Do you want to check the status of your Income Tax Refund ?

[tjthemanto]

DH and I Netfiled our taxes together. We both have a refund, but while my taxes were assessed and the refund deposited on March 8th, DH has not received anything. His account says that his tax return has been assessed the same date as mine, March 8th. No word on that deposit though and it is now the 26th. Is anyone else waiting, or should I be making plans to call CRA?

Is the Notice of Assessment available ? What does the NOA say ? March 8 th the NOA should have been available.

1. Maybe he has some owed taxes from previous year and CRA has applied it against that.

2. He might have been randomly audited & his return is being reassessed . Nothing to worry about. Sometimes they just want to see some bills etc if you have claimed them - like medical bills, moving expenses, day care expenses bils etc.

A friend of mine had claimed Public Transit Passes on his return, after a month or so, CRA just wanted to see the passes, he faxed them photo copies of them and all was good in 10 days or so

[sweet sparrow]

Yes, the NOA was available on March 8th with a refund that matched the one shown on our copy. The CRA account states that there are no taxes owing from previous years and since I was on maternity leave, all day care expenses, medical bills, donations, etc. are on mine. The 2017 tax return would have matched the T4 exactly, except for one T5 (bank interest) and a Schedule 7. That was it.

I checked the account and asked him to check his email to see if there was any further request for information and there was none.

[sweet sparrow]

Found the reason why: on the statement of account section, it says there's a transfer to 2018 installment account, credit dated March 8th. I have no idea how that happened as our forms are linked and what should be on DH's should be on mine as well. Somehow, a button must have been pressed to transfer the funds at the beginning of DH's taxes. Hopefully, it won't be too long to sort out.

[tjthemanto]

Found the reason why: on the statement of account section, it says there's a transfer to 2018 installment account, credit dated March 8th. I have no idea how that happened as our forms are linked and what should be on DH's should be on mine as well. Somehow, a button must have been pressed to transfer the funds at the beginning of DH's taxes. Hopefully, it won't be too long to sort out.

yeah either you accidentally pressed/clicked the wrong box on the software or it could be an internal error from CRA too. They also make mistakes sometimes

Which software did you use ?

https://help.hrblockonline.ca/hc/en-...lment-account-

[Ciel]

I was looking at my NOA online and decided to see what my TFSA contribution room is=$57500! I don't have that kind of money but if I do win Cash for Life one fine day, that amount will be set aside for TFSA use.
@Arvilish -since you are studying in the US, if you received any US scholarship money or income, you probably have to file a US tax return for those monies. The deadline is April 15. https://www.irs.gov/individuals/inte...s-and-scholars

If there is tuition credit to transfer to family in SK, on your CRA income tax return, you will need form TL11A.
https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-age....html#P94_8595

[Arvilish]

I am the poorest of the poorest! No income for us in USA!!!

Well hell ya! Someone f up my car and ran away. I got the person but I am paying 100% out of my pocket because my insurance won't cover... because the person is driving without insurance

USA is such an amazing country!! *insert sarcasm* YUP super power!!!

[tjthemanto]

I know for some benefits like the Ontario Trillium Benefit ( OTB ) in ON , the default option in some of the Tax software is lump sum payment at the end of the year as opposed to monthly payments at the end of each month. It should be the other way round !

So you actually have to un check the box manually to receive monthly payments.

A friend of mine filed the return, now he has to wait for 1 year to get the OTB for all 12 months combined in June 2019 ! He wanted it each month, just like everyone else. He forgot to un check the box in the IT filing software, where it said you will receive a lump sum at year end, as opposed to monthly payments.

Some of the default options in IT software are really stupid, they just assume how you want the refund & benefits to be paid to you, and you have to manually over ride it and say otherwise.

[sweet sparrow]

yeah either you accidentally pressed/clicked the wrong box on the software or it could be an internal error from CRA too. They also make mistakes sometimes
Which software did you use ?
https://help.hrblockonline.ca/hc/en-...lment-account-

I used Studio Tax, the same as I've been using for years and years.

[tjthemanto]

I am hiring things are slow this year, when it comes to refunds.

Lot of NETFILE returns stuck in the " In Processing " stage for weeks. Earlier it used to be Received or Assessed pretty quickly, when NETFILED. Especially when it comes to biggish tax refunds. No refund or smaller refunds are being assessed very quickly.

Maybe a problem with NETFILE or a backlog at CRA

[Brad]

I owe money yet AGAIN, almost $800. This despite contributing over $4000 to my rrsp in 2017. How come this always happens to me? Now I have to come up with $800 by the end of April. The last time I got a refund was when I still had tuition credits, every year since then I ended up owing money.

This was my first time not using Studio Tax, this year I used Simple Tax. It has a much nicer interface which I found easier to use. I'll probably use it from now on. Simple Tax is free, although they give you the option of making a donation if you want.

[GoodBoy]

He can change his option ... see the OTB site FAQ ...

10. If I choose to get my OTB in one payment this year, can I change my mind part way through the year?

Yes. You can either call us at 1-877-627-6645 or write a letter to your tax centre to let us know that you no longer want to wait to receive your OTB in one payment at the end of the benefit year and would rather get monthly payments. Within four to eight weeks after your request has been processed, you will receive any amounts that are owed to you up to that date. Then you will receive monthly payments for the remainder of the benefit year.

Link: https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-age...swers.html#q10

I know for some benefits like the Ontario Trillium Benefit ( OTB ) in ON , the default option in some of the Tax software is lump sum payment at the end of the year as opposed to monthly payments at the end of each month. It should be the other way round !

So you actually have to un check the box manually to receive monthly payments.

A friend of mine filed the return, now he has to wait for 1 year to get the OTB for all 12 months combined in June 2019 ! He wanted it each month, just like everyone else. He forgot to un check the box in the IT filing software, where it said you will receive a lump sum at year end, as opposed to monthly payments.

Some of the default options in IT software are really stupid, they just assume how you want the refund & benefits to be paid to you, and you have to manually over ride it and say otherwise.

[tjthemanto]

He can change his option ... see the OTB site FAQ ...

10. If I choose to get my OTB in one payment this year, can I change my mind part way through the year?

Yes. You can either call us at 1-877-627-6645 or write a letter to your tax centre to let us know that you no longer want to wait to receive your OTB in one payment at the end of the benefit year and would rather get monthly payments. Within four to eight weeks after your request has been processed, you will receive any amounts that are owed to you up to that date. Then you will receive monthly payments for the remainder of the benefit year.

Link: https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-age...swers.html#q10

Cool, I will let them know that

[macw1960]

I believe I was told you have to keep your tax returns for 7 years. Is this true and if so how many years do you really keep your returns for?

[sweet sparrow]

I believe I was told you have to keep your tax returns for 7 years. Is this true and if so how many years do you really keep your returns for?

https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-age...x-records.html
You should keep them for six years in case of an audit. If you don't, you won't have any proof if they decide to question anything. Realistically, they can go back as far as they want if they find that you are in major arrears (ex. if you are Justin Bieber and have never paid taxes in your life). The only exception is if you file your taxes late - you'll need to keep this record for six years from the date you filed it. If you filed for your 2012 taxes in 2016, 2016 is the year you need to begin counting from.

I keep mine for seven years; six years back, plus the current year. It's a general rule for everyone, but especially important if you have your own business. (I don't.)

[GoodBoy]

I keep all records for 10 years... in that way I have what I need