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Returning Member
posted Apr 21, 2020 4:23:29 PM

Ontario Childcare Access and Relief from Expenses tax credit (LIFT)

I was surprised to find that Turbotax had imputed a $2,000 "Childcare Access and Relief from Expenses" tax credit to an Ontario tax return I was doing for a married couple. I did not use Easy Step, which probably led to my error. Turbotax credited the lower income spouse with an Ontario refundable tax credit of $2,000 being 25% of Child Care expenses of $8,000. I was unaware that this calculation had been made until after Netfiling. I had not realized Schedule ON479-A had been introduced by TurboTax. Therefore, I had not input the substantial income of the other supporting spouse; a "Review" alert of this schedule would have caused me to review boxes that I needed to fill in.  This is a new Ontario benefit. I suggest that it be alerted during the Review process. 

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1 Replies
Level 15
Apr 27, 2020 10:29:44 AM

The ON479-A schedule for calculating the new Ontario Childcare Access and Relief from Expenses Credit (ONCARE) is a new credit that was introduced and TurboTax had to include this form in accordance with CRA.

 

When completing this form using the TurboTax CD/Download version in the Forms View, it's important that you complete the ON479-A form while viewing the tax return for the lower-income earner who is claiming the ChildCare Expenses. 

 

While on the form itself, you need to select that there is a "supporting person" and that person is your spouse in order for the credit to calculate based on the combined family income.

 

Your suggestion to have a warning or error message come up in the Review section has been duly noted. We agree and will forward this suggestion to our development team requesting that some sort of notification be added to the software.