Before starting the process, you must collect all relevant financial records and personal data for your household. Providing accurate information for your spouse and dependents is essential, as the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) uses combined family income to determine eligibility for many tax credits and benefits.

• Income Slips (T-Slips): T4 (Employment), T4A (Scholarships/Pensions/COVID benefits), T5 (Bank Interest), and T2202 (Tuition).
• Family Details: Full names, dates of birth, and Social Insurance Numbers (SIN) for yourself, your spouse, and all children.
• Spousal Income: Your spouse’s net world income is required to calculate family-based credits like the GST/HST credit.
• Receipts for Deductions: Childcare expenses (with provider’s SIN), medical expenses, and RRSP contribution receipts.

Once your documents are organized, you will transition to the digital onboarding phase. Creating a MooseMentor account provides a secure, encrypted environment to share sensitive tax data with your accountant, replacing the need for insecure email attachments.

• Account Registration: Establish your profile on the MooseMentor platform.
• Secure Upload: Provide clear scans or photos of all slips and receipts gathered in Step 1.
• Preliminary Review: Your accountant will verify that all mandatory documents are present and legible before the formal preparation begins.

In this phase, your accountant analyzes your specific tax profile to identify optimization opportunities and ensures no documents were overlooked. This stage is critical for establishing a transparent working relationship and a clear understanding of the service scope.

• Tax Consultation: Discuss unique situations such as first-time filing, rental properties, or home office expenses.
• Audit Check: The accountant will cross-reference your slips to see if anything is missing (e.g., matching a T4 to a missing RRSP receipt).
• Fee Negotiation: The final service price is discussed and confirmed here based on the complexity of your return.

During the preparation phase, the accountant translates your data into the T1 General return. You remain in control of the process through a formal review of the calculated figures before any information is officially transmitted to the government.

• T1 Preparation: The accountant generates your tax return and a summary of the results.
• Refund Estimation: You will receive an estimate of your total refund or the balance you may owe.
• Client Authorization: You must review the summary and sign Form T183 to authorize the electronic filing.
• E-FILE Submission: The return is transmitted directly to the CRA for rapid processing.

After the return has been successfully submitted and confirmed by the CRA, the administrative portion of the filing is finalized. This step ensures that the service engagement is officially closed and all professional fees are settled.

• Invoice Issuance: You will receive a final invoice reflecting the price agreed upon in Step 3.
• Payment Collection: Fees are collected at this stage to conclude the filing process.

Following the completion of your filing, you will receive your digital records. For those new to the Canadian tax system, this step includes a mandatory waiting period before you can access the CRA’s digital services for tracking your benefits.

• T1 Return Package: You receive a complete digital copy of your filed tax return for your personal records.
• Waiting Period: If you are a first-time filer, you must wait two weeks after filing before the CRA system will allow you to register.
• CRA “My Account”: You will receive a video tutorial for registration. You will need your SIN and a specific line number (e.g., Line 15000) from your T1 package to verify your identity.

The tax process does not necessarily end with the current year’s filing. This optional phase allows you to look back at previous years to ensure you haven’t missed out on government money or to correct errors discovered after submission.All services in this step are billed separately from the standard filing fee.

• Benefit Retrieval: Request a review of past years to identify unclaimed credits or government benefits.
• T1 Adjustments: If a forgotten document appears later, your accountant can file a T1-ADJ to formally change a previous year’s return.

The Canadian tax system is based on “self-assessment,” and the CRA conducts over 350,000 audit actions annually to ensure compliance. An audit is a formal examination of your returns, bank statements, and supporting records to verify that income and expenses were reported correctly. Receiving an audit notice can be overwhelming, as any information provided incorrectly—even by mistake—can be used to reassess your taxes. Professional assistance at this stage ensures your legal rights are protected and that you do not have to deal with the CRA auditor directly. All services in this step are billed separately from the standard filing fee.

• Audit Triggers: Selection can be random, but is often triggered by third-party tips, “cash-only” business activity, gig economy income (Uber/Fiverr), or inconsistencies compared to similar taxpayers in your area.
• Professional Representation: A representative handles all correspondence and questionnaires, providing the necessary legal rationale for your filing position to prevent overstated expenses or underreported income from being penalized.
• Notice of Objection: If you disagree with an audit’s unfavorable outcome, you have a strict 90-day window from the date of reassessment to file a formal appeal (Notice of Objection).
• Statute of Limitations: While the CRA typically audits the previous 3 to 4 years, there is no time limit if they suspect fraud or gross negligence. It is recommended to keep all original records for 7 to 10 years.
• Voluntary Disclosure: For those who realize they have unfiled taxes or unreported offshore assets before the CRA contacts them, a voluntary disclosure can be filed to avoid criminal prosecution and reduce penalties.
• Benefit Retrieval & Adjustments: We can review your historical data to identify unclaimed credits or file a T1-ADJ (Adjustment Request) to correct past returns if new receipts or information come to light.