T1 Filing Compliance 2018 edition (2016 tax year)

T1 Filing Compliance is a Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) publication, which presents data about returns that were filed late or on time. The returns are grouped by demographic, geographic, and economic characteristics. The data in the tables are derived from information reported on income tax and benefit returns for the 2016 tax year, processed up to January 26, 2018.

Note

In all tables 1 of this edition, the 17-24 weeks late and 25+ weeks late categories were merged into category 17+ weeks late.

Explanatory notes

This edition of T1 Filing Compliance presents data based on income tax and benefit returns for the 2016 tax year. Initial assessment values were used to produce the tables. Any changes resulting from reassessments are not included. So any of the statistics in this publication may change.

Confidentiality procedures

To ensure the protection of tax filer information, data have been suppressed where warranted. As well, counts and amounts are rounded to the nearest multiple of 10. For example, 104 would be rounded to 100 and 105 would be rounded to 110.

Classification variables

The following variables are used in one or more of the tables in this publication:

On-time or late returns

A tax return is considered on time when it is filed before the deadline for the 2016 tax year. It is late if the return is filed after the deadline.

Generally, a return for 2016 has to be filed on or before April 30, 2017.

Self-employed persons – If a tax filer or his or her spouse or common‑law partner carried on a business in 2016 (other than a business whose expenditures are primarily in connection with a tax shelter), the return for 2016 has to be filed on or before June 15, 2017. However, if the tax filer has a balance owing for 2016, he or she has to pay it on or before April 30, 2017.

Exception to the due date of a return

When the due date falls on a Saturday, a Sunday, or a public holiday recognized by the Canada Revenue Agency, a return is considered on time if the agency receives it or if it is postmarked on or before the next business day.

Deceased persons

If a tax filer is filing for a deceased person, the due date may be different. For more information, see Guide T4011, Preparing Returns for Deceased Persons 2016.

Refund, balance owing, or nil returns

A refund return refers to a return with the amount on line 484 (Refund) greater than $2.

A balance owing return refers to a return with the amount on line 485 (Balance owing) greater than $2.

A nil return refers to a return with the amount on line 484 (Refund) no greater than $2 and the amount on line 485 (Balance owing) no greater than $2.

Late-filing penalty

If a tax filer has a balance owing for the 2016 tax year and they file their 2016 return after the filing deadline, a late-filing penalty is charged. The penalty is 5% of the 2016 balance owing, plus 1% of the balance owing for each full month the return is late, to a maximum of 12 months.

Note

If a late-filing penalty was charged for a tax filer’s 2013, 2014, or 2015 return, a repeat late-filing penalty for 2016 is charged. The penalty is 10% of the 2016 balance owing, plus 2% of the 2016 balance owing for each full month the return is late, to a maximum of 20 months.

The repeat late-filing penalty is not included in the tables of this edition.

Province or territory

Province or territory of residence, used in tables 1A, 1A.1, 1A.2 and 2A, refers to the province or territory in which the tax filer resided on December 31, 2016, as reported on his or her income tax and benefit return.

Province or territory of mailing address, used in tables 1B and 2B, refers to the province or territory that was the tax filer’s mailing province or territory on the filing date, as reported on his or her income tax and benefit return.

Federal electoral district

Elections Canada defines a federal electoral district as any place or territorial area entitled to elect a member of Parliament to serve in the House of Commons.

Federal electoral districts are constituencies that elect members of Parliament to Canada's House of Commons. Provincial electoral districts often have names similar to their federal counterpart, but usually have different geographic boundaries.

Province or territory code for each province or territory
Province or territory code Province or territory
10 Newfoundland and Labrador
11 Prince Edward Island
12 Nova Scotia
13 New Brunswick
24 Quebec
35 Ontario
46 Manitoba
47 Saskatchewan
48 Alberta
59 British Columbia
60 Northwest Territories
61 Yukon
62 Nunavut
99 Outside Canada

Note

To keep the statistical completeness across tables, tax filers outside Canada are assigned code “99,” which is not included in the Federal Electoral Districts – Representation Order of 2013.

Employment status

If a tax filer or his or her spouse or common‑law partner carried on a business in 2016 (other than a business whose expenditures are primarily in connection with a tax shelter), then his or her return is classified as a self-employed return. A return other than a self-employed return is classified as an employee return.

Age

The age of a tax filer is determined from the reported year of birth on page 1 of the income tax and benefit return. For individuals who did not report a year of birth, their age is imputed by the CRA for statistical completeness.

Gender

For tax filers for whom no gender code is available (for example, individual tax number), one is imputed for statistical completeness.

As of October 23, 2017, the CRA began accepting third gender identification information to align with the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat policy of gender-based reporting. This publication will follow that policy in future releases.

Marital status

Marital status refers to the marital status of the tax filer on the filing date. Specific to this publication, the only marital statuses shown are not married and married. The former status includes all single, separated, divorced, widowed, and unstated tax filers. The latter status includes all married and common-law tax filers.

Income range

The income ranges given in the tables are based on the total income assessed. This corresponds to line 150 of the 2016 income tax and benefit return. There are 19 income ranges:

Description of the tables

Tables 1A to 1F present the number of on-time filing returns and late-filing returns by province or territory, federal electoral district, employment status, age group, gender, marital status, and income range.

Tables 2A to 2F present information on the late-filing penalty by province or territory, federal electoral district, age group, gender, marital status, and income range.

Tables in PDF format

The following tables are available in PDF format. If you have trouble reading PDF files, see this notice.

For information about these tables, see the explanatory notes.

Tables in CSV format

The following tables are available in comma-separated value (CSV) format. The fields are separated by a comma.

For information about these tables, see the explanatory notes.

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