2024 Cdn Income Tax return dates and information (2025 tax season)

[Ciel21]

https://www.canada.ca/en/services/ta...ady-taxes.html

Can start filing tax returns on February 24, 2025.
If tax returns are filed electronically by March 24, 2025 then filers can expect to receive their next Canada Carbon Rebate on April 15, 2025.

I for one am glad that the CCR eligibility period is a week later than last year's March 13, 2024 deadline which I discovered a week late.
Sorry to disappoint the early filers hoping to start tax return filing today on Family Day/whatever holiday is in your home province or territory.

Those of us who still used paper tax returns are no longer receiving them, per January letter (though one could print out own tax forms if possessing the supplies and means to do so plus big enough envelopes and postage) that explained phone and electronic filing. The CRA has reserved paper tax package mailouts for a specific group of Canadians.

[Ciel21]

In case someone has to file a return for a deceased person, here's the necessary link:
https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-age...eone-died.html

[Ciel21]

As some persons residing in Canada may have more than one tax authority to report to or be a foreign national working and/or living in Canada, they have their own tax information link:
https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-age...dents-tax.html

Also may apply:
https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-age...reporting.html

[Ciel21]

Should you be a Canadian taxpayer with US income sources, you can visit the US Internal Revenue Service page for International taxpayers.
https://www.irs.gov/individuals/international-taxpayers

There is a filing due date of April 15 for personal tax returns, but I did see a 2 month date extension rule applicable to two groups living outside of he US.

[Ciel21]

The deadline for charitable donations eligible to be included for 2024 tax returns is February 28, 2025. Though the amendment has not been passed by Parliament, the CRA will apply the extension.
https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/charities-giving/charities/operating-a-registered-charity/issuing-receipts/extension-charitable-donations-2024.html

[Ciel21]

https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-age...lications.html

For the forms and guides.

[eataiag]

Ordered paper tax package on Feb 4 using this link https://apps.cra-arc.gc.ca/ebci/cjcf...y=2024+Package and received Feb 19.

[Ciel21]

Ordered paper tax package on Feb 4 using this link https://apps.cra-arc.gc.ca/ebci/cjcf...y=2024+Package and received Feb 19.

Congrats! I intend to print off forms at the library, two per page, in two sets. Do not wish to miss qualifying for that rebate deposit!

[brunt]

In case someone has to file a return for a deceased person, here's the necessary link:
https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-age...eone-died.html

There are some rather unpleasant surprises in store that CRA does not bother to tell you.

I was an executor for my Mom. The sheer stupidity of this one fact still makes my blood boil.....

As many people know, there is a $2,500 CPP death benefit. This used to be claimed on the final tax return for the deceased - which apparently makes just waaaaay too much sense for the government to let that stand. Not being aware of the changes that CRA had done in this regard, I claimed the amount on her return, and received a nastigram from CRA removing this amount from the return and stated that this amount had to be claimed on a trust return instead.

Ok, then I looked into what this means for me as executor. I called my accountant. He said "no problem, you will have to pay about $450 trust taxes, and pay me about $3,000 to set up the trust, and file the returns". So this $2,500 CPP death benefit payment was going to cost the estate $3,450 in total. I looked into trying to do it myself, and while I pride myself on my knowledge of personal taxes, this was well beyond my comfort zone, and I had four brothers relying on me to get this done.

Fortunately, one of my brothers has an accountant as well. He took pity on us and did it for $450 fee plus the $450 in taxes. But it also required a trip for both of us into town, a couple of hours in the office, and 17 WEEKS estimated time to accept the filing. This, among other idiocies, is why it took more than two years for me to clear up the estate for the simplest possible estate. I shudder at what has to be done for complex estates.

This is insane, it would be far easier for CRA to just pay $2,000 instead and make it tax free. Easier for the executor, cheaper for the estate, and make more money for CRA.

Perhaps I was unlucky, and that CRA generally accepts the death benefit as part of the final income tax return. But be warned, if you accept a job as executor, it will be painful, and it will take far longer than it should.

I was happy to do it for Mom, but I was not happy at the government bureaucratic nonsense.

[HermanH]

Would you have been able to simply give the money back and not take any benefit or claim on it?

[eataiag]

I have my return entered into software ready to submit but I have to wait because of the late Capital Gains inclusion rate flip flop. I heard late March is when returns with capital gains can be filed.

[Ciel21]

@brunt I am astounded that CRA put you through the wringer in settling your late mother's estate regarding the CPP death benefit. The trust angle is new regarding accessing the benefit.

When Dad passed 6 years ago, the funeral home notified some entities and Mom used the death certificates to notify the CRA and other businesses. As his executor, she did receive the CPP death benefit of $2500 which was claimed on his final tax return. I did not hear about any trust direction, but then CRA has done a flip-flop on an amount under $100 that was requested within 3 weeks of his passing. Then CRA issued a refund for that very sum the following year-it is in a drawer still because until Mom is willing to figure out what caused their actions, it'd be too expensive for her to let someone else handle it and I advised her not to cash it.

The death benefit used to be up to $2500, but now eligible estates get the entire lump sum. As I posted last year and likely in 2020, when I called CPP to find out if my estate will be eligible for it, I was told no. My work history was mostly part-time or too short. I recommend anyone working part-time to check yearly to see if CPP death benefit eligibility gets confirmed or else bolster work hours/improve earnings for each year. You don't want to be dealing with a cancer diagnosis or other serious matter then find out the benefit cannot be counted upon for funeral or other costs after one passes away.

[eataiag]

Returns with capital gains/losses can be filed now. Waiting a few days for others to test it out before filing myself.

[brunt]

Would you have been able to simply give the money back and not take any benefit or claim on it?

Unlikely - never heard of that being possible. Even if it were, payment was made in one year and the discovery of the mess of taxation from CRA was in a different tax year. Would still have had to file and pay.

[eataiag]

Filed my return with capital gains today and it was processed right away with NOA dated April 10. For the last couple of weeks I've read people filing returns with capital gains/losses getting stuck with "in progress" status and no assessment. Wonder if that's why they delayed the Carbon Rebate cutoff so people with capital gains/losses can file in time.