If you’re living with a medical disability you can receive up to $40,000 in the form of a Disability Tax Credit from the Canadian government. In order to start receiving any money, however, the first step, of course, is completing a form… As with everything, yes there’s paperwork.
What is the Disability Tax Credit Form T2201?
The T-2201 form is the primary form you will need in order to apply for Disability Tax Credit. It contains a section where you will need to fill out your general information. It also contains sections that will detail your medical history and how your condition affects you. You will need to work together with your doctor/medical practitioner and your Disability Tax Credit assistance company if you are availing of their services in order to properly complete
Where do I find the Disability Tax Credit Form?
The Disability Tax Credit Form that you need to complete can be downloaded online and is called the “Disability Tax Credit Certificate”. There are two full pages of instructions to help you through and if you need additional assistance you can also call their 1-800 number for assistance. You are looking for Form T-2201 specifically, which is called t2201-12e.pdf on their website; if you’re having trouble finding it just do a simple Google search for “Canada disability tax credit T-2201 form”. It is available in E-text, Braille and large print versions as well. If you prefer, you can order printed copies.
How to complete the Disability Tax Credit Form (T2201)?
The form has two parts: an application and a certification, both of which you must complete and submit to the Canada Revenue Agency. The form has to be approved, of course, and you will be notified how much you have been approved for. If approved, the amount can be used to lower the amount of income tax you owe.
Before completing the form, it’s a good idea to complete the self-assessment questionnaire that is included in this download. You have to be able to answer yes to question 1, and yes to at least one of questions 2-5 in order to qualify.
FIND OUT IF YOU ARE ELIGIBLE TO
RECEIVE THE DISABILITY TAX CREDIT!
Part A
If you feel you qualify, complete Part A of the form. The form will ask you for your basic personal information such as name, address, date of birth, and social insurance number. If you are filling out the form for someone else, there will be some questions specific to you as well.
It is a short one-page form: sign at the bottom and continue to Part B.
Part B
Part B is the lengthier portion of the form but it must be completed by a qualified practitioner so you won’t actually be completing the form yourself.
The practitioner will be asked to certify your medical state in several areas, including:
- Vision
- Speaking
- Hearing
- Walking
- Bowel or bladder functions
- Feeding
- Dressing
- Mental functions
This encompasses pages 3-6 of the form and must be filled out by the correct practitioner. The vision section for example must be certified by a medical doctor or optometrist and the hearing section must be completed and certified by a medical doctor or audiologist. Having a regular medical doctor that can certify all of these functions for you will save you quite a bit of running around. Otherwise, an occupational therapist can fill out several of the sections for you as well.
Page 7 only needs to be completed if you are on a form of life-sustaining therapy and must be completed by a medical doctor. Page 8 is on the cumulative effects of restrictions to your daily living (such as walking or eyesight) and may be completed by your medical doctor or an occupational therapist (with some restrictions).
Where Can I Send My Disability Tax Credit T2201 Form?
You can send your T-2201 disability tax credit application form and accompanying proof in the form of additional medical documentation in one of two ways:
- online through your My CRA Account,
- or send it by mail to your local tax centre.
If you choose to work with Disability Credit Canada however, our team will handle the application process and send your application in your stead as your representative.
How Long Does it Take to Process A Disability Tax Credit Application?
It will typically take between 3 to 6 months before you receive word from the CRA regarding eligibility. In some cases, it may take over a year as well. This is because it takes them a while to do two things:
- Approve your Application – they must assess the information found in your application to determine if you are eligible to receive the disability tax credit
- Reassess your Taxes – If you are approved, it will take them some more time to look through your past income tax record to assess how much in retroactive payments for disability tax credits you can receive. This means that they will check which years you have paid taxes for and see if you are considered to be eligible for the disability tax credit for that year.
What if I my disability tax credit claim is denied?
If you’re disability tax credit application is denied, you may file a formal objection to appeal within 90 days. Your form will then be re-evaluated by the Appeals Branch. Alternatively, you can contact us at Disability Credit Canada and we can assist you in improving your application with our expert team of case builders. You can also read our Disability Tax Credit Ultimate Resource Guide for further, help in regards to your application.