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Filing your personal tax return
Why should I file if I don't have income
or have to pay tax?
How
to file your return, and links to get personal income tax return forms or software
My Payment - an online
service from CRA to make payments to them directly from your bank account.
Due date for a
personal income tax return.
What if I am
late with my return?
I can't afford to pay the tax I
owe!
For
which province do I file a tax return, and what if I live
in one province or territory, and work in another?
Prepare - Make sure you
have all your
information slips before filing your return.
Free service for those unable to complete
their tax return and unable to pay for assistance.
Tax
refunds
How long will it take?
How can I check the status?
Direct deposit to your bank account
Can CRA
withhold
my income tax refund or my GST/HST credit?
Changing your tax return once you
have already filed it.
Don't
agree with your income tax assessment? - Filing a notice of objection
CRA taking
more than 90 days to respond to your notice of
objection?
Taxpayer relief provisions
(formerly Fairness provisions)
Students - Scholarships and awards,
tax credits, moving expenses, private school, etc.
The tax return
GST/HST
credit - Who is eligible to receive it, and how much is it?
Should my spouse and I file our tax returns
together, or separately? - claiming tax credits and deductions,
transferring dividend income, and how to report investment income.
Common-law spouse
definition
Minimize taxes of a deceased
taxpayer by filing additional optional tax returns.
Income
Barter transactions can result in
taxable income and deductible expenses.
Selling goods on eBay may
result in taxable income.
Tax issues re investments,
and tax treatment of different types of investments
Capital gains and losses, and
methods of deferring or eliminating capital gains
Capital losses
$750,000
capital gains deduction
 | Qualified small
business corporation shares |
| Qualified farm
property |
| Qualified fishing
property |
| Cumulative net
investment loss (CNIL) |
Self-employment losses can be carried back 3
years, and can be used to offset other income.
Pension splitting
Principal residence exemption
- when is it necessary to report the sale of a principal residence on your
tax return?
Students
- Scholarship and award income
Deductions from income
Attendant care expenses
Child care expenses
Disability supports deduction
Interest expense on money borrowed to
purchase stocks and bonds (securities) Interest expense on money borrowed to
purchase real estate
Interest
expense paid to a non-resident
Moving expenses
Moving
expenses - Students
Private school tuition fees
RRSP contributions
were not reported on my
previous year's tax return. What do I do?
Safety deposit box fees
may be deductible.
Non-refundable tax credits
A non-refundable tax credit can only be used to reduce
federal or provincial/territorial taxes payable to zero.
Tables listing most non-refundable tax
credits
Canada employment amount tax
credit
Caregiver
amount tax credit may be available if (dependent or non-dependent) parent or
grandparent (over 65) lives with you, or if a dependent relative lives with
you.
Child amount tax
credit for children under 18 - new for 2007
| also discusses provincial/territorial child amounts for children
under 18 or for children under 6. |
Child fitness tax credit,
and additional credit for child with disability - new for 2007
Disability amount tax credit
Donations:
Donations
tax credit
Donating
capital property can eliminate capital gains or increase your
donations limit
Election to designate the amount of proceeds when
capital property is donated
Capital gain
reserve on donation of non-qualifying securities to a qualified donee
Beware of tax shelter donation arrangements, and gifts of
property
Equivalent
to spouse amount - A person who is single at any time during the year can claim a tax credit for a dependent
child or other dependent relative.
Foreign tax credit
re withholding taxes deducted from foreign non-business income
First-time home buyer's tax
credit - available starting with the 2009 tax year - New
Home renovation tax credit (HRTC) - only
for 2009 tax year - New
Medical expenses:
Medical
expense tax credit
Non-prescription
medications
The
spouse with lower net income should usually claim all medical expenses.
Eligible
medical
expenses
Claim the cost of the extended
health benefit premiums and dental plan premiums deducted from your
pay.
Attendant care expenses
Attendant care expenses paid
to a retirement home
Pension
income tax credit
| What income qualifies as
eligible pension income for purposes of the pension income tax credit? |
| How can pension income be "created"? |
| When pension income is split with a spouse, will
the spouse get a pension income tax credit? |
| Completing form T1032 - Step 4 Pension income amount for the
pension income tax credit |
Political contribution tax
credits - federal and provincial/territorial
Public transit tax credit -
Keep your public transit pass!
Students
Student loan interest
Tuition, education, and textbook
tax credits
Transfer or carry-forward of tuition, education and
textbook amounts
Courses outside Canada
Refundable tax credits
A refundable tax credit can generate a payment to taxpayers, even when
no income tax has been paid. This is a good reason to file a tax
return even if you do not owe any tax.
Employee and partner GST rebate
for those who have deductible employment or partnership
expenses
Medical expense supplement
Working income tax benefit (WITB) and
disability supplement
Québec home renovation tax credit - New,
for 2009 only
Refund or balance owing
CPP/QPP or EI
overpayment - how to recover it.
Other issues
Repayments to
RRSP Home Buyer's Plan or Lifelong Learning Plan - Make sure you report them
on your tax return!
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Revised: October 30, 2009
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