Frequently asked questions

Bring the tax slips and records that relate to your income, deductions and credits, along with your latest notice of assessment and prior return if available. If you had self-employment, rental, investment or foreign income, bring the supporting summaries and statements as well. Do not leave something out because you are unsure. It is easier to rule out an irrelevant document than discover a missing one later.

Start with the corporation's bookkeeping records, year-end bank and credit-card statements, sales and expense support, payroll information, GST/HST filings, prior corporate return and any CRA correspondence. The exact list depends on what the corporation did during the year. A sale, loan, new shareholder, asset purchase or related company may require additional records, so mention changes even if no document has been requested yet.

There is no honest universal turnaround time. A current set of books with reconciled accounts is different from a year that has to be rebuilt from statements. Timing also depends on missing information, unusual transactions and whether planning or amendments are involved. Once the records and scope have been reviewed, we can tell you what remains and give you a realistic next step.

Do not ignore it, and do not answer from memory. Read the full letter, note any response date, and send all pages for review, including schedules or reference numbers. A CRA letter may be a routine request, a reassessment or something that needs a formal response. The wording matters. First identify what the CRA is asking for, then decide what records and explanation belong in the reply.

Not automatically. Incorporation can change how the business is taxed and how money is taken out, but it also creates a separate corporation with its own records, filings and costs. The decision depends on income, cash needs, risk, ownership and longer-term plans. If the only reason is that someone said every serious business incorporates, that is not enough information to make the decision.

Your first return may require more context than a standard annual filing. Bring the dates relevant to your move, Canadian tax slips, information about income received before and after arriving, and any foreign income or property records that may be relevant. Do not guess at residency questions. Set out the timeline clearly so the filing position can be reviewed from the facts.

Taxplan handles Canadian rental and property income for non-resident clients and works with them remotely. The file may involve withholding and Canadian filing requirements as well as the rental income and expense records. Start with the ownership details, rental statements, income and expense support, dates, prior filings and any CRA correspondence. The correct work depends on your circumstances, so the facts need review before advice is given.

No. The calculator is an estimate based on the published fees: $75 per tax return, $50 per rental statement, $50 per capital gain statement, $250 per business statement and $150 for employment expenses. HST is additional. For remote filing, the fee is collected in advance by Interac e-mail transfer, as set out in the filing steps on the fees page. The website itself does not process cards or create an instant booking. If the scope is different from the inputs, it needs to be discussed before work begins.