Alberta Child and Family Benefit payment dates and amounts

When is the Alberta Child and Family Benefit paid in 2026?

The Alberta Child and Family Benefit (ACFB) is paid quarterly, in February, May, August and November. The 2026 dates published on the Canada.ca benefits calendar are February 27, May 27, August 27 and November 27. The only 2026 payment still to come is November 27.

The August payment is the first one calculated with 2025 income and the new July 2026 rates. If your amount changed between May and August, that switch is the reason.

ACFB payment dates for 2027: not yet announced

The CRA has not yet published the 2027 ACFB dates. It normally adds the next year to the benefits calendar late in the year, and this page will list them once they appear.

Projection only: the 2026 payments all fell on the 27th. If the CRA keeps that pattern and moves weekend dates to the Friday before, the 2027 payments would land on February 26, May 27, August 27 and November 26, 2027. February 27 and November 27, 2027 are Saturdays. Treat these as estimates, not official dates.

How much is the Alberta Child and Family Benefit?

The Alberta Child and Family Benefit amount has two parts. Every eligible family can get the base component, and families with employment or self-employment income can add the working component. Amounts below are for July 2026 to June 2027, as listed by the CRA.

Because the benefit is paid four times a year, each deposit is one quarter of the annual figure. A family with one child receiving the full base and working amounts ($2,311 a year) gets about $577.75 per quarterly payment. A family with two children at the maximum ($3,787 a year) gets about $946.75 per payment.

Base component and working component explained

Base component

The base component goes to lower-income families whether or not anyone works. The full amount is paid when adjusted family net income (AFNI) is $28,116 or less. Above that, it shrinks, and the CRA lists partial base amounts for incomes between $28,116 and $47,115.

Working component

The working component is for families with working income above $2,760. The CRA lists the maximums per child; the component is not reduced until AFNI passes $47,115, so it reaches further up the income scale than the base component.

Example: the same family at two incomes

Take an Edmonton couple with two children. If their 2025 AFNI was $26,000, all of it from work, they are under both thresholds and can receive up to $3,787 for the year. If their AFNI was $52,000, the base component is gone, and the working component is being reduced because income is above $47,115. The CRA's notice shows the exact reduced figure.

Why is the ACFB paid separately from the CCB?

Alberta chose a quarterly schedule for its benefit, while most other provinces merge their child benefit into the monthly Canada Child Benefit. So an Alberta family sees the CCB around the 20th each month and a separate ACFB deposit around the 27th in four months of the year.

You still do not need to apply for the ACFB. The CRA assesses every Alberta family that is receiving the CCB, using the tax returns of both parents. If you have not applied for the CCB, doing so covers the ACFB as well; the monthly federal dates are on CCB payment dates.

Families moving from British Columbia notice the difference quickly: the BC Family Benefit arrived in the monthly CCB deposit, while the ACFB comes four times a year.

What to do if your ACFB payment does not arrive

1. Wait 5 working days after the payment date. For the November 27, 2026 payment, that means waiting until December 4.
2. Check My Account for the amount and whether it went by direct deposit or cheque.
3. Make sure both you and your spouse or common-law partner filed a 2025 return. A missing return stops the ACFB from August.
4. Confirm your address and banking details are current, then contact the CRA if the payment is still missing.

More general steps are on benefit payment not received. Alberta seniors have a separate provincial program, covered on Alberta Seniors Benefit, and every province's family payments are compared on provincial and territorial benefits.