New Rules for Authorization

As of July 2025, CRA has changed the way I can access your account for information. I have a service called Represent a Client, which I use to access your account, but the authorization has to come from you. I access your account for a few reasons; to find missing slips, to review notices or letters and to change your past returns. To make this process easy, please register for CRA MY ACCOUNT before booking an appointment with me. If you have My Account you can see tax slips, you can change your banking, address and marital status, you can get a notice of assessment and see any electronic mail from CRA. You can authorize me too. THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT. Without authorization your income tax preparation can be delayed.

Register at

https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/e-services/cra-login-services.html

Medical Expenses

Whether a claim is useable depends on income first. Medical expenses over 3% of your income, can reduce federal tax owing. Whatever you pay out of pocket, above any coverage you get from insurance, you can claim. Check the CRA site for which items are claimable. Some common ones are prescriptions, chiropractor, physiotherapist, braces, massage, premiums for health insurance and the cost of traveling for medical appointments. One claim that gets overlooked is travel for medical appointments. Over 40km one way - you can claim a per kilometer rate. Over 80km one way - you can claim a per km rate, meals, parking and hotel. To prove these trips you need a trip log, receipts for parking and hotels and a letter from your local doctor. If you’re not sure if it’s claimable, ask me.

Trick or Treat?

You have heard of them, but has it happened to you? A scam. Sometimes it’s hard to tell. If you’re really not sure, call me. I can help determine if it’s true or false. Some current scams are sent by text or by email and the information looks suspiciously familiar, but with a deeper look, you can notice things about the message that reveal its origin. Hopefully you are registered for CRA My Account, where you can determine if there’s any money due or owed to you. I encourage you to register for My Account. It takes about 30 minutes. Again, you can always contact me about anything you aren’t sure of.

Charitable Donations

Remember only registered charities are eligible for the tax credit. A tax credit reduces any federal tax owing, so you must have taxable income for this to be useful.

On the first $200 donated your credit is 15%, on the next dollar your credit is 29%. (If you gave $2800 your federal credit would be $784).

How do you get your receipts? Email - find them and print them, mail - wait for them, in person - pick it up.

Start your list now of who you gave to, to be ready at tax time.