Canada's tax deadline is soon and the CRA has tips to avoid paying extra on your tax return
You can get your taxes done for free. đ
Canada Revenue Agency sign.
The deadline to file your taxes in Canada is coming up at the end of the month.
Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) revealed what you can do so you don't miss out on benefit payments and don't have to pay fees or penalties.
More than 16 million income tax and benefit returns have already been filed in Canada, resulting in more than nine million refunds.
Those tax refunds total $22.2 billion!
If you haven't filed yet, the CRA has tax tips to help you file before the deadline and avoid paying late fees and penalties.
There are ways to get your taxes done for free that the CRA recommends so your return is filed on time.
SimpleFile is a free service offered by the CRA for individuals with a lower income and a simple tax situation. With this service, eligible individuals can get their personal tax return filed online or over the phone.
If you didn't receive an invitation, you might still be able to access SimpleFile Digital. You can use the eligibility questionnaire to figure out if it's available to you.
There are also free tax clinics where you can get your tax return done by a volunteer if you have a modest income and a simple tax situation.
Also, the CRA said you can file online yourself by using certified tax software.
"Online filing is the fastest, easiest, and most secure way to file your tax return. It also provides quicker confirmation, faster refunds, fewer errors, and immediate access to your notice of assessment," the CRA said.
The deadline for most individuals to file their 2025 tax return is Thursday, April 30, 2026. That's also the deadline to pay any taxes you owe.
The deadline for self-employed individuals and the spouses or common-law partners of self-employed individuals is Monday, June 15, 2026.
But even with the later filing due date, the deadline for self-employed individuals to pay any tax owing is still April 30.
Missing the tax filing deadline means you could have to pay extra money to the government in interest and penalties.
If you owe taxes for 2025 and don't pay your balance by the due date, you'll be charged compound daily interest by the CRA starting the day after the April 30 deadline.
If you file your return after the due date and owe tax, you'll be charged a late-filing penalty.
The late-filing penalty is 5% of your 2025 balance owing, plus 1% of your 2025 balance owing for each full month late up to 12 months.
If you owe money on your tax return but can't pay it all right away, the CRA has "flexible options" to pay your debt over time in installments.
Not only does filing late cost you money, but it can also delay benefit and credit payments. That's because the CRA uses your tax return to determine your eligibility and payment amounts for benefits like the Canada Child Benefit.
This article's cover image was used for illustrative purposes only.