Personal Deductions

Personal deduction terms that can reduce net income or taxable income on a Canadian return.

Personal deductions are amounts that can reduce income before taxable income is calculated.

What Belongs Here

Use this subsection when the question is about a claim that lowers income before tax is calculated, not a credit that reduces tax payable later in the return.

Best Starting Pages

Practical Reader Path

In practice, readers often move through this subsection in this order:

  1. identify the deduction itself
  2. understand where it affects net income
  3. compare the result with taxable income and tax credits

If you are really asking whether a claim reduces income or reduces tax payable, compare this subsection with Personal Credits.

If the question is really about work-related costs, move to Employment Expenses.

In this section

  • Child Care Expenses
    Child care expenses are a deduction category with specific Canadian rules, not a general family-benefit payment.
  • Moving Expenses
    Moving expenses are deductible only when a move meets the Canadian tax conditions tied to work, business, or study.
  • RRSP Deduction
    The RRSP deduction reduces income for eligible RRSP contributions up to the taxpayer's available deduction limit.
Revised on Friday, April 24, 2026