Before you apply

Avoid delays and overpayments by preparing your application

Sign up for direct deposit to receive benefit payments faster and securely

CSA payments may be issued by cheque or deposited directly into an account at a financial institution.

To start direct deposit or change the banking information, send us a completed Form RC113, Direct Deposit Request for Children's Special Allowances.

Limit on retroactive payments

When the filing of an application is delayed, retroactive payments to the agency are possible, but only up to a maximum of 11 months prior to the month in which an application containing all the required information is received.

Avoiding overpayments

Payments of the Canada child benefit (CCB), the child disability benefit (CDB), and/or the child amount of the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit automatically cease up on receipt of a CSA application for that child.

To help ensure timely and accurate CSA payments, the agency should apply for or cancel the CSA promptly after the child starts or ceases to be maintained by the agency.

In addition to preventing delays or overpayments for the agency, timely updates help prevent financial hardship for CCB recipients that may result from:

• the CRA having to recoup benefit payments made to an individual prior to receiving the CSA application, if the CCB recipient did not notify the CRA that the child no longer resides with them; or
• a delay in the resumption of benefit payments after a child returns to live with the individual eligible for the CCB

When more than one party qualifies as an agency

If more than one party qualifies as an agency in respect of a child, it is up to the parties to decide which one should apply for the CSA.

For example, if a provincial government department licenses and funds a private agency to care for children, the parties will likely decide that the provincial government department is the appropriate party to apply for and receive the CSA.

Payments to foster parents

An agency can request that CSA payments for a child be made directly to a foster parent. If the child is later placed with another foster family, the agency must submit a new form to redirect the CSA payments to the new foster parent or back to the agency.

If an agency instructs the CRA to pay the foster parents directly, monthly payments can only be made for periods that follow the month in which the CRA finishes processing the CSA application. At that point, payments to the agency stop, and payments for earlier months are made to the agency. Therefore, no retroactive payments can be made to foster parents.