Printable tax checklists for Canadian taxpayers

These are six printable one-page tax checklists for Canadian taxpayers: documents to gather, self-employed expenses, a last check before filing, newcomer steps, a student return and buying a home. Tick them on screen or print them, and a missing slip shows up before the deadline does instead of the night you sit down to file.

The lists cover the practical part of tax time, the gathering. First-timers often don’t know which slips exist yet. People who’ve filed for years still forget the receipt that turns out to matter. And if you work for yourself, the list of costs you can claim is long enough that something always slips through.

Pick the sheet that matches your situation and tick off what you already have. Print it and pin it somewhere, or keep it open in a tab while you dig through the filing cabinet. We don’t prepare or file returns, and a checklist isn’t advice for your own case.

Which articles go with the checklists?

• First time tax filing in Canada

  The slips to gather, the dates and the late penalty, with a worked example.

• T4 Canada: what each box means

  Pay sits in box 14 and tax withheld in box 22, and here is what to do if yours is wrong.

• Home office expenses

  Your employer must sign Form T2200 before the claim counts.

• Self employed tax deductions

  What you can claim, and how the 50% meals rule works.

• Last day to file taxes in Canada

  April 30 for most people, June 15 for the self-employed, and the penalty if you miss it.

Which checklist do you need?

• Documents to gather for your tax return

  The slips, receipts and personal details to have ready before you file.

• Self-employed expenses you can claim

  The costs of running a business that people most often forget.

• Before you file your tax return

  A last check of your details, slips, claims and payment.

• Newcomer tax steps

  What to arrange in your first months in Canada.

• Student tax return

  The slips and receipts students should gather.

• Buying a home

  The costs and taxes to plan for at closing.

When is everything due?

For most people the filing deadline is April 30. If you or your spouse or common-law partner are self-employed, the filing deadline moves to June 15, but any tax you owe is still due April 30. The CRA’s due dates page lists the dates for each year, and the tax calendar here keeps the rest in one place.

What if a tax slip is missing?

Look in your CRA My Account first, because many slips are listed there. If one still hasn’t shown up, ask the employer or payer for it, and don’t let the wait push you past the deadline. The CRA’s late-filing penalty page sets the penalty at 5% of your balance owing, plus 1% for each full month late, up to 12 months. Owe $1,000 and file three full months late, and that’s $80 on top of interest. The lost or missing tax slip page walks through the steps.

How long should you keep your tax records?

At least six years. The CRA’s page on how long to keep your records says to hold on to your records for at least six years, so keep the pile once the return is sent.

Where do these checklists come from?

They are our own plain-English summaries of what the CRA asks for. They aren’t the CRA’s forms, and the CRA’s pages are the reference if anything differs. They don’t replace the filing guide either, which explains what to do with each item. Start with how to file your tax return if you haven’t filed before, and keep the tax calendar nearby for the dates.

If a checklist is tied to a big change, such as a move, a new job or a first home, the life events pages explain the tax side behind it. If a term like T2202 or notice of assessment trips you up, the glossary has it in a line or two.