Updated Checked by the Tax-Services.ca editorial team How we check
The tax situation quiz on Tax-Services.ca asks five short questions and then lists the guides and calculators that fit your situation. It asks where you live, how you earn most of your money, whether you own or plan to buy a home, whether you are new to Canada and what you want to do first. You can skip any question.
How does the quiz work?
Your answers pick from a fixed set of links. That is all. There is no score and no account, and what you choose never leaves your browser, which is also why the quiz cannot remember you next time. If you land on the wrong list, run it again with different answers.
Where does each answer send you?
Each answer adds specific pages to your list. This table shows how the answers map to pages on this site.
| If you answer | The quiz shows |
|---|---|
| I earn money from a job | The take-home pay calculator |
| I am self-employed or freelance | The self-employed guide and the self-employed tax calculator |
| I live on a pension or investments | The retirement calculator |
| I am a student | Taxes for students |
| I am new to Canada | The first Canadian return page |
| Your province or territory | The matching page under provinces |
| I own or plan to buy a home | The mortgage calculators, plus the land transfer tax calculator in Ontario, the property transfer tax calculator in British Columbia or the welcome tax calculator in Quebec |
| I want to file my return | The guide to filing your return and the tax calendar |
| I want to estimate my pay or tax | The income tax calculator |
| I want to plan my savings | The RRSP calculator and the TFSA calculator |
| I want to understand the rates | How Canadian income tax works and the limits and rates page |
What can it tell you?
It points you somewhere useful. It cannot tell you what you owe, because that depends on details a short quiz does not ask about, such as your credits, your deductions and every slip you will receive. For the full picture, start with the tax guides, the calculators or the limits and rates page.
What if none of the results fit?
Real lives are messier than five questions, so expect a close match rather than a perfect one. Pick the result nearest your biggest question, read it, then run the quiz again for your second one. If your question is about one calculation, the calculator picker is quicker, and for benefits try the benefits finder.
Frequently asked questions
Are my answers saved?
No. The quiz runs in your browser and nothing is sent to us. Close the page and the answers are gone.
Will the quiz tell me what I owe?
No. It points you to guides and calculators that fit your situation. The calculators give estimates, and the CRA's notice of assessment settles what you owe.
Why does it ask where I live?
Tax rates and sales tax differ by province and territory, so the right calculator or guide can change with your answer.
How long does the tax situation quiz take?
Under a minute. It has five short questions, and you can skip any you would rather not answer. When you press the button, it lists the guides and calculators that match your answers.
Do I have to answer every question?
No. You can skip any question and still get a list. The more you answer, the more specific the list gets. If you answer none, the quiz asks you to answer at least one question and try again.