BENEFITS · CANADA & U.S.

Government benefits you may be missing

Billions in benefits go unclaimed every year, mostly because people assume they will not qualify. Checking costs nothing but an hour, and the official tools below will tell you honestly.

Last reviewed 23 September 2026.

The categories worth checking

Money for families with children, housing and rent support, help with heating and utilities, food support, disability benefits, support for seniors, employment insurance or unemployment benefits, health coverage and prescription help, and training or education grants.

Also look at tax credits. Refundable credits pay out even when you owe no tax, and they are the ones most often missed.

Start with the official finders

Canada: the benefits finder on Canada.ca covers federal programs, and each province runs its own on top of that. Your CRA My Account shows what you are already receiving.

United States: Benefits.gov covers federal programs and points to state ones, and your state's human services department runs the rest.

File, even with no income

In Canada, child benefits, the GST/HST credit, provincial credits and several others are calculated from your return. No return, no payments, no matter what you qualify for on paper.

In the United States, some of the most valuable credits for low-income working households are only paid if a return is filed. Free filing help exists in both countries — use it rather than paying a percentage of your refund.

Prepare once, apply many times

Gather the same core set before you start: identification, social insurance or social security number, proof of address, recent income or tax documents, and bank details.

Most applications ask for the same things. Keeping them together — as My Vault does — turns a week of hunting into an afternoon of filling in forms.

If you are refused

Read the refusal letter for the actual reason; a great many refusals are missing documents rather than genuine ineligibility.

Every program has a review or appeal route with a deadline. Diarise the deadline the day you get the letter, and ask a community legal clinic or advocacy service for help — they do this every day and it is usually free.

Common questions

How do I find out which benefits I qualify for?

Use the official benefits finders: Canada.ca's benefits finder for Canada and Benefits.gov for the United States. Both ask about your situation and list programs to check. Your province or state will have its own list as well.

Do I have to file taxes to get benefits?

In Canada, yes — most benefits and credits are calculated from your tax return, so filing matters even with no income at all. In the United States, some credits are only paid if you file, including refundable credits available to people who owe no tax.

What documents do I usually need to apply?

Identification, your social insurance or social security number, proof of address, income information or a recent tax filing, and details for anyone else in the household you are claiming for. Bank details for direct deposit.

Is there help filling in the forms?

Yes, and it is free. Community organisations, settlement agencies, public libraries and free tax clinics help with applications in both countries. You should never pay a company a percentage to claim a government benefit for you.

Official sources

Eligibility rules change and vary by province, state and personal circumstance. Always confirm on the official government site or with the agency itself before relying on any figure.