Tax Tips

 

Children’s Fitness Credit

Get the kids active and claim a tax credit.

Parents can get a little tax credit for their active children. The Children’s Fitness Credit is a non-refundable credit and allows parents to claim a maximum of $500 paid towards an eligible program. The cost covers registration for each child under the age of 16. It does not cover the costs of things such as equipment or travel expenses.

An eligible program is defined by Canada Revenue Agency as “an ongoing, supervised program, suitable for children, in which substantially all of the activities undertaken include a significant amount of physical activity that contribute to the cardio-respiratory endurance, plus one or more of muscular strength, muscular endurance, flexibility and balance.” Or simply, your kid needs to sweat for the activity to qualify.

The program must last at least eight weeks at a minimum of one session per week. For children under the age of 10, the session needs to last at least 30 minutes. For children 10 – 16, the activity must last an hour.

Children with disabilities are eligible for an additional $500 credit up to the age of 18, provided that a minimum of $100 is paid for an eligible fitness program. The additional credit takes into account the extra costs that children with disabilities encounter when they become involved in programs of physical activity such as specialized equipment, transportation and attendant care.

It is important to obtain a tax receipt from the organization that provides the programs. There are sample receipts online in case your organization is unsure what needs to be included.

For residents of Nova Scotia, the provincial government also provides a similar children’s fitness credit.