OTTAWA, April 18, 2017 /CNW/ - Most Canadian income tax and benefit returns for 2016 are due on April 30, 2017. However, as this date is a Sunday, the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) will consider your return as filed on time and your payment to be made on time if it receives your submission by midnight on May 1, 2017, or if it is postmarked May 1, 2017.
Self-employed individuals and their spouses or common‑law partners have until June 15, 2017, to file their income tax and benefit returns, but any balance owing is still due on or before April 30, 2017.
After you file your 2016 return, there are a few more things you can do.
Check the status of your refund
If you're expecting a refund, there are two ways to check its status:
- by going online, using My Account or the MyCRA mobile app
- by calling the CRA's Tax Information Phone Service (TIPS) at 1-800-267-6999.
If you file electronically and sign up for direct deposit, you could get your refund in as little as eight business days. Direct deposit is convenient, reliable, and secure! To sign up, go to cra.gc.ca/directdeposit.
If you file electronically and are registered for online mail, you could get an instant assessment result message and receive your notice of assessment (NOA) directly into your certified tax software the next day using the Express NOA service.
Make any outstanding payments
If you have a balance owing for 2016, there are three ways you can make a payment right away:
- the pre-authorized debit service in My Account
- the CRA's My Payment service
- a financial institution's telephone or Internet banking service
Even if you can't pay your balance right away, you should still file your return on time to avoid a late-filing penalty. You may be able to make a payment arrangement with the CRA by:
- making a pre-authorized debit payment agreement using My Account
- calling the CRA's TeleArrangement telephone service at 1-866-256-1147
- calling the CRA's debt management call centre at 1-888-863-8657
To learn more about managing your tax debt, go to cra.gc.ca/collections.
Make a change to your return
First, wait until you receive your notice of assessment from the CRA. Then, you can change your return. For more information, go to cra.gc.ca/changereturn.
Keep your receipts and records
You should keep your income tax records and any supporting documents for six years in case the CRA selects your return for review. To support a deduction or credit you claimed, the CRA may ask for documents other than official receipts, such as cancelled cheques or bank statements.
Stay connected
To receive updates on what is new at the Canada Revenue Agency, you can:
- Follow the CRA on Twitter - @CanRevAgency.
- Follow the CRA on LinkedIn.
- Subscribe to a CRA electronic mailing list.
- Add our RSS feeds to your feed reader.
- Watch our tax-related videos on YouTube.
SOURCE Canada Revenue Agency
For further information: CRA Media Relations: 613-952-9184
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