Personal Tax · T1 Returns
Personal tax accountant in Calgary.
I file T1 returns for employees, the self-employed, students, seniors, new Canadians, and people who are a few years behind. EFILE certified. Quoted upfront.
Who I file for
Most personal tax situations, handled.
Salaried employees. Straightforward T1 returns based on your T4 and any other slips, with deductions and credits applied where they fit. RRSP, donations, medical, tuition, the works.
Self-employed and contractors. Schedule T2125 for business income, expense tracking, home-office and vehicle claims, and the CPP self-employment piece most people forget about. If you’re not yet incorporated, this is the form your tax sits on.
Students. Tuition transfers, the Canada Workers Benefit if you qualify, moving expenses, interest on student loans. Often a refund situation.
Seniors. OAS and CPP slips, pension income splitting with a spouse, age and pension credits, RRIF withdrawals, medical, and the Disability Tax Credit if it applies.
New Canadians. First-year residency rules, world income reporting, foreign property (T1135), and the deductions you didn’t know you could claim.
Late filers. One year, three years, or more. The earlier we file, the less interest piles up. Voluntary disclosures available where penalties might apply.
What goes into a return
What a T1 return actually involves.
Your T1 is your personal income tax return. It’s the form everyone files in Canada. Here’s what’s on it.
Income slips
T4 (employment), T4A (other income, pensions, freelance, scholarships), T5 (investment income, interest, dividends), T3 (trust and mutual fund distributions), T4E (EI), T4RSP and T4RIF (RRSP/RRIF withdrawals), T2202 (tuition). I’ll match every slip CRA has on file so nothing gets missed.
Deductions
RRSP contributions (within your contribution room), childcare expenses, union dues, moving expenses if you moved for work or school, employment expenses if you work from home and your employer signs a T2200, and self-employed business expenses if you have them.
Credits
Medical expenses (yours and your dependants’), charitable donations, tuition transfers between family members, the Disability Tax Credit, the Canada Caregiver Credit, and provincial credits specific to Alberta. Refundable ones come back to you as cash, non-refundable ones reduce tax owing.
RRSP, TFSA & capital gains
RRSP contributions go on the return. TFSA growth doesn’t (it’s tax-free), but contribution room matters. Capital gains from selling investments, a rental property, or non-principal-residence property all get reported on Schedule 3.
Checklist
What you need to bring.
Photos of paper documents are fine. Send everything in one batch if you can, easier on both of us.
- Government-issued ID (first-time clients only)
- Your most recent Notice of Assessment (NOA)
- All slips you received in the mail or downloaded from CRA
- RRSP contribution receipts (first 60 days of this year and the prior 10 months)
- Donation receipts and medical receipts
- T2202 tuition forms (from your school’s portal)
- Property tax bill if you’re claiming Alberta tax credits or rented out a portion
- Rental income and expenses (for any rental property)
- Self-employment income and expense totals
- Any letter CRA sent you in the last 12 months
How it works
Four steps, no surprises.
- 1
Send me your stuff
Email, secure upload, or drop it off. Photos are fine.
- 2
I prep and review
I draft the return, run optimization between spouses if it applies, and flag anything I want your confirmation on.
- 3
I EFILE with CRA
Once you approve, I file electronically. You sign a T183.
- 4
You get your NOA
CRA sends your Notice of Assessment, usually within 8 business days. Refund hits direct deposit shortly after.
Behind on filing?
If you’re a few years behind.
This happens all the time. People avoid it because they think the news is going to be bad, then it snowballs. The fix is the same either way: gather what you have, fill the gaps, file the oldest year first and work forward. I’ve done this for people who were seven years behind. We get it sorted, set up a payment arrangement if needed, and you stop looking over your shoulder.
Got a CRA letter?
If CRA sent you something.
Don’t ignore it. Most CRA letters are routine reviews asking you to back up a deduction or credit. Some are more serious. Either way, bring it to me before you respond, the wrong answer to a simple letter can turn into an audit. See how I handle CRA letters and audits.
Pricing
How a consultation works.
Personal tax pricing depends on what’s on the return. A T4-only return is straightforward. A return with self-employment, rentals, and capital gains takes more work. Rather than guess, I quote you upfront after a 30-minute call.
On the call I’ll ask: what slips you have, whether you’re self-employed, whether anything changed this year (moved, married, had a kid, sold property), and whether you’re current or behind. That’s usually enough for me to put a number on it. No surprise invoices later.
If you’re self-employed and your books need work first, we’ll talk about bookkeeping too.
From Google
What personal tax clients say.
“I was three years behind on my taxes and dreading the call. Rhonda walked me through everything in one sitting, refiled what was missed, and even got me a refund on the oldest year. I’ll never use anyone else.”
“Switched to Rhonda after my old accountant kept missing deadlines. She picked up my year-end, fixed two prior years that had errors, and got my T2 in on time. Calm and clear the entire way.”
“I’ve been self-employed for a decade and Rhonda is the first accountant who actually explains what she’s doing. I leave every meeting feeling like I understand my own books.”
Service areas
Calgary and nearby.
The office is in northeast Calgary, but most of my work happens by email, phone, and secure file upload. I take clients from across Calgary, Airdrie, Okotoks, and Cochrane, and a fair number from further afield once they’re used to working remotely.
- Calgary
- Airdrie
- Okotoks
- Cochrane
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
When’s the personal tax filing deadline in Canada?
April 30 for most people. If you or your spouse are self-employed, you have until June 15 to file, but any tax you owe is still due April 30. Interest starts ticking the day after.
Do I need to file if I had no income?
Often yes, even at zero. Filing keeps you eligible for benefits like the GST/HST credit, the Canada Carbon Rebate, and provincial credits. CRA also uses your return to calculate things like child benefit payments. When in doubt, file.
Can you file old returns I missed?
Yes. I file late returns regularly, one year, three years, sometimes more. CRA accepts late filings electronically for the past few years and on paper beyond that. We’ll work backwards from the most recent year.
Do you handle self-employed schedules?
Yes. T2125 (business and professional income), T776 (rental), T2042 (farming), capital gains schedules, all standard work. Bring me your numbers in whatever shape they’re in.
What if I owe CRA money?
I’ll calculate the balance owing and walk you through your payment options. If you can’t pay it all at once, CRA accepts payment arrangements. I’ve set up many of these for clients.
How long until I get my refund?
For an EFILED return with direct deposit, CRA usually deposits refunds in 8 business days. Paper returns or first-time filers without direct deposit can take 6–8 weeks.
Do you do US returns?
I don’t personally prepare US 1040s, but if you’re a US citizen living in Canada or a Canadian with US income, I’ll point you to a cross-border specialist and handle the Canadian side.
Are slips enough, or do I need to bring receipts?
Slips cover most of the return. You need receipts for things like medical expenses, charitable donations, RRSP contributions (if not on a slip), self-employment expenses, and tuition. When in doubt, bring it.
Ready when you are.
Book a 30-minute call. I’ll listen to what you’re dealing with, ask a few questions, and tell you upfront what it’ll cost.