Managing your taxes in Canada has never been more straightforward, thanks to the Canada Revenue Agency's online self-service portal. CRA My Account is the secure, personalized portal that gives individual Canadian taxpayers direct access to their tax information, benefit payments, and account details — all without needing to call the CRA or visit a tax office. Whether you want to check your RRSP room, view a Notice of Assessment, or set up direct deposit for your refund, My Account puts that information at your fingertips.
CRA My Account is a secure online portal operated by the Canada Revenue Agency for individual taxpayers. It serves as your personal tax hub, giving you real-time access to your tax history, benefit entitlements, contribution room, and correspondence with the CRA. The portal is available around the clock and covers virtually every aspect of your personal tax file — from viewing slips filed by your employer to responding to CRA letters without picking up the phone.
For Canadians who want to stay on top of their financial obligations, My Account is an essential tool. It eliminates much of the guesswork that used to accompany tax season and gives you the same information your accountant can access when they're working on your file.
There are two ways to register for CRA My Account, and both require that you verify your identity before gaining access to your personal tax information.
The first option is to create a GCKey — a Government of Canada credential that works across multiple federal services. You visit the CRA login page, select "GCKey," and create a username and password. Once your GCKey is set up, you return to the CRA My Account registration page and enter your Social Insurance Number, date of birth, and information from a recent tax return (such as your net income or a line from your most recent Notice of Assessment). The CRA uses this to verify your identity.
After completing the initial registration, the CRA will mail a security code to your address on file. This typically arrives within five to ten business days. You enter that code to fully activate your account. Until the code arrives, you have limited access to certain features.
The faster option for many Canadians is to use a Sign-In Partner — your existing online banking credentials from a participating financial institution. Major Canadian banks including RBC, TD, Scotiabank, BMO, CIBC, and several credit unions participate in this program. You select your financial institution on the CRA login page, sign in using your regular banking credentials, and the bank confirms your identity to the CRA. You will still need to provide your SIN and some information from a recent return, but the mailed security code may not be required, allowing faster access.
Either way, the registration process is designed to protect your sensitive tax information, so having a recent Notice of Assessment or your previous year's return handy before you begin is helpful.
Once registered, you can view T4s, T4As, T5s, T3s, and other slips filed by your employer, pension provider, or financial institution — often before the paper copies arrive in the mail. This is particularly useful if you misplace a slip or are filing early in the season.
My Account displays your exact RRSP deduction limit for the current tax year, updated after each assessment. This figure accounts for your earned income from the prior year, any unused room carried forward, pension adjustments, and past contributions. There is no need to calculate it manually.
Similarly, My Account shows your TFSA contribution room — the cumulative unused room available to you, calculated from 2009 (or the year you turned 18 if later) for eligible Canadian residents. This is the most reliable source for your TFSA room, since it accounts for withdrawals made in prior years that are re-contributed in later years.
You can view filed tax returns and accompanying Notices of Assessment going back eleven years. The NOA is particularly important — it confirms whether you owe a balance or are receiving a refund, outlines your RRSP room for the following year, and details any adjustments the CRA made to your return. You can download the NOA immediately after your return is processed, rather than waiting for a paper copy.
If you owe a balance, My Account lets you arrange payment directly through the portal. You can also set up or update direct deposit information so that refunds, GST/HST credits, Canada Child Benefit payments, and other benefit amounts are deposited straight into your bank account — no waiting for a cheque in the mail.
Through My Account, you can update your address, phone number, and banking details at any time. If the CRA requests additional documentation to support a deduction or credit you claimed, you can upload and submit those documents directly through the portal rather than mailing physical copies.
My Account provides a complete history of benefit payments you have received, including Canada Child Benefit amounts, GST/HST credit deposits, and the Climate Action Incentive Payment. You can see upcoming payment dates and confirm that your direct deposit information is correct.
If the CRA sends you a letter requesting information or initiating a review, you can respond directly through My Account. This creates a digital paper trail and often results in faster resolution than mailing a response.
One of the most practical features of My Account is the ability to authorize a tax professional to access your file on your behalf. This is done using Form T1013 (Authorizing or Cancelling a Representative) or directly online through the portal. Once your accountant or tax preparer is authorized, they can view your tax information, respond to CRA correspondence on your behalf, and identify and correct issues without requiring you to act as an intermediary.
At Swift Accounting Calgary, we regularly use the Represent a Client portal — the companion system that authorized representatives access — to monitor client files, respond to CRA queries promptly, and ensure nothing falls through the cracks. Setting up authorization through My Account is one of the first steps we recommend to new clients.
While you cannot file a return directly through My Account, you can access your NETFILE access code there and use certified tax software that connects to the CRA's systems. After you submit your return through NETFILE, My Account updates relatively quickly — often within two weeks for returns filed electronically — and you can track the status of your return and see when the NOA has been issued.
If you operate a corporation, partnership, or are self-employed with a GST/HST account, there is a separate portal called My Business Account. This is distinct from personal My Account and covers corporate income tax, GST/HST accounts, payroll accounts, and related filings. Through My Business Account, business owners can file GST/HST returns, view payroll remittances, check corporate instalment balances, and authorize representatives for business tax matters. Many of the same features available for individuals — such as submitting documents and responding to letters — are available for businesses as well. If you need help navigating My Business Account for your corporation, the team at Swift Accounting can walk you through the authorization and setup process.
CRA My Account is a powerful tool for any Canadian taxpayer, but understanding what the numbers mean — your RRSP room, your TFSA limits, a balance owing, or an adjustment notice — is a different matter. If you have questions about what you are seeing in your account, or if the CRA has sent you a letter and you are unsure how to respond, professional guidance can save you time, money, and stress.
Contact Swift Accounting today to speak with a Calgary tax professional who can review your CRA account with you, handle any correspondence on your behalf, and ensure your personal and business tax affairs are in order.
Book a consultation with Swift Accounting — contact us here.
If you register using a Sign-In Partner (your bank), you may gain access more quickly — sometimes the same day. If you register using a GCKey, the CRA mails a security code to your address on file, which typically arrives within five to ten business days. Until the code is entered, some features remain restricted. Having your most recent Notice of Assessment or tax return available during registration helps speed up the identity verification step.
The TFSA room displayed in My Account is based on information reported to the CRA by your financial institution and is generally accurate, but it may not reflect very recent contributions or withdrawals made in the current calendar year. Financial institutions report TFSA transactions annually, so there can be a lag. Always cross-reference the figure with your own records, particularly if you made contributions or withdrawals late in the prior year or early in the current year. The annual TFSA contribution limit for 2025 is $7,000.
Yes. Once you have filed your return and it has been received by the CRA, you can track its status through My Account. The portal will show whether your return is being processed, whether a Notice of Assessment has been issued, and whether a refund has been issued. If you have set up direct deposit, you can also confirm that your banking information is on file and correct, which helps ensure your refund arrives as quickly as possible.
CRA My Account is the portal for individual taxpayers and covers personal income tax, RRSP and TFSA room, benefits, and individual tax correspondence. My Business Account is a separate portal for business entities — including corporations, partnerships, and sole proprietors with business accounts — and covers GST/HST filings, payroll remittances, and corporate income tax. If you are both an individual taxpayer and a business owner, you will need to register for and use both portals separately. A tax professional can be authorized as a representative on both accounts.
Our Calgary team handles personal tax, corporate returns, GST/HST, payroll, and bookkeeping.
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