Making changes to filed tax returns used to be a tedious process: print off the required forms, fill them out, mail them in with photocopies of applicable receipts, and hope you’ve included everything you needed as you wait for official documentation of your adjustment. That all changed with the Canada Revenue Agency’s online My Account service.
To make an adjustment on My Account, all that is now required is a copy of your tax return and any new information you have to submit. Once you have logged in or registered, simply select the tax year you would like to modify and click on “Change my Return.”
From there, find the line number you need to change on your tax return, or do a search by topic. When you have updated the required numbers, the system will ask you to confirm the details, and it will then provide a confirmation number that the adjustment has been submitted. You don’t mail anything in unless the CRA requests it. Most changes will still take the standard four to six weeks but you can track the status of your adjustment at the main My Account screen.
My Account allows you to make some of the most common changes, including:
- reporting an investment you overlooked
- missed medical expenses
- credits such as the Children’s Fitness or Art Tax Credit
- tuition receipts
There are still some adjustments that cannot be made online, such as pension income splitting, but in most cases the changes you need can be handled quickly and easily online.
Whether you’re familiar with using online services or new to these kinds of tools, My Account simplifies filing and adjusting your taxes, and makes the entire process less stressful — and that certainly benefits everyone.