Checklists

Checklists so nothing holds up your filing

Use these checklists before you file, respond to the CRA or send documents to us. They help you gather the right slips, income details, bank records, invoices, GST/HST support and newcomer tax information before the deadline pressure starts.

Checklists are useful because missing documents slow everything down. A return, CRA response or incorporation setup can sit unfinished because one slip, statement, receipt, ID record or account number is missing. We use these lists to help you gather the basics before the deadline pressure starts.

Checklists also protect the timeline. When the right slips, statements, payroll reports, GST/HST returns, corporate records and identification details arrive together, we can review the file faster and ask better questions. That means fewer delays, fewer follow-ups and a cleaner filing process.

Checklists also help us spot what is missing before work begins. That saves time for you and keeps the file moving in the right order.

A complete checklist is also easier to review later.

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Checklists for Canadian tax filing, bookkeeping and CRA records
Grab and go

Tax filing checklists

  • T4 / T4A / T5 / T3 slips
  • RRSP contribution receipts
  • Medical and donation receipts
  • Childcare and tuition (T2202)
  • Rental income and expenses
  • Self-employment income and expenses
  • Foreign income and assets (if any)
  • Last year’s Notice of Assessment
  • Bank and credit-card statements (full year)
  • Sales and revenue records
  • Expense receipts and invoices
  • Payroll records and T4 summary
  • GST/HST filings for the year
  • Loan and lease agreements
  • Asset purchases (for CCA)
  • Prior-year financial statements and T2
  • Chosen business name (and alternates)
  • Federal vs. provincial decision
  • Director and shareholder details
  • Registered address
  • Business activity description
  • Business Number and CRA program accounts
  • Bookkeeping software chosen
  • Business bank account opened
  • Confirm registration threshold reached
  • Business Number and GST/HST account
  • Chosen filing frequency
  • Sales records for the period
  • Input tax credit (ITC) receipts
  • Quick vs. regular method decision
  • Filing deadline noted
  • Payment or refund arranged
Your first Canadian return is a part-year return, so the date you landed changes almost everything. Keep your landing date, immigration documents, income before and after arrival, foreign bank and property details, spouse or dependent information, and any Canadian slips together. If you also owned a business or had Indian income, note that separately so we can review residency and reporting properly.

Checklists also make conversations shorter and clearer. When the first document package is organized, we can spend the consultation on decisions instead of chasing basic records. That is especially helpful for newcomer returns, corporate year-ends, GST/HST filings, payroll setup and CRA document requests.

Good Checklists are not just document dumps. They group records by purpose, so you know what supports income, deductions, credits, CRA registration, payroll setup or a response to a notice.

When the checklist is complete, the next step is easier to price, schedule and explain.

It gives the file a cleaner audit trail.

Your arrival and status
  • Date of landing, the exact day you became a resident of Canada
  • Immigration status on arrival (permanent resident, work permit, study permit, protected person)
  • Country you were tax-resident in before Canada, and the date you ceased residence there
  • Social Insurance Number (SIN), or an ITN if you are not eligible for a SIN
  • Your Canadian address and the date you moved in
  • Province or territory you lived in on 31 December
Income from your other country, 1 January up to your landing date
  • Employment or salary income earned before landing
  • Business or self-employment income earned before landing
  • Rental income from property outside Canada
  • Interest, dividends and investment income (including fixed deposits)
  • Pension, annuity or retirement income
  • Capital gains realised before you landed
  • The currency and amounts, we convert at Bank of Canada rates
Income after your landing date
  • T4, T4A, T5, T3 and T5008 slips issued in Canada
  • Canadian employment income and any self-employment income
  • Foreign income that continued after landing (rent, interest, dividends, pension), now reportable in Canada. See Form T1135
  • Foreign tax paid on that income, for the foreign tax credit
Property and accounts outside Canada
  • Bank accounts, fixed deposits and investment accounts held abroad
  • Property or land owned outside Canada
  • Fair market value of each asset on your landing date, this sets your Canadian cost base
  • Shares, mutual funds, insurance and pension policies held abroad
Family details
  • Marital status on 31 December, and the date of any change during the year
  • Spouse or partner: their landing date, and their income split before and after landing
  • Children: full names, dates of birth and their landing dates
  • Childcare costs paid in Canada
Benefits and credits to set up
  • Canada Child Benefit, forms RC66 and RC66SCH for newcomers (see benefits and credits)
  • Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit, renamed from the GST/HST credit in July 2026 (form RC151 for the year you became a resident)
  • Direct deposit details so refunds and benefits reach you
  • Rent or property tax paid in Canada, for provincial credits such as the Ontario Trillium Benefit
  • Tuition paid in Canada (T2202) or at a foreign university (TL11A)
  • Medical expenses paid after you arrived
Documents to have handy
  • Passport, PR card, or Confirmation of Permanent Residence (COPR)
  • Landing paper or IRCC letter showing your date of entry
  • Your final tax return from the country you left
  • Proof of any foreign tax paid
The CRA newcomers guide is a useful starting point. Two things newcomers are often not told: the market value of overseas assets on your landing date can become their Canadian cost base, and benefit eligibility may depend on family income details even when income was earned before arrival. Pair this with personal tax support, benefits and credits, or CRA support if anything is unclear.

Want the exact list for your situation? Message us before you upload documents. We can tell you whether to start with personal tax, corporate tax, GST/HST, payroll or CRA support.

The right checklist depends on the file. A personal tax return needs different support than a T2, and a GST/HST review needs different support than payroll. If you are unsure which list applies, ask first and we will point you to the cleanest starting place.

We keep Checklists practical because the goal is action: gather what matters, leave out what does not, and ask before spending time chasing the wrong document.

Next step

Gathered everything? Let’s file it.

Send us your documents and we’ll take it from here, accurately and on time.
Call or WhatsApp to start.

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No pressure, no jargon, just a straight answer about your numbers.