FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

TAKE A LOOK AT SOME OF OUR FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS. IF YOU’RE LOOKING FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT US RIGHT AWAY. WE’D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE.

WHERE CAN I GET A TAX RETURN AND GUIDE?

You can find one on the internet, in person, or by phone. Read more for detailed instructions.

On the Internet

  • You can get the General Income Tax and Benefit Package online. These forms and schedules are also available in multiple formats that can be accessed by persons who are blind or partially sighted. The package will not be sent until February.

In person

  • You can get the General guide and forms book for your province or territory and return envelope from any post office or Service Canada office near you between February and early May.
  • If your local postal outlet or Service Canada office is out of stock, please check back later. They are continuously restocked.

By phone

  • Starting early February, you can have a printed copy of the General guide and forms book mailed to you by calling 1-800-959-8281.

WHEN IS MY T1 RETURN DUE?

Generally, your return has to be filed on or before April 30th.

  • Please Note:
    • If you file your return after April 30th, your GST/HST credit (including any related provincial credits), Canada child tax benefit payments (including related provincial or territorial payments), and old age security benefit payments may be delayed.
  • Self-employed persons
    • If you or your spouse or common-law partner carried on a business in the past year (other than a business whose expenditures are primarily in connection with a tax shelter), your return has to be filed on or before June 15th. However, if you have a balance owing, you have to pay it on or before April 30th.
  • Exception to the due date of your return
    • When the due date falls on a Saturday, a Sunday, or a holiday recognized by the CRA, we consider your return to be filed on time if we receive it or it is postmarked on the next business day.
  • Deceased persons
    • If you are the legal representative (the executor, administrator, or liquidator) of the estate of a person who died in the past year, you may have to file a return for that person. For more information about your filing requirements and options and to know what documents are required, see  Guide T4011, Preparing Returns for Deceased Persons, and Information Sheet RC4111, What to Do Following a Death. The due date for the final return will depend on the date of death and whether or not the deceased or his or her spouse or common-law partner carried on a business in the previous year.

WHAT IF I DON’T HAVE ALL OF MY INFORMATION SLIPS?

If you have to file a return for the previous year, file it on time even if some slips or receipts are missing.

If you know you will not be able to get a slip on time to file your return, or you do not receive them, and you are registered for the CRA My Account for Individuals service, you may be able to view your tax information online. Otherwise, attach a note to your paper return stating the payer’s name and address, the type of income involved, and what you are doing to get the slip. Use your pay stubs or statements to estimate the income to report and any related deductions and credits you can claim. Attach the pay stubs or statements to your paper return. If you are filing electronically, keep all of your documents in case the CRA ask to see them at a later date. Carwin Tax will advise you the client with this matter.

WHAT IS THE DEADLINE FOR MAKING DEDUCTIBLE REGISTERED RETIREMENT SAVINGS PLAN (RRSP) CONTRIBUTIONS FOR THE PREVIOUS TAX YEAR?

You must make your contribution within the first 60 days of the new year. April 30th is the deadline for contributing to an RRSP for the tax year.
December 31 of the year you turn 71 years of age is the last day you can contribute to your own RRSP.

HOW CAN I FILE A T1 RETURN ELECTRONICALLY USING EFILE?

EFILE for individuals (with or without a business)

  • EFILE is a service that lets authorized service providers and discounters send income tax return information to the CRA directly from the software used to prepare the tax return.
  • You simply take your documents to a registered tax preparer and, who, for a fee, will prepare your return and send it to the CRA electronically using EFILE. Contact Carwin Tax Ltd to learn more

What are the benefits of EFILE?

  • Faster refunds – Since EFILE cuts out several manual steps, we can process most electronic returns in about two weeks.
  • Improved accuracy – Before we accept a return for processing, we perform a series of computer checks and balances. This results in greater accuracy.
  • Paperless – There are no paper returns to file and, unless we ask for receipts, none are needed. With few exceptions, EFILE is an environmentally friendly, paperless system.
  • Ease of mind – You have Carwin Tax prepare your taxes for you and you authorize them to represent you as an electronic provider.
  • Ease of payment – Individuals can file early and do not have to pay an amount owing until April 30.

HOW CAN I FIND OUT THE STATUS OF MY TAX REFUND?

You can go online to the CRA website or call to find out the status of your tax refund.

Online

  • Sign into Use My Account on the CRA Website
  • Use the MyCRA mobile application

Call

  • Call Tele-refund at 1-800-959-1956
  • Individual income tax and trust enquiries at 1-800-959-8281

Before you call, go to Getting or changing personal tax information on the CRA website to find out what information you should have on hand. If you filed your return:

  • before mid-February, wait until mid-March to call
  • between mid-February and April 15, wait 4 weeks to call
  • after April 15, wait 6 weeks to call

HOW CAN I CHANGE MY T1 RETURN?

The best way is: do not file another return for that year. Wait for your notice of assessment before asking for changes to your return.

Generally you can ask for a change to a return for a tax year ending in any of the 10 previous calendar years. For example, a request made in 2018 must relate to the 2008 or a later tax year to be considered.

You can do this online or by phone.

For online changes:

  • Log on to your account on the CRA website.
  • Click Change my return.
  • You can ask for changes to your:
    • current year return
    • returns for the previous 9 years

By mail Send both of the following to your tax centre:

  • a completed Form T1-ADJ, T1 Adjustment Request, or a signed letter giving details of your request (including the years of the returns to be changed), your social insurance number, your address, and a telephone number where we can call you during the day
  • all supporting documents for the change, including those for the original assessment, unless you have already sent them to the CRA

Send your current year return separately from any request to change a return for another year. Processing times

  • online, usually within 2 weeks
  • by mail, usually within 8 weeks

It may take longer if: 

  • Your request is sent in spring or early summer
  • Your request needs more review
  • We have to contact you or your authorized representative for more information or documentation

When the review is done the CRA will send you:

  • a notice of reassessment showing any changes to your return
  • a letter explaining why they did not make the changes you asked for or if no changes were needed

HOW SHOULD I TELL THE CRA ABOUT CHANGES TO MY ADDRESS?

You can go online, call, mail, or fax.

To go online:

  • Use My Account on the CRA website and click on “Change my address.”
  • Use the MyCRA mobile application and select “Manage contact info.”

To Call:

  • Call 1-800-959-8281.
  • Before you call, go to Getting or changing personal tax information on the CRA website to find out what information you should have on hand.

To Mail or Fax Send one of these to your tax centre:

  • a completed Form RC325, Address change request
  • a signed letter that includes your social insurance number, new address, and moving date

You can change someone else’s address at the same time as yours, such as your spouse’s or common-law partner’s. If this is the case, your letter must include their name, social insurance number, and signature.

Why is it important?

If you give the CRA your new address, you can avoid delays in benefit payments you may be receiving, such as the:

  •  GST/HST credit payments (including any related provincial credits)
  • Universal Child Care Benefit
  • Canada child tax benefit payments (including related provincial or territorial payments)
  • Working income tax benefit (WITB) advance payments
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