Are you taking advantage of every Government benefit you may be eligible for?Whitney Deane is a Senior Accountant at Millards Professional Accountants in Brantford. She is careful to provide every possible benefit to her clients but she knows that not everyone is aware of the the programs and services being offered by the Government of Canada.

 “Navigating the system can be daunting for many people. Understanding the programs and services being offered to you is important and we encourage all Canadians to review the benefits available to them.”

 Service Canada provides a useful website which assists Canadians in obtaining a customized list of benefits for which they may be entitled. The information includes Federal and Provincial as well as Territorial benefits.

 “Just visit the Government of Canada web site at www.canadabenefits.gc.ca and use the Benefits Finder to initiate a search.”

 The process begins with answering some basic questions about your location, age, marital and employment status. You’ll also be asked about your health, education and housing situation.

 “The questionnaire also addresses other unique factors such as whether the individual is a newcomer to Canada, interested in starting a business, or is a health care worker.”

 The Benefits Finder does not require or collect any personal information.

 Deane encourages people to try the online calculator, even if they are confident that they already receive the maximum benefits.

 “It’s possible that you are already taking advantage of the programs and services for which you are eligible. The point of the web site is to ensure that you are and possible identify benefits that you just might be missing out on. It’s a simple process and you might discover an opportunity that you were not aware of simply by spending a few minutes on the site.”