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Disability Tax Credit for Life-Sustaining Therapy: Financial Support for Adults and Seniors
Managing a condition that requires life-sustaining therapy can be overwhelming. Between medical appointments, treatments, and equipment use, the hours spent each week managing your health can take a physical, emotional, and financial toll.
At Count Smart, we help Canadians who depend on regular, ongoing therapy to access the Disability Tax Credit (DTC). Our role is to guide you through the process of ensuring that your medical documentation and daily routines are properly presented to the CRA so you can receive the financial support you’re entitled to.
Does Life-Sustaining Therapy Qualify for the Disability Tax Credit?
Yes. The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) considers life-sustaining therapy eligible for the DTC if it is essential to sustain life, is performed at least three times per week, and totals at least 14 hours per week in therapy-related activities.
Examples of qualifying treatments may include:
- Insulin therapy for Type 1 diabetes
- Kidney dialysis (hemodialysis or peritoneal)
- Ventilator or oxygen therapy for chronic lung conditions
- Parenteral or enteral feeding for gastrointestinal disorders
- Oxygen for severe COPD
Eligibility is based on the amount of time spent administering, monitoring, and maintaining the therapy, not just the diagnosis. Tasks such as equipment setup, cleaning, preparation, and record-keeping can be counted toward the 14-hour weekly total.
How Life-Sustaining Therapy Impacts Daily Life
Adults and seniors who depend on life-sustaining therapy often spend significant portions of their day managing their treatment schedules. Whether it’s daily injections, oxygen management, or dialysis sessions, this level of medical commitment can limit independence and quality of life.
The Disability Tax Credit can provide crucial financial relief, helping offset medical expenses, transportation to appointments, or specialized equipment costs.
At Count Smart, we work with individuals and families to ensure their CRA applications clearly outline the time, frequency, and necessity of the therapy, maximizing their chances of approval.
What Medical Proof Is Required for Life-Sustaining Therapy
The CRA requires documentation that verifies the frequency, duration, and medical necessity of your therapy.
You’ll need:
- A Form T2201 completed by a licensed medical practitioner (such as an endocrinologist, nephrologist, pulmonologist, or family doctor)
- Details confirming the treatment is essential to sustain life
- Records showing therapy frequency and time requirements (minimum 14 hours per week)
- Supporting logs, clinic summaries, or care notes detailing daily procedures and monitoring
Count Smart assists by reviewing your documentation, ensuring the medical professional section accurately reflects your daily care requirements, and preparing the non-medical portions of your submission for CRA review.
What Financial Benefits Can You Expect
Approved DTC applicants may be eligible for:
- Up to $1,958 to $3,169 per year in non-refundable tax credits, depending on your province and income level
- Retroactive refunds for up to 10 years, if you were eligible in the past but hadn’t applied
- The ability to transfer unused credits to a spouse, caregiver, or family member who supports you financially
These refunds can help cover ongoing therapy supplies, travel, and medical support costs.
Schedule your free consultation with Count Smart today. We’ll review your situation and guide you through a smooth, CRA-ready DTC process.
How Count Smart Supports Your DTC Application
Applying for the Disability Tax Credit while managing regular medical treatment can feel daunting. That’s where Count Smart makes things easier.
We support you every step of the way:
- Free Eligibility Review – We assess your therapy schedule and determine if you meet CRA’s 14-hour threshold.
- Medical Coordination – We work with your healthcare provider to ensure all documentation is clear and complete.
- Document Preparation – We handle the non-medical portions of your submission and ensure it’s CRA-compliant.
- Ongoing Support – We monitor your file, respond to CRA requests, and assist with appeals when necessary.
Want to understand exactly how our process works?
Visit our How It Works page to learn how we guide Canadians through successful DTC applications.
Start Your Application Today
At Count Smart, we believe every Canadian relying on life-sustaining therapy deserves access to financial support that recognizes the time and effort required to manage their condition.
Our team ensures your DTC application is accurate, complete, and tailored to CRA requirements so you can focus on your health and recovery, not the paperwork.
Book your free consultation today and let Count Smart help you access the Disability Tax Credit for life-sustaining therapy.
FAQs: Life-Sustaining Therapy and the Disability Tax Credit
Yes. If you require a therapy that is vital to sustain life, such as insulin therapy, dialysis, or oxygen support and it requires at least 14 hours of therapy time per week, you may qualify. The CRA considers both the treatment time and related tasks, like preparation and cleaning of equipment.
CRA allows you to include the time spent directly performing the therapy and activities that are integral to it such as preparing equipment, administering medication, cleaning supplies, and recording health data. Travel to appointments and waiting periods do not count toward this total.
You’ll need a Form T2201 completed by a medical practitioner who confirms that your therapy is essential to sustain life and meets the CRA’s frequency and duration criteria. Supporting documents such as treatment logs or hospital summaries strengthen your application.
Approved applicants may receive $1,300 to $3,169 per year in non-refundable tax credits, depending on the province and tax return. You may also be eligible for retroactive refunds of up to 10 years. Unused credits can be transferred to a caregiver or spouse.
Yes. Many seniors receiving oxygen therapy, dialysis, or other ongoing treatments qualify under the life-sustaining therapy category. If your therapy is medically required and takes 14 or more hours per week, Count Smart can help organize your application and supporting documents.
Many claims are denied due to incomplete records or unclear time documentation. Count Smart can review your prior application, clarify missing details, and work with your doctor to strengthen your case for a successful reapplication or appeal.
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