Filing Your Return -> Basic Personal Amount Tax Credit

Line 30000 Basic Personal Amount (BPA) Tax Credit

Note: Before tax year 2019, line 30000 was line 300.

Income Tax Act s. 118(1), 118(1.1)

The basic personal amount (BPA) before enhancement is $12,421 for 2021, increased by indexation to $12,719 for 2022.

Enhanced Basic Personal Amount for 2020 & Later Years

On December 9, 2019, the federal government presented legislative proposals that would provide an additional amount of BPA for 2020 and later years, increasing the BPA to $15,000 for 2023.  The "additional amount" is gradually reduced when net income (line 23600) is in excess of the bottom of the fourth tax bracket of $150,473 (in 2020).  The additional amount is reduced to zero when income reaches the bottom of the 5th tax bracket of $214,368 (in 2020). The proposed legislation also provides for increases to the spousal and eligible dependant amount tax credits.  See the current tax rate tables for Canada for the current bracket amounts.

This measure was included in Bill C-30, Income Tax Amendment Act 2021, No. 1.

The result of the additional amount is the following maximum basic personal amounts:

The amount of $15,000 will be indexed for 2024 and subsequent taxation years.

The additional amount of BPA is $931 for 2020 ($13,229 - $12,298).

When net income (line 23600) exceeds $150,473, the $931 is reduced until income reaches $214,368 and the additional amount is zero.  In other words, the additional amount is reduced by 1.45708% ($931 / ($214,368 - $150,473) of income over $150,473.  Assume income of $165,000 for this example:

Additional BPA:

 = $931 - $931 x ($165,000 - $150,473) / ($214,368 - $150,473)

 = $931 - $931 x $14,527 / $63,895

 = $931 - $931 x 0.227357

 = $719.33

Therefore, the total BPA will be $12,298 + $719.33 = $13,017.33.

The additional tax credit is $719.33 x 15% = $107.90.

The maximum additional tax credit is $931 x 15% = $139.65.

See the tax rate tables for Canada for the effect on the marginal tax rates.

In June 2020 Yukon tabled legislation to mirror the federal changes to the BPA, spousal, and eligible dependant amounts.

The Canadian Tax Calculator includes the calculation of the additional basic personal, spousal and eligible dependant amounts.

TaxTips.ca Resources

Tables of Marginal Tax Rates - includes basic personal amount

Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) Resources

Revised: November 28, 2021