First Time Tax Filer

This is the first time I need to file my taxes in Canada.

What documents and information are needed?

Welcome to Canada!

First, you need to make sure you have a valid SIN number, which you could get from Service Canada. You can create a “My Account” on the Canada Revenue Agency website (CRA) using your SIN number, email address, and personal information.

The first information a tax preparer needs from you are the exact date you entered Canada.

The second one is your income for the tax year before coming to Canada. Also, If you have Canadian income before coming to Canada, you must claim that as well.

In order to receive GST/HST Credit, you need to fill out RC151 and mail it to CRA according to the addresses on the last page of the document. In this form, the total income for the year you entered Canada (before your entry), a year before coming to Canada, and two years before coming to Canada. Suppose if you entered Canada in 2021, you need the total income earned in 2021 (Before your entry), 2020, and 2019. The amount you will receive depends on the income level of individuals and families.

If you have children, RC66 needs to be filled out to receive your Canada Child Benefit. The amount you will receive depends on the family income, the number of children, and their age. The payment starts in July if you file your taxes on time.

When filing your taxes, you need to claim all sources of income you received during the tax year. Depending on your job, the tax slips you will receive differ. You might not receive any tax slips if you are self-employed. However, you still need to claim your income.

These are the common slips you might receive based on the income type:

Employment Income: T4, T4A, T4E, T5018

Investment income: T3, T5, T5008, capital gain and loss

Seniors: T4A(P), T4A(OAS), T4RIF, T4RSP

Student: T2202/ TL11A

Self-employed: T2125 (filled out by tax preparer)

Other income (i.e., rental)

We have videos and blogs explaining each slip for you. You need to just simply click on the one you want to know more about. If you have any questions, you can contact us at [email protected].