Christopher Liew: Here are 5 tax credits and deductions Canadians are missing out on

Christopher Liew is a CFP®, CFA Charterholder and former financial advisor. He writes personal finance tips for thousands of daily Canadian readers at Blueprint Financial.

Every year, billions of dollars in tax credits and benefits go unclaimed in Canada. A Statistics Canada research paper published in 2025 found that paid employees left an estimated $212 million in Canada Workers Benefit unclaimed in a single year, and that’s just one type of credit.

Below, I’ll walk through five commonly missed tax credits and deductions that could put real money back in your pocket this filing season.

Why so many credits go unclaimed

Canada’s tax system has more than 400 credits and deductions, and even people who file every year are leaving money on the table.

An H&R Block Canada survey found that nearly four in 10 Canadians believe they have unclaimed benefits from prior returns, and the company’s Second Look service finds an average of nearly $3,000 per client.

I recently wrote about the 2026 tax brackets and the real opportunity this year isn’t just the lower-bottom rate: it’'s making sure you’re claiming every credit you’re entitled to.

1. The medical expense tax credit

If you paid out-of-pocket for anything medical in 2025, check whether it qualifies. The list of eligible expenses from the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) is surprisingly broad and includes: prescription sunglasses, therapy and mental-health services, travel costs for medical care at least 40 kilometres away, and even gluten-free food for those with celiac disease.

For 2025, you can claim eligible expenses exceeding three per cent of your net income, or $2,834: whichever is less. Here’s a tip many people miss: you can claim expenses from any 12-month period ending in 2025, not just the calendar year. It often makes sense for the lower-income spouse to claim the credit, since the threshold is based on net income.

2. The disability tax credit (DTC)

This one drives me crazy, because so many Canadians who qualify never apply. The disability tax credit is worth up to $10,138 for the 2025 tax year, with an additional supplement of up to $5,914 for children under 18.

Many people with conditions like ADHD, diabetes, or mental-health conditions qualify but don’t realize it. The CRA evaluates how your condition affects your daily life, not the diagnosis itself. The application requires a medical practitioner to complete Form T2201, but if approved, you can claim retroactively for up to 10 years. I’ve seen cases where that meant thousands of dollars in refunds.

Something new this year: working-age Canadians approved for the DTC may also qualify for the Canada Disability Benefit, which provides up to $200 per month ($2,400 per year), retroactive to July 2025.

3. The Canada Workers Benefit (CWB)

This is the credit that Statistics Canada’s research specifically flagged as massively underclaimed. For the 2025 tax year, single individuals can receive up to $1,633 and families up to $2,813. It’s fully refundable, meaning it can increase your refund even if you owe no tax. There’s also a disability supplement of up to $843.

To claim it, fill out Schedule 6 when you file. The CRA will often calculate it for you automatically, but if you don’t file at all, you miss out entirely. This is one of the biggest reasons filing matters, even when your income is very low.

4. The home buyers’ amount and home accessibility tax credit

There are two housing credits that fly under the radar. If you bought your first home in 2025, you can claim up to $10,000 through the home buyers’ amount, which translates to up to $1,500 in tax savings. You don’t need to be a first-time buyer in the strictest sense: if you haven’t owned a home in the previous four years, you qualify.

The home accessibility tax credit covers up to $20,000 in eligible expenses for seniors aged 65 and older, or anyone approved for the DTC who needs to make their home more accessible. That’s a credit of up to $2,900. Notably, the CRA allows you to claim both the home accessibility credit and the medical expense credit on the same qualifying renovation.

5. The new top-up tax credit

This one is brand new for the 2025 tax year. When the federal government reduced the lowest tax rate from 15 per cent to 14.5 per cent for 2025, it also reduced the rate used to calculate most non-refundable tax credits, which would have made some credits worth slightly less.

To fix this, Ottawa introduced the top-up tax credit on Line 34990, which maintains the 15 per cent rate for non-refundable credits claimed on amounts over $57,375. If you’re using tax software, make sure it’s picking this up. It’s a new addition this filing season that will remain in place through 2030.

Final thoughts

The Canadian tax system has a lot of support built in, but only if you claim it. Take the extra 30 minutes before you hit submit. And if you’ve missed credits in past years, remember you can amend returns going back a full decade.

Read more from Christopher Liew:

• Canada tax brackets 2026: What’s changed and how to pay less
• How Trump tariffs could affect Canadian stocks and investments
• How much should you have saved to retire at 60?
• How much income do you require to become a homeowner in Canada?