# How to file your tax return

> The ways to file a personal tax return, from free software and SimpleFile to tax clinics and preparers, what to have ready, and when it's due.

- Web page: https://taxnotes.ca/guides/how-to-file-your-return/
- For: Individuals & families · Topic: Filing your return
- Last reviewed: 2026-10-11

You can do your own return, with tax software, the CRA's SimpleFile service or on paper, or have someone do it for you: a paid tax preparer or a volunteer at a free tax clinic. Whichever you pick, file every year: you need to, to keep receiving the benefit and credit payments you're entitled to, and filing late can interrupt them.

## Before you start

Have these ready:

- **Your tax slips.** Employers and other payers send most slips by the end of February. If one is missing, ask whoever issued it. See [slips to gather before you file](https://taxnotes.ca/guides/slips-to-gather/).
- **Receipts** for the deductions and credits you'll claim, such as medical or child care expenses.
- **Your social insurance number.**
- **Your most recent notice of assessment.** It has your NETFILE access code: eight letters and numbers on the right side of the notice. Only the code on your most recent notice is valid. Software may ask for it, but it's optional, and you won't have one if this is your first return.
- **Up-to-date details with the CRA.** Check your address, direct deposit and mail preferences first. Tax software can't change them, and updates take time to process.

## Your CRA account

Your online CRA account (My Account, for individuals) is worth setting up before you file. In it you can see your notices of assessment, track your return, set up direct deposit and change a return after it's assessed.

It also unlocks **Auto-fill My Return**. Inside certified tax software, this fills in parts of your return from information the CRA already has: most slips (T4, T4A, T5, RRSP receipts, T2202 and others), your RRSP deduction limit, carry-forward amounts and more. Keep in mind:

- The CRA expects to have most slips from issuers by the end of February and ready to use by mid-March. If you file earlier, some may not be there yet.
- A slip with an error in your name or social insurance number won't show up.
- If you sign in to your CRA account only through a provincial partner (Alberta.ca Account or BC Services Card), Auto-fill won't work. You'd need a CRA user ID and password or a Sign-In Partner.
- You're still responsible for the return. Check every field and add anything the service didn't bring in.

## Option 1: Certified tax software

Each year the CRA certifies tax software made by private companies. You fill in your return in the software and send it straight to the CRA with the NETFILE service.

- **Cost.** It varies. The CRA's list of certified software shows which products are free, which are paid, and which are free only in some situations. If you have a modest income, the CRA says most software will do a basic return for free.
- **Years.** Use software certified for the year you're filing. In the filing season that runs until January 29, 2027, you can send returns for 2018 to 2025.
- **Sending.** After you send, the software shows a confirmation code that means the CRA has your return. The CRA says the notice of assessment and any refund are usually sent within two weeks.

A few returns can't be sent with NETFILE, such as a return for someone who died or a bankruptcy return. If yours can't, you can print it and mail it to the CRA.

## Option 2: SimpleFile

SimpleFile is a free CRA service for people with a lower income and a simple tax situation. You answer a short series of questions, and the CRA completes and processes the return using your answers and the information it has on file.

- **SimpleFile Digital** works online, and you may be able to use it with or without an invitation. (For a 2025 return, you need an invitation if you didn't file for 2024.)
- **SimpleFile by Phone** and **SimpleFile by Paper** are by invitation only. Invitations go to your CRA account or by mail.

To qualify, you must have been a resident of Canada for tax purposes all year, and have either no income or only certain kinds (such as employment income, Old Age Security, CPP or QPP benefits, Employment Insurance, social assistance or Canadian interest) below a limit that depends on your province, your age and whether you get the disability tax credit. The CRA's SimpleFile page lists the limits and the other conditions.

## Option 3: A free tax clinic

Through the Community Volunteer Income Tax Program, community groups run free clinics where volunteers do returns for people with a modest income and a simple tax situation. The CRA publishes suggested family-income guidelines, and each organization can adjust them.

Volunteers generally won't do a return for someone who has died, or one with self-employment, business or rental income, capital gains, a bankruptcy, or foreign property or income. Clinics vary: some are walk-in, some take drop-offs, and some work by appointment, in person or by phone or video; the CRA's directory lists them. Bring photo ID, your social insurance number, your slips and receipts, and your last notice of assessment if you have it.

## Option 4: A paid tax preparer

An accountant or other tax preparer does your return for a fee and sends it to the CRA through its EFILE service. Before they file, review the return and Form T183, which should show the same information, then sign the form to authorize them. Keep your slips, receipts and the signed T183 for at least six years.

If you use a **discounter**, they work out your expected refund and pay you a single amount up front before filing.

## Option 5: Paper

If you can't file electronically, mail a paper return to your tax centre. Starting with the 2025 tax year, the CRA no longer mails the tax package automatically to certain people; download it or ask for one by mail. Fill in the federal return, your province's or territory's Form 428 (not used in Quebec) and the schedules that apply. The CRA says paper returns are usually processed within 12 weeks.

## When it's due

For 2025, most people must file by April 30, 2026. If you or your spouse or common-law partner carried on a business, the deadline is June 15, 2026 (unless the business expenses were mainly for a tax shelter investment), but any balance owing is still due April 30. When a deadline falls on a weekend or a public holiday the CRA recognizes, you have until the next business day. Electronic filing opened February 23, 2026.

Past the deadline already? See [missed the filing deadline?](https://taxnotes.ca/guides/missed-the-deadline/) If you'll owe, see [owing the CRA](https://taxnotes.ca/guides/owing-the-cra/).

## Quebec residents

You file two returns: a federal one with the CRA and a Quebec one with Revenu Québec. SimpleFile by Phone covers only the federal return.

- **Software.** Software authorized by Revenu Québec sends your Quebec return with its built-in NetFile Québec feature; some developers offer theirs free, under conditions. Revenu Québec's Tax Data Download service can fill in some of your income, but check everything. Make sure you get a confirmation with a reference number, and don't mail a paper copy.
- **A preparer.** Before an accredited person files for you online, you complete and sign two copies of form TP-1000.TE-V; you and the preparer each keep one for six years from the filing date.
- **Paper.** Mail Revenu Québec's forms to one of the addresses it lists.
- **Free help.** Volunteers in the Income Tax Assistance – Volunteer Program do both returns for people with a modest income and a simple tax situation, mostly in March and April.

Keep your RL slips (Quebec's tax slips) and receipts rather than sending them. The dates match: file by April 30 (June 15 if you or your spouse ran a business) and pay by April 30; a deadline on a Saturday or Sunday moves to the next business day. Track your return in My Account for individuals, Revenu Québec's online account.

## Checklist

- Gather your slips, receipts and most recent notice of assessment, and check your details with the CRA.
- Pick how you'll file, file by the deadline and pay any balance by April 30.
- Watch for your [notice of assessment and refund](https://taxnotes.ca/guides/your-tax-refund/).

## Sources

1. [How to file a tax return – Personal income tax](https://www.canada.ca/en/services/taxes/income-tax/personal-income-tax/how-file.html) (canada.ca)
2. [Get ready to file a tax return](https://www.canada.ca/en/services/taxes/income-tax/personal-income-tax/get-ready-taxes.html) (canada.ca)
3. [Filing due dates for the 2025 tax return](https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/tax/individuals/topics/important-dates-individuals/filing-dates-tax-return.html) (canada.ca)
4. [Find certified tax software](https://www.canada.ca/en/services/taxes/income-tax/personal-income-tax/how-file/tax-software/find-software.html) (canada.ca)
5. [Completing a tax return](https://www.canada.ca/en/services/taxes/income-tax/personal-income-tax/how-file/tax-software/complete-return.html) (canada.ca)
6. [Auto-fill My Return](https://www.canada.ca/en/services/taxes/income-tax/personal-income-tax/how-file/tax-software/complete-return/auto-fill.html) (canada.ca)
7. [Sending a tax return](https://www.canada.ca/en/services/taxes/income-tax/personal-income-tax/how-file/tax-software/send-return.html) (canada.ca)
8. [NETFILE](https://www.canada.ca/en/services/taxes/income-tax/personal-income-tax/how-file/tax-software/send-return/netfile.html) (canada.ca)
9. [SimpleFile](https://www.canada.ca/en/services/taxes/income-tax/personal-income-tax/how-file/simplefile.html) (canada.ca)
10. [SimpleFile Digital – Personal income tax](https://www.canada.ca/en/services/taxes/income-tax/personal-income-tax/how-file/simplefile/digital.html) (canada.ca)
11. [SimpleFile by Phone – Personal income tax](https://www.canada.ca/en/services/taxes/income-tax/personal-income-tax/how-file/simplefile/phone.html) (canada.ca)
12. [Get your taxes done at a free tax clinic](https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/tax/individuals/community-volunteer-income-tax-program/need-a-hand-complete-your-tax-return.html) (canada.ca)
13. [Using a professional tax preparer](https://www.canada.ca/en/services/taxes/income-tax/personal-income-tax/how-file/tax-preparer.html) (canada.ca)
14. [Filing a paper tax return](https://www.canada.ca/en/services/taxes/income-tax/personal-income-tax/how-file/paper.html) (canada.ca)
15. [Sign in to your CRA account](https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/e-services/cra-login-services.html) (canada.ca)
16. [Filing Your Income Tax Return Online – Revenu Québec](https://www.revenuquebec.ca/en/citizens/income-tax-return/filing-your-income-tax-return/filing-your-income-tax-return-online/) (revenuquebec.ca)
17. [Filing Your Income Tax Return by Mail – Revenu Québec](https://www.revenuquebec.ca/en/citizens/income-tax-return/filing-your-income-tax-return/filing-your-income-tax-return-by-mail/) (revenuquebec.ca)
18. [Deadline for Filing Your Income Tax Return – Revenu Québec](https://www.revenuquebec.ca/en/citizens/income-tax-return/filing-your-income-tax-return/deadline-for-filing-your-income-tax-return/) (revenuquebec.ca)
19. [Software Authorized for Filing the Personal Income Tax Return – Individuals – Revenu Québec](https://www.revenuquebec.ca/en/partners/authorized-products/authorized-software/personal-income-tax-return-individuals/) (revenuquebec.ca)
20. [Are You Eligible for the Income Tax Assistance Program? – Revenu Québec](https://www.revenuquebec.ca/en/one-mission-concrete-actions/helping-you-meet-your-obligations/income-tax-assistance-volunteer-program/are-you-eligible-for-the-income-tax-assistance-program/) (revenuquebec.ca)
21. [My Account for Individuals – Revenu Québec](https://www.revenuquebec.ca/en/citizens/my-account-for-individuals/) (revenuquebec.ca)

Tax figures in this guide come from the TaxNotes.ca rates tables (https://taxnotes.ca/rates/), which cite the Canada Revenue Agency and, for Quebec, Revenu Québec.

Last reviewed: October 11, 2026

How to cite: "How to file your tax return", TaxNotes.ca, last reviewed 2026-10-11, https://taxnotes.ca/guides/how-to-file-your-return/. For a figure or rule, also cite the official source listed above.

Licence: CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Free to share and adapt with attribution: https://taxnotes.ca/reproducing-our-content/