Services · Estate and Trust Returns
Estate and Trust Returns
T3 trust returns and T1 Final returns for executors and trustees.
Fiduciary returns done right
Trust and estate returns sit at the intersection of tax law, fiduciary duty, and the underlying estate plan. Canada doesn’t have estate tax, but the deemed-disposition rules on death and the trust filing rules introduced in 2024 have made estate work substantially more complex. We file accurate returns, issue clean T3 slips, and document the positions taken so the executor or trustee can administer with confidence.
What’s included
- T3 Trust Income Tax and Information Return for inter-vivos trusts, testamentary trusts, and graduated rate estates (GREs)
- T1 Final Return for the deceased, including optional Rights or Things and Period-of-Income returns where they save tax
- Beneficial-ownership reporting (Schedule 15) under the post-2024 trust rules
- T3 slip generation and secure distribution to beneficiaries
- Deemed-disposition computations and rollover planning where applicable
- Designation of capital gains, dividends, and foreign income to beneficiaries to optimize after-tax results
- Coordination with the estate lawyer, beneficiaries, and (where relevant) the appointed executor’s accountants in other provinces
- Quebec TP-646 trust returns where the trust is resident in or earns income in Quebec
Who it’s for
Executors of estates, trustees of inter-vivos and testamentary trusts, and the families they serve. We’re especially comfortable with estates that span multiple provinces, hold a private corporation, or include real property in more than one jurisdiction.
Frequently asked
When does a trust need to file a T3 return?
A trust files a T3 if it has any taxable income, makes a distribution, holds property worth more than $50,000, or has resident beneficiaries — and under the rules in effect since 2024, almost every "express trust" must file annually with full beneficial-ownership reporting. We assess your specific trust and confirm filing requirements before we begin work.
What's the deadline?
T3 returns are due 90 days after the trust's tax year end (March 30 for a calendar-year trust). The T1 Final return for a deceased person is due either April 30 or six months after death, whichever is later.
Do you work with the estate's lawyer?
Yes. We coordinate directly with the estate lawyer on adjusted-cost-base questions, deemed-disposition timing, distribution timing, and the interplay between the will, trust documents, and the various tax filings (T1 Final, T3 estate, optional T1 Rights or Things, optional T3 graduated-rate-estate elections).
Can beneficiaries access their T3 slips through the portal?
Yes. Trustees can grant individual beneficiary access through the portal so each beneficiary downloads their own T3 slip and statement of allocation securely without email.
Ready to work with us?
THD Tax is invite-only to keep client work private and quality high. Existing clients sign in to the secure portal; new prospects request an invitation and we'll be in touch.