Disability Tax Credit Eligibility for Ulcerative Colitis

Ulcerative colitis or simply colitis is a chronic disease that creates irritation and swelling in the large intestine. Painful sores known commonly as ulcers also develop on the sensitive lining of the colon and can be very painful. Colitis is one of several diseases that fall into the category of inflammatory bowel disease or IBD. Other IBDs include Crohn’s disease and microscopic colitis. Colitis is often debilitating and can on occasion lead to life-threatening complications. As of this writing there is no cure for colitis although there are treatments available that can mitigate some of the worst symptoms. If you have colitis you may qualify for benefits under the Disability Tax Credit program.

The Disability Tax Credit for Those with Ulcerative Colitis

The Disability Tax Credit or DTC is a program of the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) designed to help the disabled find the relief so many of them need from the overwhelming costs associated with treating their condition. The DTC recognizes that these costs are unique to the disabled and often just as liable as the disability itself to cause hardship. The CRA recognizes colitis as a potentially disabling disease which means you may be able to find both short and long-term financial relief if your application for benefits is accepted.

Qualifying for Disability Tax Credit

If you suffer from colitis you should strongly consider applying for relief via the Disability Tax Credit program. If you are unsure whether it’s worth the effort of going through the application process it might help to consider this: if your application is successful you may be eligible for up to 10 years of retroactive benefits.

To qualify for the DTC an applicant must demonstrate the following:

● A prolonged and marked restriction: In this case “prolonged” is defined as having lasted or being expected to last for at least 12 consecutive months. A “marked restriction” means the person is unable to perform one or more of life’s basic daily functions a substantial amount of the time (at least 90% of the time) or that it takes them an unusual or inordinate amount of time to do so.

“Inordinate” in this case does not have a hard and fast definition. Instead, whether or not a person takes an inordinate amount of time to perform a basic function is determined by the applicant’s doctor or relevant qualified medical practitioner. As a general rule of thumb however “inordinate” may be defined as taking 3 times longer than normal to do something.

If you believe your colitis meets the criteria for receiving benefits your next step is to download Form T2201 from the CRA website and fill it out completely. (You can also pick up the form in person at any regional CRA office.)

● Form T2201 is composed of 2 distinct parts. Part A is filled out by you and includes all your relevant personal information. You can either fill this in yourself or enlist the help of a qualified benefits specialist like the professionals at Disability Credit Canada. Once Part A is complete you need to turn the form over to your doctor or medical practitioner and have them complete Part B. In Part B the doctor describes in detail the nature of your disability and how your colitis impacts your life. Just as with Part A it is essential that Part B is filled out in its entirety. Submitting an incomplete Form T2201 is likely to result in the summary dismissal of your application.

As mentioned, if you or a member of your family suffers from ulcerative colitis you may be eligible for up to 10 years of benefits under the DTC program. Having someone on your side to assist in filling out your portion of Form T2201, to work with your doctor on your behalf to insure Part B is filled out properly and then to shepherd your application through the often labyrinthian CRA approval process can make the difference between being approved and being rejected.

Disability Credit Canada has worked with scores of disabled Canadians to get them the financial relief they’re entitled to under the DTC program and we can do the same for you. Call us on 1-844-800-6020 and talk to one of our highly-trained benefits specialists about submitting your application for the DTC. Financial relief is just a phone call away.