How long does it take to get overpaid tax back?
 

We filed my OH's tax return on the last day. He is due a bit of a refund, but we haven't heard anything yet. How long does it normally take? It was his first tax return in Canada, if it makes a difference. Thank you.

Re: How long does it take to get overpaid tax back?
 

my refund was through in about 3 weeks, also my first tax return in Canada...filed roughly 2 weeks before the closing date

Re: How long does it take to get overpaid tax back?
 

Oh, that's great.

Is there anywhere we can chase this?

Re: How long does it take to get overpaid tax back?
 

Did you efile? Use an accountant? Do it yourself?

Re: How long does it take to get overpaid tax back?
 

Don't bug the taxman, you don't want them paying any more attention to you than they have to.

Re: How long does it take to get overpaid tax back?
 

We did it ourselves, but used a programme (can't remember the name, but it was recommended on here) to calculate it for us. As we were doing it for the first time, we had to hand in the paper version. I handed it in at the tax office (whatever it's called).

Re: How long does it take to get overpaid tax back?
 

Yes, didn't think of that!

Re: How long does it take to get overpaid tax back?
 

You can call the CRA call centre:

http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/cntct/phn-eng.html

They're fairly helpful but might not have that much information for you.

Re: How long does it take to get overpaid tax back?
 

Ours took a long time the first year. Think it was August by the time we got our refund...

Re: How long does it take to get overpaid tax back?
 

It is not unknown of them to take three months to process a new immigrant's first return.

Re: How long does it take to get overpaid tax back?
 

I only received my refund two weeks ago. The accompanying letter explained that they had looked at my claim, adjusted it upward and paid me interest for the delay. :)

Re: How long does it take to get overpaid tax back?
 

Thank you everyone for the responses.
Interest for the delay would be nice :)

Re: How long does it take to get overpaid tax back?
 

Found it to be fairly random.

The tax system is another great inefficiency here. The postage and paper alone that my wife and I receive from the CRA for all sorts is mind boggling. Across millions of households it must be truly ridiculous.

Re: How long does it take to get overpaid tax back?
 

Hi
We are also still waiting for our first tax return, so at least there are more two of us! Also filled on paper via the accountant!

Re: How long does it take to get overpaid tax back?
 

One year my parents miscalculated and had an outstanding balance of $1.xx (I am not sure of how many cents, but the total outstanding was less than two dollars). They must have received seven or eight demands for the outstanding balance. Even if postage at the time only cost $0.50 per letter, they still spent more in postage than they would have received from my parents who said to hell with it, that miniscule amount could just be dealt with on the next year's taxes.

Re: How long does it take to get overpaid tax back?
 

Yea things like that are fun.

The stuff that gets me is when they write to my wife to inform us she's no longer entitled to some such credit or benefit which we never asked for.

Then a month or two later they write to me and say "oh btw you're entitled to that benefit we took off your wife, here's a cheque, thanks"

It's mad.

Re: How long does it take to get overpaid tax back?
 

it took 6 months before we got ours back the first time we filed , Id forgotten all about it by then so it was a nice suprise when it turned up ! our others after that all turned up after about two weeks :)

Re: How long does it take to get overpaid tax back?
 

Thank you. Gosh, that IS long.

Re: How long does it take to get overpaid tax back?
 

The lady who did the taxes told us the first one takes that long as it goes to the international tax department hopefully yours will be a lot quicker :)

Re: How long does it take to get overpaid tax back?
 

Yes. New immigrant returns are pre-assessed. I.e a real live CRA person wil review the return before entering it into their system.

The vast majority of net-filed or e-filed returns are post-assessed. Unless there is something wacky on your return the CRA's computers will just accept whatever you file and spit out refund cheques or demand for payment. Later on in the year they will do some statistical analysis and select the returns they want to review.

Re: How long does it take to get overpaid tax back?
 

my first tax refund took 2 months to arrive thereafter they take about 2 weeks or seem to for me.

Re: How long does it take to get overpaid tax back?
 

I seem to recall a similar thread but in the past I've actually got refunds faster by filing on paper.

I remember talking to some Chinese kid once when I phoned up to ask a question and he says to me: "What software did you use to prepare your return?" Er... the stuff inside my head called a "brain".

I can't see any point to tax preparation software for Canadian personal returns unless for some strange reason it's really complex (e.g. you are self-employed). Or maybe you live in Québec.

By the time you've figured out the software you could have done it. It's not like a US return where the State and Federal returns are largely separate and there are huge numbers of tax credits you can claim.

And you don't get refunds faster using software, contrary to common belief.

Re: How long does it take to get overpaid tax back?
 

Refreshing this as my OH finally got the tax back, but it's around $800 less than what we had calculated. He didn't get a letter with an explanation or anything. The money just appeared in his account. Will he get something? Should WE contact them? Thank you!

Re: How long does it take to get overpaid tax back?
 

You should get a letter from CRA explaining what they adjusted. It's probably in the mail.

Re: How long does it take to get overpaid tax back?
 

He will receive a Notice of Assessment. He will need to compare the figures stated in the Notice to the figures he stated in his Tax Return and speak to CRA if there is a difference.

Re: How long does it take to get overpaid tax back?
 

Thank you everyone. The letter actually arrived today.