CRA Benefit Review Letter for Grandparents: How to Respond and Keep Your CCB
Why the CRA Sends Benefit Review Letters
Receiving a letter from the CRA's Validation and Controls department is unsettling, but it doesn't mean you've done anything wrong. The CRA runs periodic reviews on Canada Child Benefit accounts to verify that payments are going to the correct person. When a parent is still receiving CCB for the child, the CRA may flag an overlapping claim and request evidence from both parties.
The letter typically asks you to confirm that the child still lives with you and to provide documentation proving you remain the primary caregiver. It states the deadline for your response.
What Triggers a Review
Several situations prompt the CRA to review a grandparent's CCB account:
- Overlapping claims — the biological parent files their own application or tax return listing the child as a dependant
- Periodic validation reviews — the CRA checks benefit files to verify entitlement and prevent duplicate claims
A review means the CRA wants updated proof to verify the claim. Follow the response instructions in the letter.
The Letter's Deadline Is Real
Use the response deadline stated in the letter. If you cannot provide the documents by then, contact the CRA using the instructions in the letter before the deadline.
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What Evidence to Send
The CRA is looking for the same third-party proof of primary care that you submitted with your original application — current versions. Strong responses include:
- A current letter from the child's school confirming enrollment at your address and listing you as the primary contact
- Medical records or a doctor's letter showing the child registered at your address under your care
- Daycare or after-school program registration
- If applicable, a letter from a social worker or kinship support worker confirming the child's living arrangement
If you have a court order or custody agreement, include a copy. It's not required, but it strengthens your file.
Use the submission method stated in the letter and keep proof of what you sent and when. If you submit through CRA My Account, save the confirmation screen.
What Happens During the Review
For an overlapping claim, the CRA sends written notices to both claimants. The parent is asked whether the child still lives with them, and you are asked to provide proof of primary care. If the parent does not respond within 30 days or cannot show ongoing residence, the CRA terminates the parent's entitlement and grants your claim back to the established care-start date. The CRA does not reduce your entitlement to recover an overpayment owed by the parent.
The CRA may request additional documents. Follow the deadline in each request and keep copies of the documents you submit.
How to Prevent Future Freezes
Keep a rolling evidence file. Every September (when school starts), get an updated letter from the child's school confirming enrollment and your address. Keep medical appointment records throughout the year. If anything about your household changes — address, marital status, another child moving in or out — report it to the CRA within the month following the change.
Filing your tax return on time every year is the simplest prevention measure. If you or your spouse miss the T1 filing deadline, the CRA automatically suspends CCB payments starting in July, regardless of whether a review is active.
Our kinship caregiver guide includes a CRA communication log for tracking every letter, call, and submission, plus a review response checklist so you can assemble your evidence package quickly when a letter arrives.
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Download the Canada Child Benefit Kinship Checklist — a printable guide with checklists, scripts, and action plans you can start using today.