Want to file first Tax Return

[toby]

No, this is not an accounting school, but that does not mean it is acceptable for you to mislead new immigrants on vital tax issues. That attitude verges on unprofessional.

I am not pursuing you, haver. Don't be paranoid. I was surprised when you challenged Leon in that personal manner, and so I naturally recalled that breach of courtesy when you criticized me for using "useless words", when I was only quoting from CRA literature in order to correct your inaccurate tax advice. I have certainly forgotten you many other posts.

It is significant that you have chosen to ignore several opportunities to correct your tax advice, or defend it by citing your sources. A professional would be keen to show readers that he knew what he was talking about -- especially those he wanted to sell insurance to. Instead, you prefer to hide your errors by engaging in personal comments. If you wish to continue in this vein, at least take if off this public forum and send me a personal message. I'll have no more to do with you here.

 

[Suin]

hello,
please advise whether I need to file my 1st Tax Return for 2009 if I landed on December 1st 2009?
thank you

 

[haver]

Hi Suin,
There is no law in Canada that insist that you must fill the tax return in Canada.
You definitely have to pay taxes if you owe them.
So, you have to submit the tax return no later than Apr 30 if you are employed or no later than Jun 15 if you are self-employed.
Your tax duty, you have to do no later than Apr 30.

 

[toby]

Suin:

When I was a student, and rather careless about these things, I went several years without filing a tax return, and the Tax Department told me in no uncertain terms to get all of the late tax returns in to them ASAP. I forget if they quoted a law, but in effect all taxpayers are required to file tax returns.

As Haver says, you can file your return from abroad (no requirement to file it in Canada), but your 2009 tax return must reach CRA's tax office by the end of April 2010.

If you have only one month in Canada before the 31 December cutoff, you most probably won't have any taxes to pay. Download the tax package from the CRA website, and you'll be done in ten minutes -- well, maybe a few hours. ;D

Next year, use a tax program -- for $60 it saves a lot of frustration. Or find someone who has bought one, and use it to prepare your return (Quicktax allows up to 8 different tax returns, as I recall).