cheeky_monkey

Can i still claim for tax year 2014..i still have my T4 & T220..I only worked up to May 2014 before returning to the UK. Now i am back do i wait for the mad rush in April or can i put in my claim now..i assume the govt would owe me some wedge for that year?

Gozit

This will be my first T4/tax filing experience. I don't know if I owe anything or will get anything back as I was a minor the whole time. Do I even need to file anything? To be honest I don't know how any of this works so if anyone can shed light that would be great.

I gather turbotax is the recommendation for simple, straight bi-weekly paycheques?

BristolUK

Yes, Or SimpleTax.

It's worth doing just to get "in the system" and it makes it easier later. And GST refunds too

Free versions BTW

Gozit

Cool... I will wait until efile is open then do it.

Darn. Have to be 19 for GST credit GST/HST credit - Application and Eligibility

Cheers

BristolUK

All quiet on the tax front. Unusual.

Souvy

Nothing much to report. I'm ready to go as soon as I buy my RRSP next week and have the all-important receipt. I should get a nice refund. My instalment payments last year were too high (exchange rate) and the RRSP will pull my taxable income down even further.

My missus is in a bit of a pickle. That federal pay system is a disaster area and none of her payslips etc are correct.

BristolUK

Bad enough to get pay wrong - unless one of those overpaid.

But that must be even worse when it comes to tax time.

I suppose you have to record everything as per the pay slips, get taxed or refunded based on inaccurate information and then when the wages are finally corrected, do the tax return again? Or maybe it's all taken care of by the payroll department?

Souvy

Something along those lines. Mine will be OK (no payslips). I guess we give the accountant the official slips for the missus and file using them. Any discrepancies can be sorted later.

We usually file together and do income/pension splitting etc. I'll probably tell the account to give that a miss this time. I want my refund and it will go straight back into RRSP.

I feel rather sorry for lower-paid people that are not getting paid.

beckiwoo

I put in a bit of money in my RRSP yesterday and got the slips printed out by the bank to show how much I paid into that in 2016.

I'm still waiting for the T4 for my other job and as I leave for the UK next week, I'll have to file at the beginning of March when I get back.

scrubbedexpat091

I am just waiting for the province to send the necessary paperwork we need.

They never send it on time usually first week of March. Seems government entities dont have to follow the same deadlines.

Will likely get back a small refund of 200 to 300 which is the norm based on my estimates.

beckiwoo

Who was it on here who recommended 'Simple Tax' to do a return?

I want to do it myself this year without paying an accountant although she only charges me $50 for a simple return.

I just want to make sure I can use a friendly interface software and add my T4s, RRSP contributions and transit receipts

scrubbedexpat091

Bristol most likely.

I have also used it and found it simple and easy to understand and use and you should be able to do all of the above with it.

BristolUK

Yep, me.

I've happily used TurboTax for years. My only issue with them was you now only get the free one by selecting it. Previously I could select a different version that transferred the previous year over and then, because of a lower income it was still free.

The free one doesn't transfer the previous year over, but since it's only the identifying details it transferred anyway, it's no big deal to input that again.

For that little potential capital gains tax issue, Simple Tax was easier for me this year. It's free but you may choose to pay what you think it's worth, whereas TurboTax now has a free basic version...but basic really covers more than simple.

I suspect SimpleTax will try to drum up business and then charge at some future date whereas TurboTax has established itself and will likely always have a free option - although may go back to a low income one rather than basic.

For an employee with no complications there's probably nothing between the two.

Try both (up to the review stage)...whichever you do second will seem easier having got used to what to do with the first. Both will Netfile and you can save a copy with either. Best not to actually file twice with both though.

Maybe do both and come the 20th when you can Netfile, decide which one you want.

When you do it, you'll probably think "blimey, I could do this for $20 a time for people I know."

beckiwoo

Good to know, thank you

I think I will try both and see what the number is at the end and which one i prefer to to use.

One last question for anyone, when will they realease the GST refund theshold that you can earn amount? - I believe previously it was around $42,000.

I was not eligable last year and the year before when i became a new resident of Canada, I didnt fill in the form to apply for it.

Do i need to fill that form in this year in order to be elligable for it or will CRA work it out from my return?

beckiwoo

So question for anybody:

My bank printed out my RRSP contribution receipts:

1. one for the first 60 days of 2017 - I put a lump sum in last week
2. one for the remainder of 2016 (after March 1 2016) - had a regular $50 deduction per pay period (bi weekly) up until Oct 2016
3. one for the first 60 days of 2016. - When I first opened an RRSP

The last one (number 3) I have already claimed that amount on my 2015 return so this means I cannot claim this one on my 2016 return?

Ive just gone from a refund of $450 to owing them $8 after taking this out