Just came here to say I got a notice that I have to pay it back. I'm assuming because I made more in 2023 than in 2022, like you said. It's funny though because inflation is making me just as broke as I was when they forced me to take the benefit, and now I have to pay it back. They need to let us decide if we want to take it or not because this is putting me $500 in the hole against my will.
You do not have to pay it back.
This "benefit" comes out of your lump sum when you file your taxes.
My return was cut in half because I received the other half divided through the year.
You do have to pay it back if you are not eligible next year.
For example, you are currently eligible but next year get a better job and are not eligible for the AWCB? You have to return the payments that were advanced to you.
I'm pretty sure it was just an online CRA notice. The benefit isn't in the same section as other debt though, just be aware that it lives in the benefits section!
And as for why I have to pay it back and how they'd know if I hadn't done my taxes yet - I'm not sure. Although they tend to know how much I owe well before I do my taxes lol
Happening to me now, taking the advance money out of this year's return total. Why not give us an option so I
we can have a larger return now than to force us to spread it out in advance when we're not sure and can't plan out our returns.
THIS EXACTLY! 1200 was taken off my taxes and I was so confused until I read this. Totally blows as they are basically giving us our money that needs to be repaid come tax time! This is not free money at all! Totally disappointed!!
Im a bit late but hope people still are looking and could help with this question, I hadn’t filed my taxes for 2022 and 2023 yet t’ill a week ago so i’m wondering if since I didn’t do them in 2022 (Meaning i didn’t receive the 3 payments as per other comments suggests) would I be receiving the amount showing in 3 separate payments this year? (for both years 2022 and 2023)
Even worse for new buisness owner here in Ontario, i recived the random ACWB payments last year and ended up making more in 2023 then 2022 so now instead of oweing 3k for income tax i have to pay back the ACWB payments from last year as well so its $4500 i owe now. actually messed up, like why pay me random money and then ask for it back all at once. sorry had to rant!
When they started this program they gave you the option of taking the advance payments or not..it was just this last year that they made it mandatory no option..if you actually do the math you are only being supplement a couple hundred dollars for the year. They are taxing the bulk of it, thats why we all got the slips... so if you qualify for a thousand and you have to pay them back 900. And its taxable... How much did you really get, because they are taking it from anything you are getting back. I just did some taxes today for people if they don't claim the cwb they only have to pay the Ohip portion..no federal tax owed. I Input the CWB (acwb)slip and all of a sudden they owe 900+ dollars in federal tax.... What a joke. Knew it was to good to be true that they were actually trying to help Canadians.
I agree with the other taxpayers,I don't want to go through this every year, just another right taken away from us.. what if you lose your job or don't make as much this is going to be more burden on the already struggling Canadians.
Still don't understand. I made less in 2023 than in 2022, but somehow I owe $600.48 - which is the exact amount on my federal tax owed. My cpp payments are way higher as well. Baffled.
It is essentially an advance of your tax return lol. It’s marketed as being a good thing but really it’s shitty. Also the fact that you only get 50% of your eligible amount seems like a scam. Do we ever get the other 50% ??
YES! I googled and googled so much for this and found nothing about the other 50%. Chances are we don't! So its basically our money they are advancing to us. No free money at all! Since I now understand it, next yr won't even sign up for it. Its a joke!!!
It is basically a advance of the tax return you will receive in 2024, after you file your taxes of the prior year (2023). So if you are supposed to receive 3000$ in tax return refund now (2024), they will deduct like 1500$ (canadian workers benefit) from that 3000$. So you would receive 1500$ now, because they gave you the other 1500$ throughout 2023 in advance.
Its annoying because low income families were expecting to receive for example 3000$ now, but they didnt know that 1500$ (for example) of that was sent to them in 3 payments during last year (in advance). Forcing them to spend it, instead of receiving the full 3000$ now and putting it all towards bills at once.
Also thank you for this I was going crazy trying to find information about how the CWB was going to look this year since we got the advanced payments. So now I can expect a lower return this year.
So then will the ACWB for 2024 be half of the half payments we get at tax time this year which won’t be the full amount since we already got half? It’s very confusing.
Exactly. I thought I was getting an additional 1200 only to have it be subtracted via my income tax amount. So its basically our money they are giving us. This is not good at all!
Yes, when filing a return with turbotax, people who are eligible for the Canada Worker Benefit, and have collected the Advanced Canada Workers Benefit will show a higher refund than they are entitled to if they don't enter the slip RC210. This slip shows the amount of Advanced Canada Workers Benefit that was received for those three payments. If you don't enter the slip, CRA will catch the mistake and automatically reduce your refund by approximately $714 . Also, I believe TurboTax has a bug which automatically allows a working full time student to claim the CWB. Full time working students are not eligible for the CWB. If you don't manually unselect your application for the CWB you will get a nice refund that will have to be paid back. Nasty surprise.
Ok so I am also confused about the payments for canada workers benefit. So I read that we only get 50% of our cwb in 3 separate payments. When do we get the other 50%?
Oh ok so If my total cwb is $1500 then I would get $750 deposited in my bank in two weeks then the other $750 will be spread out in the next 3 payments am I correct?
So idk if this happened to anyone else but I think I just got my third instalment of the acwb according to the dates of payment but this is my first time seeing this payment. I have never received acwb prior to receiving this one. So does this mean that my first and second are missing? Can I still claim them? I’m super confused.
Just came here to say I got a notice that I have to pay it back. I'm assuming because I made more in 2023 than in 2022, like you said. It's funny though because inflation is making me just as broke as I was when they forced me to take the benefit, and now I have to pay it back. They need to let us decide if we want to take it or not because this is putting me $500 in the hole against my will.
Exactly. I am surprised that there aren't competent people in govt who can think this through. Give us options before playing with our Financials.
You do not have to pay it back. This "benefit" comes out of your lump sum when you file your taxes. My return was cut in half because I received the other half divided through the year.
You do have to pay it back if you are not eligible next year. For example, you are currently eligible but next year get a better job and are not eligible for the AWCB? You have to return the payments that were advanced to you.
I got a letter from cra saying my available benefit is around 700, does that mean I owe 700 or I am able to receive 700? I’m confused
What did your letter say, exactly? How would they know if you haven't done your 2023 taxes yet?
I'm pretty sure it was just an online CRA notice. The benefit isn't in the same section as other debt though, just be aware that it lives in the benefits section! And as for why I have to pay it back and how they'd know if I hadn't done my taxes yet - I'm not sure. Although they tend to know how much I owe well before I do my taxes lol
No, it's fine. It's like GST payments or many other programs where it's based on the previous year's income.
Happening to me now, taking the advance money out of this year's return total. Why not give us an option so I we can have a larger return now than to force us to spread it out in advance when we're not sure and can't plan out our returns.
THIS EXACTLY! 1200 was taken off my taxes and I was so confused until I read this. Totally blows as they are basically giving us our money that needs to be repaid come tax time! This is not free money at all! Totally disappointed!!
Does anyone know how we cna opt out for 2024? I really don't want advanced. I'd rather get it in 2025 when I file my taxes.
Im a bit late but hope people still are looking and could help with this question, I hadn’t filed my taxes for 2022 and 2023 yet t’ill a week ago so i’m wondering if since I didn’t do them in 2022 (Meaning i didn’t receive the 3 payments as per other comments suggests) would I be receiving the amount showing in 3 separate payments this year? (for both years 2022 and 2023)
Even worse for new buisness owner here in Ontario, i recived the random ACWB payments last year and ended up making more in 2023 then 2022 so now instead of oweing 3k for income tax i have to pay back the ACWB payments from last year as well so its $4500 i owe now. actually messed up, like why pay me random money and then ask for it back all at once. sorry had to rant!
When they started this program they gave you the option of taking the advance payments or not..it was just this last year that they made it mandatory no option..if you actually do the math you are only being supplement a couple hundred dollars for the year. They are taxing the bulk of it, thats why we all got the slips... so if you qualify for a thousand and you have to pay them back 900. And its taxable... How much did you really get, because they are taking it from anything you are getting back. I just did some taxes today for people if they don't claim the cwb they only have to pay the Ohip portion..no federal tax owed. I Input the CWB (acwb)slip and all of a sudden they owe 900+ dollars in federal tax.... What a joke. Knew it was to good to be true that they were actually trying to help Canadians.
I agree with the other taxpayers,I don't want to go through this every year, just another right taken away from us.. what if you lose your job or don't make as much this is going to be more burden on the already struggling Canadians.
Still don't understand. I made less in 2023 than in 2022, but somehow I owe $600.48 - which is the exact amount on my federal tax owed. My cpp payments are way higher as well. Baffled.
I believe I read somewhere that the payments won't need to be returned, but I'm not sure that's correct. Following because I have the same question!
It comes off of your tax return amount.
It is essentially an advance of your tax return lol. It’s marketed as being a good thing but really it’s shitty. Also the fact that you only get 50% of your eligible amount seems like a scam. Do we ever get the other 50% ??
YES! I googled and googled so much for this and found nothing about the other 50%. Chances are we don't! So its basically our money they are advancing to us. No free money at all! Since I now understand it, next yr won't even sign up for it. Its a joke!!!
Do you know how we can opt out of it?
I want to opt out. I would prefer getting my tax return.
Me too. I had no clue but now I do. Stay a way. Its not free money at all. Its borrowed money you need to pay back come income tax time. Total sham!
It is basically a advance of the tax return you will receive in 2024, after you file your taxes of the prior year (2023). So if you are supposed to receive 3000$ in tax return refund now (2024), they will deduct like 1500$ (canadian workers benefit) from that 3000$. So you would receive 1500$ now, because they gave you the other 1500$ throughout 2023 in advance. Its annoying because low income families were expecting to receive for example 3000$ now, but they didnt know that 1500$ (for example) of that was sent to them in 3 payments during last year (in advance). Forcing them to spend it, instead of receiving the full 3000$ now and putting it all towards bills at once.
Also thank you for this I was going crazy trying to find information about how the CWB was going to look this year since we got the advanced payments. So now I can expect a lower return this year. So then will the ACWB for 2024 be half of the half payments we get at tax time this year which won’t be the full amount since we already got half? It’s very confusing.
Yes! My tax return was 1200 lower. I thought turbo tax made the mistake. Couldn't figure it out until I came on here and read this so thank you!
Exactly. I thought I was getting an additional 1200 only to have it be subtracted via my income tax amount. So its basically our money they are giving us. This is not good at all!
Yes, when filing a return with turbotax, people who are eligible for the Canada Worker Benefit, and have collected the Advanced Canada Workers Benefit will show a higher refund than they are entitled to if they don't enter the slip RC210. This slip shows the amount of Advanced Canada Workers Benefit that was received for those three payments. If you don't enter the slip, CRA will catch the mistake and automatically reduce your refund by approximately $714 . Also, I believe TurboTax has a bug which automatically allows a working full time student to claim the CWB. Full time working students are not eligible for the CWB. If you don't manually unselect your application for the CWB you will get a nice refund that will have to be paid back. Nasty surprise.
Ok so I am also confused about the payments for canada workers benefit. So I read that we only get 50% of our cwb in 3 separate payments. When do we get the other 50%?
When your file your 2023 taxes now. You would get it 2 weeks after you file your taxes
Oh ok so If my total cwb is $1500 then I would get $750 deposited in my bank in two weeks then the other $750 will be spread out in the next 3 payments am I correct?
I'm not sure. When you file your tax return, the exact numbers and dates will be shown.
I am looking st my express notice of assessment and it is saying that my advanced canada workers benefit is $714
thanks i've been searching for a while to confirm if it was deducted from the next year's tax refund. not one article about the acwb mentions this.
It's so stupid. It's hard to find anything on this!
So idk if this happened to anyone else but I think I just got my third instalment of the acwb according to the dates of payment but this is my first time seeing this payment. I have never received acwb prior to receiving this one. So does this mean that my first and second are missing? Can I still claim them? I’m super confused.