once, but the terms depend on the case. Do not ignore an overpayment letter: the amount does not shrink with time, and a prompt call can usually arrange a manageable recovery schedule. Keep every notice of assessment and decision letter, because an overpayment dispute is won or lost on those documents.
Reconsideration and appeal
If Service Canada refuses your application, reduces your benefit, or finds an overpayment you dispute, you may ask for a reconsideration. The request must be made within 180 days of the date on the decision letter — a deadline that runs from the letter's date, not from the day you open it. State exactly which finding you dispute and attach the document that proves your position: a CRA notice for a DTC question, a notice of assessment for an income question, a marriage or separation document for a household question. If reconsideration does not resolve it, further appeal routes depend on the decision type; the reconsideration letter itself will state the next step and its deadline. Missing the 180 days is the most common way a winnable case becomes unwinnable.