Feel like you’re missing out on something? It could be your benefits and credits or your tax refund!

CRA SOURCE ARTICLE

Did you know that some Canadians are entitled to benefits and credits but they don’t know that they are? You may be leaving money on the table by not filing your income tax and benefit return.

The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) wants you to receive the benefits and credits you’re entitled to. We use the information from your tax return to calculate your benefit and credit payments.

The only way to find out what you are missing is by filing!

Consider these good reasons as to why you should file:

Benefits and credits: Take advantage of these benefits and credits. When you file your income tax and benefit return, you may be are entitled to:

• Tuition tax credit

• Interest paid on your student loans

• Canada training credit

• Canada workers benefit

• Goods and services tax / harmonized sales tax (GST/HST) credit

• Canada child benefit

• Provincial and territorial benefits

• Climate action incentive payment

Tax refund: We are all entitled to have a basic personal amount that’s adjusted each year. This non-refundable tax credit means that you don’t pay tax on any of your earnings that are equal to or less than this amount. In some cases, you may receive a tax refund when you file an income tax and benefit return, even if you didn’t earn an income at all.

You may be able to claim other credits

If you owe money this year, you may be able to claim certain non-refundable tax credits. If you are eligible to claim them, non-refundable tax credits lower the taxes that you owe at tax time. For example, you may be able to claim the:

• Canada caregiver credit

• Disability tax credit

• Medical expenses tax credit

• Home accessibility expenses tax credit

• Home office expenses for employees

Get started

You can learn about online filing and deadlines, as well as other helpful links with our Get ready to do your taxes and Learn about your taxes pages.

Take advantage of our digital services!

Sign up for My Account to easily manage your tax and benefit affairs online. You can use My Account to quickly change your address and direct deposit information. You can also track your refund, view your return status, view your Express notice of assessment (NOA), make a payment, sign up for email notifications, and more.

Get your refund faster and avoid delays. Sign up for direct deposit, and make sure you file online and on time.

Get free tax filing help

If you have a modest income and a simple tax situation, volunteers at a free tax clinic may be able to file your return for you. Free tax clinics are available in person and virtually. To find out if you’re eligible, and to find a tax clinic, go to our Free tax clinics page.

You can also quickly and securely file your return online. We have a list of certified tax software products that are easy to use, fast, and secure. Some of which are free! These products contain services such as Auto-fill my return and Express NOA to help make your filing experience easy, fast and secure.

More ways to find answers to your questions

You can also check out our questions and answers about filing your taxes page for more answers to common questions. This page will be updated periodically to incorporate changes that may affect you during the tax-filing season.

If you need a quick answer to a question, you can use Charlie, our friendly chatbot. Charlie will help you find the information you need to file your income tax and benefit return! You can find Charlie on the CRA home page and many of our other web pages on Canada.ca.

You can learn more about tax filing, tax debts and payments by visiting the links above or by scheduling a free consultation with us.