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The
Children's Fitness Credit:
Many parents may be looking forward to claiming the new Children's
Fitness Credit on their 2007 return. The credit is meant to help
children get active and stay fit. However, there are some guidelines
for claiming the credit:
- The maximum
credit is $500 to cover registration costs for each child under
the age of 16 at any time during the year of an eligible program.
- An eligible
program is defined as "an ongoing, supervised program,
suitable for children, in which substantially all of the activities
undertaken include a significant amount of physical activity
that contribute to cardio-respiratory endurance, plus one or
more of muscular strength, muscular endurance, flexibility and
balance."
- Eligible
programs would typically include sports such as hockey, soccer,
karate, football, basketball, swimming, hiking, horseback riding
and sailing.
- Activities
that involve motorized vehicles as a central component are not
eligible.
- Activities
that involve motorized vehicles as a central component are not
eligible.
- The program
must last at least eight weeks at a minimum of one session per
week. For children under the age of 10, the session needs to
last at least 30 minutes. For children 10-16, the activity must
last an hour.
- Your receipt
needs to indicate the organization's name and address, the eligible
activity, child's name and child's year of birth, and the amount
you paid for the program. The organization responsible for the
activity should issue you a receipt for tax purposes.
- The portion
of a family membership covering a child's participation in an
eligible program will be eligible as well as extracurricular
programs that take a place at a school.
- Children
with disabilities are eligible for a $1,000 credit up the age
of 18. The additional credit takes into account the extra costs
that children with disabilities encounter when they become involved
in programs of physical activity, notably with regard to specialized
equipment, transportation and attendant care.
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to the "What's New for 2007" List
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