Filing a Canadian personal income tax return (the T1 General) is required in more situations than many people realize. You must file if you owe taxes, but you should also file — even with no tax owing — to claim refundable credits like the GST/HST credit, the Canada Child Benefit, or the Canada Workers Benefit. CRA cannot issue these benefits without a filed return. We recommend working with our personal tax filing services team.
You are required to file a T1 return if you: had tax withheld but want a refund, received a request from CRA to file, disposed of capital property (like selling investments or a rental property), owe taxes for any reason, or are self-employed. When in doubt, file — there is no penalty for filing unnecessarily, but there can be significant consequences for not filing when required.
Before you open any software or call an accountant, collect everything you'll need. Most tax slips are issued by the last day of February for the prior tax year. Common slips include:
There are three main ways to file your Canadian personal return:
Certified tax software like TurboTax, Wealthsimple Tax, H&R Block, or StudioTax lets you prepare your return and submit it directly to CRA via NETFILE. This is the fastest way to receive a refund (typically within 2 weeks with direct deposit). Free versions are available for simple returns.
A tax professional or tax preparer handles your return from start to finish, ensuring every deduction is captured and every schedule is correct. This is the best option for self-employed individuals, those with rental income, investors with capital gains, or anyone whose situation has changed significantly in the year.
You can still mail a paper return to CRA, but processing takes 8+ weeks and you cannot use Auto-Fill. Paper filing is generally only recommended when electronic filing is not possible.
The T1 General return captures all income sources on pages 1-2, then applies deductions (like RRSP contributions, union dues, and child care expenses) to arrive at your net income. From net income, further deductions (like moving expenses and business investment losses) reduce your taxable income. Federal and provincial tax is then calculated, and non-refundable tax credits — like the basic personal amount ($16,129 in 2025), medical expenses, and charitable donations — reduce your tax owing.
Refundable credits like the GST/HST credit and Canada Child Benefit are determined by your net income and family situation — filing your return is what triggers these payments.
Other commonly claimed non-refundable credits include the age amount (65 or older), the spouse or common-law partner amount, the Canada caregiver credit, the disability tax credit (if eligible), and the tuition amount (a federal 15% credit on eligible fees). Medical expenses are claimable to the extent they exceed 3% of net income or $2,759, whichever is less.
Before filing, review your return carefully:
Once submitted via NETFILE, you'll receive a confirmation number from CRA — keep this for your records. CRA will issue a Notice of Assessment within a few weeks confirming whether your return was accepted as filed or if any adjustments were made.
If your return shows a balance owing, it must be paid by April 30, 2026 for the 2025 tax year to avoid interest charges (even if you have an extended June 15 filing deadline as a self-employed individual). Payment options include online banking, My Account on CRA's website, or mail.
If you're entitled to a refund, CRA will direct-deposit it to the bank account on file — typically within 2 weeks for electronically filed returns. Set up direct deposit through CRA My Account to get your refund as fast as possible.
Made a mistake or received a slip after filing? You can request a change using a T1 Adjustment Request (T1-ADJ) rather than filing a second return for the same year. The fastest method is through CRA My Account under "Change my return." Alternatively, you can submit Form T1-ADJ by mail. You generally have up to ten years after the original assessment date to request an adjustment, though CRA may act more quickly on recent years. CRA will issue a revised Notice of Assessment if the adjustment is approved.
You are not legally required to file if you had no income, but filing is almost always beneficial. Filing triggers the GST/HST credit, Canada Child Benefit payments, RRSP contribution room accumulation, and the Canada Carbon Rebate — all based on your filed return. Many refundable credits go unclaimed simply because people do not file.
If you owe money and file late, CRA charges a late-filing penalty of 5% of your balance owing, plus 1% for each complete month the return is late, up to 12 months. Repeat late filers face higher penalties. If you are owed a refund and file late, there is no penalty — but you will simply receive your refund later. Filing as soon as possible, even after the deadline, is always better than continuing to delay.
Filing taxes correctly once is worth far more than fixing errors after a CRA review. Swift Accounting prepares T1 returns for Calgary individuals with any level of complexity — from simple employment income to self-employment, rental properties, investments, and multi-year catch-up filings. Book a consultation and let our tax professionals handle every step.
