Eligible Income Calculations

  • Starting in May 2025, PDRAP will be issued based on actual earnings and debt payments, NOT projected as has been the case in past years. If you have any questions, please contact the  Financial Aid office.
  • The Basic Income Level is set each year and is adjusted for inflation.  The level for 2024 is $72,760. In 2025, you will be applying for assistance based on your 2024 income and debt payments.
  • Additional expenses (see below) are taken into consideration, and the applicant's income is adjusted to reflect them
  • If the Applicant's actual income (from the prior year's Notice of Assessment, line 15000) is over their Adjusted Basic Income, the Applicant is expected to contribute 30% of the difference to their debt obligations
  • Participants must report the total cumulative value of gifts, inheritances, or other financial windfalls received by the household if they exceed $10,000 in value in a calendar year. The cumulative amount over $10,000 will be added to the participant’s or spouse’s income for the year. 
  • To determine a participant’s PDRAP eligibility, annual gross income will be calculated as follows:
    • Canadian Income Tax Return Line 15000  (Gross income)
    • Add/Deduct Line 12700 (taxable capital gains)
    • Deduct Line 21200 (Union and Professional Dues)
    • Deduct Line 21400 (Child Care Expenses)* 
    • Participants who own businesses will need to provide business income statements, balance sheets and tax filing information in addition to personal tax information

*Childcare Expenses: PDRAP recognizes professional childcare expenses per the CRA rules. This means that eligible childcare expenses will be deducted from the participant’s or the partner’s income, depending on who has the lower income in the household. Payments do not qualify as childcare expenses if made to the child's parent or guardian. 

Adjustments to the Basic Income Level

  • Dependents
    • Dependents are elderly parents or children under the age of 18 who are supported by the PDRAP participants
    • Payments for child care expenses can be deducted from the lower income in the household (participant's or partner's). The childcare expenses can not be to the parent or guardian of the child
    • An allowance of $5,000 is made for each eligible dependent, thus increasing the Basic Income Level
  • Pre-Law loans
    • PDRAP participants who have pre-law loans will have annual payments (monthly payments times 12) added to the Basic Income Level up to $4,000 per year
  • Additional deductions, i.e. Professional fees
    • Bar admission expenses if not covered/reimbursed by the employer
    • Law Society fees, if not covered by the employer
  • Spouse/Partner's income
    • Participants who are married or have common-law partners will be required to submit their partner's income tax information, which will be included in calculating the Basic Income Level
    • If the spouse's income is less, it will not be considered
    • If the partner/spouse has a higher income than the applicant, the partner's eligible loans (i.e. the annual payments on government loans) will be deducted from their income, and the two incomes will be averaged