Filing tax return for a sponsored spouse

[Ehda]

Hi.
My husband immigrated to canada in Feb 2016.
In May 2016 we married and he sponsored me and I came here in Feb 2017. I am a resident now and have a SIN number.
Now he filed tax return for the first time and accountant reported his marital status as single(!) and told him that since your wife wasn't here in 2016, you're considered single!
That doesn't make sense to me and now I'm confused if I want to file the GST/HST credit form, should I file it as single or married?
The other confusion, as I read in the CRA site, I may be considered resident for the tax purposes in tax year 2016 because I had a residential tie (a spouse in Canada) and it seems to me that I have to file tax return for myself!!
What should I do now? Filing a tax return individually or just apply for GST/HST credit for newcomers?
If I don't file anything, is it possible for me or my husband to be charged for a penalty?

 

[steaky]

Call CRA or get 2 more professional opinion.

 

[zardoz]

Hi.
My husband immigrated to canada in Feb 2016.
In May 2016 we married and he sponsored me and I came here in Feb 2017. I am a resident now and have a SIN number.
Now he filed tax return for the first time and accountant reported his marital status as single(!) and told him that since your wife wasn't here in 2016, you're considered single!
That doesn't make sense to me and now I'm confused if I want to file the GST/HST credit form, should I file it as single or married?
The other confusion, as I read in the CRA site, I may be considered resident for the tax purposes in tax year 2016 because I had a residential tie (a spouse in Canada) and it seems to me that I have to file tax return for myself!!
What should I do now? Filing a tax return individually or just apply for GST/HST credit for newcomers?
If I don't file anything, is it possible for me or my husband to be charged for a penalty?

Get a new accountant.
https://www.hrblock.ca/blog/are-you-married-in-the-eyes-of-the-cra/

You’re married

You put a ring on it! If you were joined in a civil or religious ceremony in Canada, or even tied the knot in a different country, you’re both considered married for tax purposes. If your spouse happens to live in another country, you should still report that you’re married on your return.

 

[pie_vancouver]

Some file as single (even though though they are married/spouse not in Canada) to get the GST/HST credit, oh well... CRA will know the truth eventually and will ask to get their money back!

 

[Ehda]

Thank you guys for the answers.
Though it was really obvious to me that we're married(!!!) , the accountant has filed the return already and I guess there's no way to change the forms.
Now the question is what happens if I apply for the GST/HST credit for newcomers?

 

[pie_vancouver]

You can change the return if you forgot or want to change something, read:
http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/changereturn/