Doing your taxes online makes it easier to file on time

Getting ready to do your 2017 taxes? It’s important to do your taxes on time to avoid interest and penalty charges and possible delays or interruptions in your benefit payments. Even if you don’t have any income for this year, filing late or not filing at all could interrupt or stop your benefit payments.

Important facts

• Most Canadian income tax and benefit returns for 2017 are due on April 30, 2018.
• Self-employed individuals and their spouses or common-law partners have until June 15, 2018, to file their income tax and benefit returns. Any balance owing is still due by April 30.
• To do your taxes online, you should use NETFILE-certified tax preparation software. To save you time and money, check out the list of certified tax preparation software packages and web applications, some of which are free.

Why file online?

• If you are fully registered for My Account, you can use Auto-fill my return to automatically fill in parts of your current and prior-year income tax and benefit returns, making filing even simpler.
• If you file online and are registered for online mail, you can use the Express NOA service to get your notice of assessment right after you file your return.
• You can change your return using your preferred certified filing software through ReFILE. Make sure you receive your notice of assessment before sending a change through ReFILE.
• If you are fully registered for My Account and use NETFILE-certified software, you can use Change my address and direct deposit to submit your changes through the tax software before filing your return.
• When you file online, NETFILE-certified tax preparation software:
  • guides you through the process
  • does all the calculations for you
  • helps make sure you don’t miss out on any credits and benefits you may be eligible for

Last year, about 86% of Canadians filed their returns online. Join the majority of Canadians who already benefit from online filing. The online services offered by the Canada Revenue Agency are fast, easy to use, and secure.

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