Filing your income tax and benefit return on paper

Income tax package content and delivery

If you filed on paper last year, the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) should mail you the 2022 income tax package. You should receive your package by February 20, 2023.

The package you should receive includes:

• a letter from the Minister of National Revenue and the Commissioner of Revenue
• the Federal Income Tax and Benefit Guide
• an information guide for your province or territory (except for the province of Quebec)
• two copies of the income tax and benefit return
• Form 428 for your provincial or territorial tax (except for the province of Quebec)
• an invitation letter and information sheet for the CRA’s File my Return service, if you’re eligible
• personalized inserts or forms, depending on your eligibility
• a return envelope

If you don’t receive your package by February 20, 2023, you can:

• view, download and print the package at canada.ca/taxes-general-package
• order the package online at canada.ca/get-cra-forms
• order a package by calling the CRA at 1-855-330-3305 (be ready to give your social insurance number)

It can take up to 10 business days for publications and forms to arrive by mail.

Orders placed before February 14, 2023, will be mailed to you as soon as the 2022 publications are printed and ready to ship.

If you are eligible for the climate action incentive payment

The climate action incentive payment (CAIP) is paid quarterly. If you are eligible, you will automatically get the CAIP four times a year. To receive your payment on April 14, 2023, you and your spouse or common-law partner (if applicable), have to file your income tax and benefit returns (even if you did not receive income during the year), and have them assessed on or before March 24, 2023. If your tax returns are assessed after this date, your payment will be included in a subsequent payment after your returns are assessed.

If you reside outside a census metropolitan area (CMA) and expect to continue to reside outside of a CMA on April 1, 2023, both you and your spouse or common-law partner (if applicable) must complete the CAIP section on page 2 of your returns. For more information, go to canada.ca/child-family-benefits.

This year, you may also be eligible for the CAIP if you are a resident of Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, or Prince Edward Island. The same eligibility rules and filing requirements would apply to you. You will not be eligible for an April 2023 payment because the federal fuel charge will only apply to these provinces as of July 1, 2023. If you are eligible, you will automatically receive your first payment in July 2023.

Benefits of filing online

Even if you filed on paper last year, consider filing your 2022 return online. There are many advantages to doing so.

• You get your refund faster. Electronic returns are generally processed within two weeks. However, for paper returns, our service standard is to process them within eight weeks of receipt. Paper returns are processed in the order in which they are received. If you file electronically and are signed up for direct deposit, you may get your refund in eight business days. You can file electronically starting on February 20, 2023.
• You get immediate confirmation. Immediately after you submit your tax return electronically,  you will receive confirmation that the CRA received it.
• You don’t have to send receipts with your return. If the CRA selects your return for review, you may have to provide receipts then. The CRA’s process for selecting returns for review is the same whether the return is filed on paper or online.
• It’s secure. The CRA uses a high level of online protection, which includes the same technologies used by banks and other financial institutions. Plus, your tax return goes directly from your computer to our servers in an encrypted format.

If you’re registered for My Account, you can also use Auto-fill my return to quickly fill in parts of your return with information the CRA has on file. You can also use My Account to easily change your address, phone number or other personal information that the CRA has on file.

If you choose to file your return electronically, you will use the CRA’s NETFILE service and NETFILE‑certified tax software products. There are many free software options. Before filing, you’ll be asked to enter your eight-character alphanumeric access code. You can find this unique code on your notice of assessment. It’s located on the first page of the notice, on the right-hand side beneath the Notice details box. For more information on filing online, go to canada.ca/netfile.

You may also be able to make online changes to your return by using the ReFILE service in your certified tax preparation software or by using our Change my return service available in My Account.

Free tax clinics

If you have a modest income and a simple tax situation, volunteers at a free tax clinic may be able to complete your tax return. These clinics are available in-person or online. Find out about the Community Volunteer Income Tax Program (or the Income Tax Assistance – Volunteer Program in the province of Quebec) by going to canada.ca/taxes-help.

If you need help or have questions

Go to Get ready to do your taxes for a list of what you need to know before you file your taxes and to learn about deadlines, new benefits and credits, and other helpful tax-filing information. For answers to frequently asked questions about filing a return, go to canada.ca/cra-questions-answers. The CRA will update these pages in late January 2023.