What DTC approval may give you access to
The refund is often not the most valuable part. DTC eligibility is used as a gateway by several other federal programs, and people frequently discover this years later.
Read the wording carefully. The CRA says DTC eligibility "may help you access" these programs. It does not say approval grants any of them automatically. Each has its own rules and its own application. Anyone telling you one approval delivers all of them is overstating it.
The four the CRA names
These are the CRA's own list, quoted from its decision page rather than assembled by us.
- Registered Disability Savings Plan (RDSP) A long-term savings plan for a person with a disability, which can attract federal grants and bonds. DTC eligibility is central to opening one, which is why an approval matters well beyond the tax refund.
- Canada workers benefit disability supplement An additional amount on top of the Canada workers benefit for eligible workers. Has its own income tests, separate from the DTC determination.
- Child disability benefit A monthly amount for families caring for a child under 18 with a severe and prolonged impairment. Paid alongside the Canada child benefit rather than as a separate cheque.
- Canada disability benefit A federal benefit for working-age people with disabilities. Newer than the others. Check the current rules directly, as this one is still settling.
Source: CRA, CRA's decision, Disability tax credit, read 2 August 2026, which states: "Being eligible for the DTC may help you access other federal programs such as: Registered disability savings plan, Canada workers benefit disability supplement, Child disability benefit, Canada disability benefit."
Why this changes the arithmetic
People often weigh the DTC against the size of a possible refund alone. If an approval also opens access to a savings plan that attracts federal grants, or a monthly benefit for a child, the value is not captured by the refund number at all.
It is also why an expiring determination matters. If your approval has an end date, letting it lapse can affect more than one thing. The amounts by year.
What we do and do not do here
We prepare the documentation for the DTC application itself. We do not apply to these other programs on your behalf and we do not advise on them. They are listed because knowing they exist changes whether the application is worth your effort, and because nobody told us either.
Nothing on this page is legal, medical, or tax advice. Check each program's current rules with the CRA directly.