CRA Unclaimed Payments Up to $1,800: How Canadians Can Check If They’re Owed Money

• The CRA reported 10,833,150 uncashed cheques worth $1.878 billion as of July 2026.

• Canadians can check eligible uncashed CRA cheques through the Uncashed cheques section of My Account.

• The widely reported $1,800 figure is not a guaranteed payment; the amount depends on each person’s unpaid refund, credit, or benefit.

What the CRA unclaimed-payment story means

Some Canadians may have old Canada Revenue Agency payments that were never deposited or cashed. These can include tax refunds, GST/HST credits, Canada Child Benefit payments, Canada Worker’s Benefit payments, and certain provincial or territorial credits administered through the CRA.

As of July 2026, the CRA reported 10,833,150 uncashed cheques with a combined value of $1.878 billion. That works out to an average of roughly $173 per cheque, although individual amounts can be much smaller or substantially larger.

The “up to $1,800” wording used in some online headlines should not be interpreted as a new $1,800 benefit that every Canadian can claim. The CRA does not promise a standard payment of that amount. Your possible payment depends on whether the agency previously issued money to you, the type of payment, and whether the cheque remains outstanding.

Who may have money waiting?

You may want to check if you:

• Moved and did not update your address with the CRA.
• Changed banks or closed the account used for government payments.
• Received a paper cheque but forgot to deposit it.
• Were entitled to a tax refund, credit, or benefit after filing a tax return.
• Have not reviewed your CRA records for several years.
• Are managing the tax affairs or estate of someone who has died.

Old Government of Canada cheques do not automatically expire. If you still have a cheque, the CRA says it can generally be cashed at a financial institution in Canada at no charge. If the cheque was lost, damaged, stolen, or never received, you may need to request a replacement.

How to check for CRA unclaimed payments online

The fastest option for most individuals is CRA My Account. You need full access to your account to view uncashed cheques and request the personalized paperwork needed for a replacement.

1. Sign in to CRA My Account through the official Canada.ca website.
2. Open the “Overview” page or the “Accounts and payments” section.
3. Select “Uncashed cheques.”
4. Review the payment details, including the cheque date, amount, and payment type.
5. Download and print the pre-filled Undertaking and Indemnity form, also known as Form PWGSC 535, for each cheque you want replaced.
6. Complete the remaining fields, then sign and date the form by hand.
7. Submit the form through My Account’s “Submit documents” service, following the CRA’s document-submission instructions.

The online tool generally shows personal CRA cheques that are more than six months old. It can include tax refunds, tax credits, and benefit payments. It does not show every type of payment.

Payments that may not appear online

Contact the CRA if the payment is less than six months old, was sent by direct deposit, relates to a business or trust, or involves certain COVID-19 payments. Direct deposits cannot be listed as uncashed cheques because no paper cheque was issued.

If you believe a direct deposit went to the wrong account, was returned, or never arrived, ask the CRA to investigate the missing payment instead of requesting a cheque replacement.

What to do if you find an uncashed cheque

If you still have the original cheque and it is readable, take it to a Canadian bank or credit union. Government of Canada cheques can generally be cashed without a fee at financial institutions in Canada.

If the cheque is lost, stolen, damaged, or no longer usable, request a duplicate payment. The CRA provides a personalized Form PWGSC 535 because the form includes information specific to the payment. Do not rely on a blank copy found elsewhere online.

For each cheque, fill in the remaining information, sign and date the form by hand, and return it using the CRA’s accepted submission method. An incorrect or incomplete form can delay the replacement process.

How to contact the CRA if My Account does not show anything

For personal income tax refunds or payments made to a trust, call 1-800-959-8281. For individual credit and benefit payments, including certain COVID-19 benefit payments, call 1-800-387-1193.

People calling from Yukon, the Northwest Territories, or Nunavut may have different numbers. Callers outside Canada and the United States should use the number listed on the CRA’s official uncashed-cheque page.

Have your Social Insurance Number, tax information, previous addresses, and details about the expected payment available. The CRA may need to verify your identity before discussing a payment.

Could filing a tax return unlock other benefits?

An uncashed cheque is different from a benefit you never applied for or a credit you never received. In many cases, the CRA uses tax-return information to calculate eligibility for benefits and credits. If you have not filed a required return, you may not receive all the payments for which you qualify.

Check your CRA account for missing notices, benefit-payment information, and reassessments. If a payment was never issued because the CRA did not have the information needed to assess your eligibility, filing or correcting a return may be necessary. This is separate from replacing an already-issued cheque.

Canada and the United States: what differs?

For Canadians

The CRA uncashed-cheque service applies to payments issued by Canada’s federal tax agency. Use CRA My Account or contact the CRA directly. Do not provide banking information through a link in an unexpected text message or email.

For people in the United States

The CRA does not issue payments to people solely because they live in the United States. U.S. residents with Canadian tax accounts, Canadian income, or past Canadian benefits may still need to contact the CRA about a specific Canadian payment.

For a U.S. federal tax refund, use the IRS “Where’s My Refund?” tool or an IRS Online Account. You will generally need your Social Security number or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number, filing status, tax year, and exact refund amount. For broader unclaimed property, search the official unclaimed-property program in every state where you have lived or done business. Most states also participate in the NAUPA-supported MissingMoney.com search.

How to avoid CRA unclaimed-payment scams

Scammers often use claims about “urgent CRA payments,” surprise refunds, or expiring benefits to collect personal and banking information. The CRA will not ask you to click an unexpected link to receive an unclaimed payment.

• Type Canada.ca into your browser instead of using a message link.
• Sign in to My Account only through the official Canada.ca site.
• Never share your CRA password, security code, or online-banking login.
• Be cautious of callers demanding gift cards, cryptocurrency, or immediate payment.
• Verify a suspected CRA contact using the phone number published on Canada.ca.

The safest first step is simple: sign in to My Account and look specifically for “Uncashed cheques.” If nothing appears, contact the CRA through an official phone number rather than responding to an unsolicited message.

Helpful Links

• IRS refund information – U.S. taxpayers can check federal refund status, access an IRS Online Account, or start a refund trace.
• NAUPA unclaimed property search – Search official state and provincial unclaimed-property databases for money held outside the CRA or IRS.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Is the CRA sending everyone a payment of up to $1,800?

A. No. The reported $1,800 figure is not a guaranteed new benefit or standard CRA payment. Only people with an unpaid eligible refund, credit, benefit, or other CRA payment may be able to recover money, and the amount varies.

Q. Can I claim an old CRA cheque if I found it years later?

A. Generally, yes. Government of Canada cheques do not automatically expire. If the cheque is damaged or cannot be deposited, contact the CRA for instructions on obtaining a replacement.

Q. Why can’t I see my missing CRA direct deposit in the uncashed-cheque section?

A. The online section is for paper cheques, not direct deposits. If a direct deposit was sent to the wrong account, returned, or never arrived, contact the CRA and ask for a payment investigation.

Q. Do I have to pay a fee to search for CRA or U.S. unclaimed money?

A. The official CRA service is free. In the United States, searches through official state unclaimed-property websites are also free. Be cautious of companies demanding an upfront fee or requesting sensitive information before showing proof of a claim.

Q. Can someone check a deceased family member’s CRA payment?

A. Yes, but access is restricted. The legal representative or person managing the deceased individual’s tax affairs must follow the CRA’s process for representing someone who has died and depositing any replacement payment into the estate account.