Alberta Child Benefit 2026 | Payment Dates & Amounts

Alberta Child Benefit Payment Dates 2026

If the 27th falls on a weekend/holiday, payment is made the last business day before.

ACB Maximum Amounts

Income Thresholds

Full Benefit

Phase-Out

ACB by Income Level (1 Child)

ACB by Income Level (2 Children)

Eligibility Requirements

How to Apply

No separate application required — if you receive CCB and file Alberta taxes, ACB is calculated automatically.

If Not Receiving ACB

ACB + CCB Combined

Total monthly/quarterly child benefits for Alberta families, including federal CCB:

Example: 2 Children Under 6, $50,000 Income

Example: 3 Children, $40,000 Income

ACB vs Other Provincial Benefits

Changes to ACB

Common Questions

Is ACB Taxable?

No — the Alberta Child Benefit is non-taxable and not included in income.

Shared Custody

If you share custody 50/50:

• Both parents receive 50% of ACB
• Based on each parent’s income

Child Turns 18

ACB stops the month after child’s 18th birthday.

What makes the Alberta Child Benefit different from other provinces

The Alberta Child Benefit (ACB) is structured differently from child benefits in other provinces in a few key ways:

1. Quarterly payments — unlike the federal CCB (monthly) and BC’s benefit (monthly), the ACB is paid four times per year
2. Two-tier threshold system — full benefit stops at a relatively low income, then phases out over a second band; this creates sharp phase-out effects for families between $43,460 and $63,395
3. Based on family income — CRA calculates ACB using the combined family net income from your previous-year tax return, the same income used for the CCB

No application: ACB is automatically calculated when you qualify for CCB and file taxes as an Alberta resident. You do not need to apply separately.

Alberta Child Benefit and social assistance

If you are receiving Alberta social assistance (AISH or Income Support), your children may still receive the ACB — it is generally not clawed back by Alberta social assistance programs because it flows directly from the federal CRA system. Check with your Alberta Income Support worker to confirm your specific situation.

ACB on a non-tax year: the 11-month rule

The ACB benefit year runs from July to June — the same as the federal CCB. If you did not file your tax return by spring, CRA may not have the income information needed to calculate your Q1 July payment. If you file late, the ACB will be retroactively calculated and you will receive a catch-up payment.

Unlike some provincial benefits, missed ACB quarters are generally paid retroactively when the return is eventually filed. However, there is a time limit — contact CRA if you believe ACB payments were missed for a prior year.

Related Resources

• CCB Calculator
• CCB Payment Dates
• Alberta Income Tax Calculator
• Climate Action Incentive