Like every year, the time to do our taxes is approaching and forces us to search, claim and gather all of the important documents to file our tax return properly. Slips, insurances, deadlines, penalties, benefits: this stressful period requires a lot of organisation, and can lead us to forget some essential details, like a change of address. Have you moved in the past year? If so, did you notify the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) of your new address? If you answered “no” at this last question, don’t worry: the following article contains all of the necessary information so that you can get ready for tax season and successfully file your return.
Why is it important to complete your address change for your taxes?
The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) uses your personal address to send important documents to you throughout the year. For example, papers for your annual tax assessment, your year’s return, as well as all benefits and credit payments from the federal government are all documents that are sent by mail, to your personal address. If you do not inform them of your address change, you won’t receive these documents in time, since they will have been sent to your previous address.
Also, notifying the government of your move can be profitable. In fact, it is possible that you might be eligible for several credits and refunds when you move. You can look at these different programs online to see if you are eligible.
Lastly, your personal address has an impact on your taxes, because property and housing taxes are determined by the location of your residence. It is recommended that you inform the federal and provincial governments of your move as soon as you know its exact date.
How to change your address with the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) for tax-filing season?
If you live in any Canadian province except Quebec, the CRA administers personal income taxes both at the federal and provincial levels. Since the tax forms are combined, you only need to inform the CRA of your address change.
To inform the CRA of your new address in view of your next taxes, there are 4 different ways you can choose:
1. Your online CRA’s MyAccount
A lot of information is available online about the CRA My Account service, to allow you to easily manage your account and update your personal information.
If you do not already have a personal account with the CRA, you can create one for free, online or by telephone. Make sure that you have the necessary information on hand, that you can mostly find on your yearly tax assessment.
2. By phone
You can change your address with the federal government by contacting them at 1-800-959-7383. You will need to have the following information:
- Your social insurance number
- Your name
- Your complete address
- Your date of birth
- Details from your account or your most recently assessed return, notice of assessment, reassessment, or other tax document.
3. By mail or fax machine
You can either
- Fill in and send the RC325 form (address change request form) to one of the tax centers indicated here.
- Send a signed letter that includes your social insurance number, new address and moving date
4. Your annual tax return
Even though it is recommended to notify government entities of your move as soon as possible, it is still possible to provide your new address to the CRA in your yearly tax income assessment. The new address will be automatically updated in your account.
Important to know!
Before calling, you should have these following things ready to provide:
- Your social insurance number
- Your name
- Your complete address
- Your date of birth
- For individual and trust accounts, details from your account or your most recently assessed return, notice of assessment, reassessment, or other tax documents.
LAST MINUTE : What to do if your address is not up-to-date?
If you realize that your address is not up to date in the federal government system, because you accidentally forgot to change your address, there is no need to panic: this happens to people each year.
For example, you might have forgotten to contact the government after your move, and the government sent the income tax package to your previous address. In a situation as such, the delay can prevent you from preparing your returns. First of all, it is important to:
- Go online to check the deadlines to file your return and pay your taxes.
- Access the online Income tax package, where you can find copies of tax forms and annexes that you can download.
- In your income tax return, indicate your new personal address
OR
- Go onto your CRA MyAccount to update your personal address before filing your return
This being said, you won’t be penalized for omitting your address change before filing your taxes. However, penalties can be applied if your returns are filed after the deadline, or if you don’t use the correct address in your tax return.
Conclusion
Mail forwarding takes an average of 5 and 10 business days to start. After the service has begun, it may arrive on time or take a few days more than how long you would regularly be expecting that mail to arrive at your address. Canada Post needs to proceed to the redirection which can take more time.
