What records do I need for tax prep?

Tax season stress is rarely about the math. It’s almost always about the hunt — chasing down the T4 from the job you left in March, the T5008 from the brokerage you closed, the receipt for the donation you made in December. A short checklist, kept in one place, turns six hours of hunting into thirty minutes of uploading.

The core list (almost everyone needs)

• Last year’s tax return and Notice of Assessment — the single most useful pair of documents for any preparer. They tell us your filing status, carryforwards, RRSP/TFSA/FHSA contribution room, and any unused credits.
• Photo ID for the taxpayer (and spouse / common-law partner)
• Social Insurance Numbers (SINs) for everyone on the return, including dependants
• Bank account info for direct deposit if not already on file with the CRA

Income (whichever apply)

• T4 from each employer (Statement of Remuneration Paid)
• T4A for self-employment / contract work, scholarships, RESP educational assistance, and most pension income
• T5 for bank interest and investment dividends
• T3 for trust and mutual-fund distributions
• T5008 for sales of stocks, bonds, or other securities
• T5013 if you’re a partner in a partnership
• T4RSP / T4RIF for RRSP and RRIF withdrawals
• T4A(P) / T4A(OAS) for Canada Pension Plan and Old Age Security
• T4E for Employment Insurance benefits
• Rental income summary (we’ll send you a worksheet if needed)
• Foreign income — interest, dividends, rental, pensions — with any foreign-tax-paid receipts for the foreign tax credit

Deductions and credits

• RRSP contribution receipts (March of last year through February of this year)
• FHSA contribution receipts if you have an account
• T2202 for tuition paid (post-secondary)
• Student loan interest paid (statement from NSLSC or your provincial loan provider)
• Donation receipts — registered charity, with the BN/registration number on the receipt
• Childcare receipts with the provider’s name, address, and SIN (or BN, if a daycare)
• Medical expense totals — pharmacy summary, dental, vision, paramedical receipts, premium statements for private health plans
• Disability Tax Credit certificate (T2201) if you, a spouse, or a dependant qualifies
• Moving expense receipts if you moved at least 40 km closer to work or school
• Home office expenses — utility / rent / property tax statements with the percentage of space used (T2200 or T2200S from your employer if claiming employment expenses)
• Energy-efficient home retrofit receipts if claiming the Multigenerational Home Renovation Tax Credit or any provincial equivalents

What you don’t need

• Pay stubs (the T4 supersedes them)
• Bank statements (we don’t need to see every transaction — only the totals on the year-end T-slips)
• Receipts for ordinary personal expenses (groceries, restaurants, utilities — these aren’t deductible)

Keep it for next year

The single best habit: a folder (physical or digital) labeled with the tax year. Drop documents into it as they arrive. Come February, you upload a folder instead of hunting for individual papers.

If you’d like our portal to walk you through a personalized checklist based on last year’s return, request an invitation and we’ll get you set up before the next deadline.