What is an eligible dependant amount?
This used to be called the Equivalent-to-Spouse amount. If you were a single parent, you couldn't claim a spousal amount. Instead you were allowed to claim one of your children as an equivalent-to-spouse. This didn't really make sense. Your child isn't the equivalent to your spouse. In 2002, CCRA changed this to the Eligible Dependant Amount.

What about the donations credit?
To encourage Canadians to give to good causes, the government allows us to use some of the money we give to gain a tax credit. You have to keep the receipts and you can usually only claim for amounts you give to a Canadian organization. People often come to the door asking for money for a good cause. If you decide to give money, make sure you get a receipt. Then you can have a credit to set against your tax.

Can I claim medical expenses?
Not all of them. The government feels that it is reasonable to expect us to pay 3% of our income towards medical expenses. If you had to pay more than that, you can include the extra amount in your non-refundable tax credit calculations. You can claim a wide variety of medical expenses from drugs to dentures. Check the CCRA Guide to see just what you can claim as a medical expense.