The April 30th deadline for filing taxes is closing in quickly, but there's still time left before penalties come into play.
One of the first and easiest steps to help smooth the process along, especially for last minute filers, is creating a My CRA Account, according to spokesperson with CRA, David Nunes.
"If for whatever reason you lose one of your information slips like a T4, or it might not get to you in the mail on time from your employer or whatever happens ... you can always find the information that you need to file your taxes on that [My CRA Account]," he said. "From there you can file it through one of those certified tax softwares."
My CRA Account is a secure portal that lets individuals view their income tax and benefit information and manage their tax affairs online without having to call the CRA. Anyone with an account can also track their refund and see balance owing, make payments, apply for benefits, and more.
Anyone who owes taxes and files past the April 30th deadline could get a five per cent penalty on the full amount, as well as a one per cent penalty every month for up to 12 months.
Individuals who file late but will receive a refund won't be fined a penalty but might notice interruptions to benefits such as the Canada Child Benefit or GST rebate.
"It's just super imperative for everybody to file by that April 30th deadline," Nunes added. "That will make sure there's no interruptions to your day-to-day life, no need to chase around the money that you're entitled to and most importantly, not paying any penalty."
For more tips and advice to help smooth out the process, see this question-and-answer page on the federal government website.