$35 for a tax return - do they spend any more than 10 mins on it?

For most people that's all that's required if using some software package - although I wouldn't trust an accountant who only charges that much.

It should not trigger an audit, it is just that it gives them one more chance to look over a return they have already put to bed. If you are going to get some tax back then good, otherwise there is no benefit to you.

The question is: do the costs of the medicals, plus any other medical expenses for the year exceed the lower of 3% of either spouse's net income or $2,052? If so, and that spouse paid tax, then it is worth filing. If the lower earning spouse did not pay tax but the expenses exceed the lower of 3% of the higher earner's net income or $2,052, then it is worth that person filing for an adjustment.

I pay $50 for myself and $75 for hubby which appears to be standard where I live

I did my hubbys for him the other year and calculated somewhere around $6k return. He didn't believe me, so took it to H&R block where they worked out it was around $4k.

Smiling like a man with a gobful of tic tacs he took great pleasure in telling me how wrong I was.

Some 4 months later revenue Canada sent him a cheque for an extra $2k (ish) for things that had been missed from the return.

It's the little things in life hey

To this day I refuse to do his taxes

I took our tax forms to a chartered accountancy firm the first two years that cost over $250 for the both so us. Upon recommendation, I took them to a small local family run business and our refunds were no less than that given when we filed using a CA. Excellent job and $35 well spent indeed!

I LOVE this!!!

I dont think I could take my chances with someone who only charges $35. You get what you pay for

As I said above, the taxes were done in the same way and the results were comparable. Easy to compare the hard copies when you keep them yourself. I just drop off our envelope of documents and pick them up the following week. Job done for $35 each!

Just because a rural family company has far less overheads and charges accordingly, doesn't mean the job gets done any different than big city accountants.

I would also urge newbies to get a professional to do your first year's taxes so you are well aware of all that can be claimed and what receipts you should be keeping. Even if you do them yourself next time, at least you have a hard copy 'Template' to keep you on track the following year.

Oh I hear what you are saying, but surely even a rural family company has an hourly rate that they are working towards achieving. I am thinking that this means that they prob allocate max 30 mins to your taxes.
But like you say, you are happy, its comparable. I am just not sure it would be the same for someone that needs anything vaguely complex involved - like a house still in the UK for example.

For our first return we used an accountant (pretty sure he charged more than $35 - but it wasn't much) it was worth it for the peace of mind and getting all the pro rating etc sorted. After that it was easy to file ourselves using one of the software packages mentioned above. I am self employed now so back to the accountant for me but hubby still files his own.

Hi I take it you could only claim tax on medicals that were conducted in Canada and not the UK?

Regards

Andrew

Yes, we had our medicals here in Nova Scotia

No, anywhere in the world as long as the doctor is licensed to practice in the country where the medical procedure takes place. However, you can't claim for medical expenses incurred before you become tax-resident in Canada.

In this case the PR medicals cost in 2011 just takes the medical expenses up to about $2k so it's not worth doing an adjustment for 2011.

I noticed that one of the options in Turbotax for 2012 is to enter medical expenses incurred in 2011 but not claimed then. Could the PR medical expenses be added to the 2012 tax assessment? (There is already quite a high figure for medical expenses for 2012 - approx $4.3k.)