RC66 Proof of Care for Grandparents in Nova Scotia

Form RC66 is straightforward to fill out. The hard part comes when the CRA asks you to prove you're actually the one raising the child — especially when a birth parent is still receiving the Canada Child Benefit and refuses to cooperate.

What the CRA Is Looking For

The CRA needs to confirm that you meet the legal definition of "eligible individual" — the person who primarily fulfills the responsibility for the child's care and upbringing. The female-parent presumption in CRA guidance applies when two spouses or common-law partners live in the same home as the child; it does not automatically decide a grandparent's or other relative's claim. If you are the relative primarily caring for the child, apply with evidence of the child's residence and your care.

If the parent refuses to notify the CRA or disputes the change, submit at least two independent, third-party documents. "Independent" means from different sources — two letters from the same person won't satisfy the review.

Documents That Work

School attestation: A signed letter on school letterhead from the principal or guidance counsellor confirming that you are registered as the primary emergency contact and that you handle day-to-day care responsibilities. This can be useful evidence of your caregiving role.

Medical letter: A letter from the child's doctor, nurse practitioner, or public health nurse confirming they have personal knowledge that the child resides full-time with you. If you've been bringing the child to appointments, the provider can speak to this directly.

Third-party letters or declarations: Letters from landlords, religious leaders, community agency personnel, or neighbours attesting to your primary caregiving role can support evidence from school and medical sources.

Court order (if you have one): A parenting order under the Parenting and Support Act is strong evidence, but it's not required. School and medical letters are examples of third-party evidence you can submit; the CRA decides based on the evidence for your situation.

When the Parent Disputes the Transfer

If the birth parent tells the CRA they're still the primary caregiver, the agency opens a formal review. Both sides submit their evidence. The CRA makes an administrative determination based on each person's responsibility for the child's care and upbringing and the evidence about the child's residence.

Don't engage the parent directly over the benefit. Submit your documentation to the CRA and let the agency make the call. This avoids family conflict and keeps the process on an administrative track rather than a personal one.

Double-Claiming and Overpayments

If a child lives with you and another individual about equally—between 40% and 60% of the time—CRA generally treats this as shared custody. Both eligible individuals should apply, and each receives 50% of the amount they would have received with full-time care, based on their own adjusted family net income. If the child lives primarily with one caregiver, the CRA determines who is eligible for that period. State clearly on your RC66 when the care arrangement began.

Retroactive Claims

The CRA can backdate CCB payments up to 10 years from the date you apply. If you've been raising the child for two years without claiming, your retroactive payment could be substantial — potentially tens of thousands of dollars as a tax-free lump sum. The requirement: you and your spouse or partner must have filed tax returns for every year you're claiming.

The Nova Scotia kinship financial help guide includes a proof-of-care document checklist, a timeline for the RC66 process, and a written statement template — structured to give CRA reviewers exactly what they need.

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