Many Ontarians are about to get money on Friday, October 9 — the Ontario Trillium Benefit (OTB) lands a day early this month because October 10 is a Saturday. But here’s the thing: the CRA only pays it to people who filed a tax return. No return, no payment.

The OTB is one combined payment bundling three credits. Here’s what each part is worth this benefit year:

– Energy and property tax help: up to $1,307 a year if you’re under 65, up to $1,488 if you’re 65 or older.
– Sales tax relief: up to $378 per adult and per child under 19.
– Northern Ontario energy help: up to $189 for a single person, up to $290 for couples and single parents.

It’s paid monthly from July to June. If your total yearly amount is $500 or less, you usually got it as one lump sum back in July.

5 things to get right before Friday:

1. File your tax return. There is no separate application — your filed return IS the application. The CRA calculates your payment from what you filed. This is also why newcomers can qualify: what matters is being a tax resident of Ontario, not citizenship.

2. Don’t skip the ON-BEN page. The energy and property tax part only arrives if your return included the ON-BEN schedule with your rent, property tax, or energy costs. One missed page of your return, and that money is gone.

3. Only one spouse claims it. If you’re married or common-law, pick one of you to claim the OTB for the family.

4. Update CRA if anything changed. Moved? New bank account? Marital status changed? Update CRA My Account before the deposit, or the money goes to the wrong place. Direct deposit recipients get it on October 9; cheques take several more days.

5. Prefer one lump sum? If your annual entitlement is more than $500, you can choose a single payment in June 2027 instead of monthly — there’s a checkbox for that on the return (box 61060).

Haven’t filed this year, or missed a year? That’s exactly the situation that quietly costs people benefits like this one. TFB Tax & Bookkeeping files personal tax returns from $89. FEIFEI 437-879-6899, taxfinbiz.com