Why Is My GST/HST Payment Missing or Late? (CRA Troubleshooting Guide)

You checked your bank account on the 5th, and the money wasn't there. For millions of Canadians who rely on the GST/HST Credit to cover groceries or bills, a missing payment is an immediate financial emergency.

Before you panic—or spend three hours on hold with the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA)—you need to know that delays are common, and there is a specific protocol you must follow.

Live GST Status Check: Common Reasons for Payment Delays

This is the Direct Problem Solver Guide for missing 2026 GST payments. We break down exactly why your deposit might be late, when you are allowed to call the CRA, and the "silent" reasons the government may have kept your money.

Check the Schedule First

Are you sure today is a payment date? The GST/HST credit is only paid in January, April, July, and October. Check the official GST Payment Dates 2026 to confirm.

The Golden Rule: Wait 10 Business Days

This is the most frustrating rule, but it is strict.

The CRA will not help you if you call them the day after a missed payment. Their systems require a mandatory waiting period to allow for banking delays.

• The Rule: You must wait 10 business days after the scheduled payment date before contacting the CRA.
• The Math: If the payment was due January 5, 2026, you generally cannot open a trace request until January 19, 2026.

Why the delay?

Even with direct deposit, banks sometimes have processing lags. If you receive paper cheques, mail delays of 3-5 days are standard.

Reason 1: The "Set-Off" (Government Debt)

This is the #1 reason for "vanished" payments.

Did you know the government can legally take your GST cheque to pay off other debts you owe them? This is called a "Right of Set-Off." They do not need your permission to do this.

Common debts that trigger a set-off:

• Student Loans: Defaulted Canada Student Loans are frequently recovered this way.
• Tax Arrears: If you owe income tax from a previous year.
• Overpayments: If the CRA accidentally paid you too much Canada Child Benefit or CERB/CRB in the past, they will claw it back from your GST.

How to check:

Log in to CRA My Account. Look for a "Notice of Debt" or check your "Statement of Account." You will often see the GST payment listed as "Issued," followed immediately by a negative transaction transferring it to another government department.

Reason 2: You Got Married (or Common-Law)

The "Household Income" Trap.

The GST/HST Credit is calculated based on Family Net Income, not individual income.

• The Scenario: You were single and earning $30,000 (eligible). Your partner was earning $30,000 (eligible).
• The Change: You moved in together and ticked "Common-Law" on your tax return.
• The Result: Your combined household income is now $60,000. This is likely above the threshold for the GST credit.

The Fix:

There is no "fix" for this—it is the law. Once you are common-law, you lose the individual entitlement. However, if you recently separated, you must update your marital status immediately to restart your payments.

Reason 3: You Didn't File Your 2024 Taxes

No Tax Return = No Money.

The payments you receive in January 2026 and April 2026 are based entirely on the tax return you filed in Spring 2025 (for the 2024 tax year).

• If you forgot to file, or if you filed late and the CRA is still processing it, your GST payments are automatically paused.
• The Solution: File your taxes immediately. The CRA will issue you a retroactive "lump sum" payment for all the months you missed once your return is assessed.

Reason 4: The "Small Amount" Rule

Is your payment less than $50?

If your calculated GST credit is very small (less than $50 per quarter), the CRA does not send you four small cheques.

• What happens: They send you the entire annual amount in one single lump sum in July.
• The confusion: You might be expecting a cheque in October or January, but you already received that money back in July without realizing it covered the whole year.

Reason 5: Banking or Address Errors

The Boring Logistics.

• Closed Bank Account: Did you switch banks recently? If the CRA tried to deposit into a closed account, the money bounces back. The CRA then pauses all future payments until you call them.
• Moved House: If you receive paper cheques and moved without updating your address, your cheque is likely sitting in a "Undeliverable Mail" pile at the post office. The CRA will stop sending cheques after one is returned.

Action: Check your Direct Deposit settings in CRA My Account.

Reason 6: CRA Reviews & Audits

Sometimes, your account is flagged for a review. This is common if:

• You moved provinces frequently.
• Your child custody situation is unclear (affecting family size).
• Your income changed drastically.

In these cases, the CRA puts a "lock" on your benefits until you provide documents (like proof of address or birth certificates). You typically receive a letter asking for this info, but if you missed the letter, you just see the payments stop.

The "Uncashed Cheque" Secret: Finding Lost Money

Here is a scenario that happens more often than you think: The CRA did send your money, maybe two or three years ago, but you moved houses and the paper cheque was lost in the mail. Or maybe you stuck it in a drawer and forgot to cash it.

Did you know those cheques never truly "expire"?

The government holds onto that money for you indefinitely. There is currently over $1.4 Billion in uncashed CRA cheques sitting in federal accounts.

How to find if you are owed "Ghost Money":

1. Log into CRA My Account.
2. On the right-hand sidebar, look for a link that says "Uncashed cheques" (under "Related services").
3. The Surprise: If you see a list there, that is money you own.
4. The Fix: You can request a duplicate payment right there. The CRA will re-issue the funds via direct deposit within 2-4 weeks.

Pro Tip: This often happens to students who moved frequently during university. Check this section even if you think you are up to date—you might find a $200 grocery budget booster waiting for you.

Why Did My GST Amount Go Down? (The "Clawback" Explained)

Sometimes the payment isn't missing, but it is shockingly smaller than the GST Payment Schedule said it would be. If you were expecting $125 and only got $42, one of three things happened.

1. The "Income Creep"

The GST/HST credit is extremely sensitive to income changes.

• The Threshold: For every dollar you earn above roughly $42,000 (Family Net Income), the government claws back 5 cents of your credit.
• The Reality: If you got a small raise last year, or worked a bit of overtime, you might have inadvertently pushed yourself into the "Phase Out" zone. You didn't lose eligibility completely, but your cheque shrank.

2. The "Overpayment" Recovery

Did you receive the Advanced Canada Workers Benefit last year but end up earning too much money?

• When the CRA realizes they overpaid you for one benefit (like the CWB or CCB), they often recover that debt by "nipping" a little bit off your other benefits.
• Instead of taking your whole GST cheque (a full set-off), they might just deduct $50/month until the debt is paid.

3. Child Turning 19

This is a silent reduction.

• If you have a child who turned 19 recently, they are no longer calculated as a "dependent child" for your GST credit.
• The Shift: They stop boosting your cheque, and instead, they should start receiving their own independent GST cheque (if they file their taxes). Make sure they file!

Newcomers & International Students: The "First Payment" Delay

If you are new to Canada, the automated system often fails you.

• The Problem: You filed your taxes, but you still haven't received your GST credit.
• The Reason: The CRA computer doesn't know your "World Income" for the time before you arrived in Canada. Even if you earned $0 in your home country, the CRA needs you to officially declare that.

The Fix (Form RC151):

You usually need to fill out Form RC151 (GST/HST Credit Application for Individuals Who Become Residents of Canada).

• Without this form, the system assumes you are ineligible.
• Warning: Do not confuse this with the Canada Carbon Rebate. While you might get GST, you only get the Carbon Rebate if you live in specific provinces like Alberta or Ontario.

Can I Talk to a Real Person? (CRA Phone Hacks)

If you have checked your My Account and still can't figure out why your money is missing, you have to brave the phone lines.

The Number: 1-800-387-1193 (Benefit Enquiries)

The "Get a Human" Cheat Sheet:

The automated system is designed to keep you away from agents. Here is how to navigate it in 2026:

1. Select Language: English (1).
2. Authentication: It will ask for your SIN. Enter it.
3. The Menu: It will start listing menu options for "Dates" or "Amounts." Ignore these.
4. The Trick: Press "*" (Star) or "0" (Zero) often bypasses the menu. If the bot asks "What are you calling about?", say clearly: "Speak to an agent about missing payment."
5. Preparation: Do not call unless you have your 2024 Tax Return (the paper copy) in front of you. The agent will ask for a number from a specific line (e.g., "Read me line 10100") to verify your identity. If you don't have it, they will hang up.

Protection from "Cannibalization"

• Main Article: Focuses on "Late/Missing" (Broad intent).
• This Extension: Focuses on "Uncashed," "Lower Amount," "Newcomers," and "Phone Hacks" (Specific, troubleshoot-y intent).
• Result: These are different user searches. A user searching "CRA phone number" is different from a user searching "Why is my cheque late". You will capture both.

Step-by-Step: How to Fix It

If you have waited the 10 business days and checked the reasons above, here is your action plan.

Step 1: Check "My Account"

Log in to the CRA My Account portal.

1. Go to the "Benefits and credits" section.
2. Click on "GST/HST Credit".
3. Look at the status of the latest payment.
   • Status "Issued": The money was sent. Check your bank or debt set-offs.
   • Status "Pending": It is coming soon.
   • Status "Not Entitled": You make too much money (or your marital status changed).

Step 2: Call the Benefits Line

If the status says "Issued" but you don't have the money (and no debts), call the CRA.

• Phone Number: 1-800-387-1193
• Best Time: Tuesday to Thursday, early morning (8:15 AM local time).
• What to say: "I am calling to trace a missing GST payment. It has been more than 10 business days."

Need Cash While You Wait?

If a missing $100-$200 GST cheque has left you unable to pay a bill, you are in a vulnerable position. Waiting for a CRA trace can take weeks. You may need to look for immediate, short-term work.

👉 Find Daily Pay Jobs at BetterPayJobs.ca

About the Author

Jeff Calixte (MC Yow-Z) is a Canadian career researcher and digital entrepreneur who studies hiring trends, labour market data, and real entry-level opportunities across Canada. He specializes in simplifying the job search for newcomers, students, and workers using practical, up-to-date information.

Sources

1. Canada Revenue Agency: GST/HST Credit - Payment Dates
2. Government of Canada: Contact the CRA (Benefits & Credits)
3. CRA: Balance Owing & Collection (Set-offs)

Note

Official 2026 payment dates and benefit amounts are determined by the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) and provincial governments. While we strive to keep this information current, government policies and schedules are subject to change without notice. All data in this guide is verified against official CRA circulars at the time of publication and should be treated as an estimate. We recommend confirming the status of your personal file directly via CRA My Account or by calling the CRA benefit line at 1-800-387-1193.