H&R Block Canada holds first Tax-A-Thon to help solve Canada's procrastination problem

Select offices across the country will be open for 64 hours straight this weekend

CALGARY, April 24, 2015 /CNW/ - With the Canada Revenue Agency still waiting for more than 11 million returns, H&R Block Canada is helping procrastinators meet the April 30 deadline by launching its first ever Tax-A-Thon.

H&R Block is opening select offices for 64 hours straight this weekend. Offices open at 8 am on Friday morning and will remain open until midnight on Sunday so taxpayers can file on time and make sure they don't miss a thing.

According to a recent Angus Reid Forum survey, Canadians aged 35-54 procrastinate the most when it comes to filing their taxes with 29 per cent saying they file just before or past the deadline. And the tax deadline can be a source of dread for some. The same survey showed one in 10 would rather sing karaoke in front of their boss than do their tax return.

"Last year, more than two million Canadians took advantage of the five day extension created by the Heartbleed Bug but this year, the deadline remains April 30^th," says Richard Brown, president, H&R Block Canada. "The hockey playoffs and nicer weather make it easy to forget about your taxes but waiting until the last minute could mean you miss claiming credits and deductions. No one wants to leave money on the table at tax time."

This year's tax return includes a number of new credits including the $2,000 Family Tax Cut, enhanced $1,000 Children's Fitness Credit and a $3,000 volunteer Search and Rescue Credit. Filing a tax return also means you automatically apply for government benefits like the Canada Child Tax Benefit, quarterly GST/HST payments and Guaranteed Income Supplement as well as provincial benefits.

Even if you owe and can't pay, you should file by the deadline to avoid the five percent late filing penalty and interruptions in your benefit payments.

For taxpayers who want to do-it-themselves, H&R Block also offers a truly free Online Tax Software that is available 24/7.  Backed by 50 years of tax experience and a maximum refund guarantee, H&R Block's DIY solutions offer the flexibility of being able to use multiple devices and an easy step-by-step approach for filing your return.

"No matter how you choose to file your return, H&R Block has the solution to get it done before the deadline," says Brown. "With the average refund being around $1,600, it doesn't make sense to procrastinate. File your return and get your money back."

About H&R Block Canada
With more than 50 years of experience, H&R Block Canada is the leading tax preparation firm in the country. Headquartered in Calgary, Alberta, the company serves Canadian taxpayers in more than 1,200 offices across the country. H&R Block Canada Inc. is a subsidiary of H&R Block, Inc., a diversified company with subsidiaries providing a wide range of financial products and services. Additional information about H&R Block Canada is available at 1-800-HRBLOCK or visit https://www.hrblock.ca/ for more tax tips.

About the Survey
From February 25th 2015 to February 26th 2015, an online survey was conducted among a sample of 1,506 Canadian adults age 18+ who are also Angus Reid Forum panel members. The margin of error — which measures sampling variability — is +/-3.1%, 19 times out of 20. The sample was balanced by age, gender, region and education (and in Quebec language) according to the most recent census data. Discrepancies in or between totals are due to rounding.

*Filing figures for specific periods are estimated based on CRA published data.

SOURCE H&R Block Canada Inc.

Tina Quelch, Calador Communications, [phone] x 22, [email protected]