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Filing taxes in Calgary means the same federal return as everywhere else, and the Alberta part is short. On $60,000 of employment income, our tax refund calculator puts the combined federal and Alberta income tax at $7,969.60. The same pay in Ontario comes to $8,320.50. Short answer, you keep a bit more. We assumed you searched for a tax office in Calgary, so this page covers how to file your Alberta return and how to pick help. It makes no claim about any local firm.
What does an Alberta return actually involve?
Alberta has no separate provincial return. You file one T1 with the CRA, and the province’s tax is worked out on it. The 2026 Alberta figures below are from our data file, checked against CRA payroll pages and the Alberta government.
| Taxable income | Alberta rate |
|---|---|
| Up to $61,200 | 8% |
| $61,200 to $154,259 | 10% |
| $154,259 to $185,111 | 12% |
| $185,111 to $246,813 | 13% |
| $246,813 to $370,220 | 14% |
| Over $370,220 | 15% |
The Alberta basic personal amount is $22,769, and the credit on it is worked out at 8%. Our data file shows no Alberta surtax, no health premium and no low-income reduction. That’s why Alberta looks light next to Ontario.
How much less tax is that than Ontario?
We ran the same employment income through the tax refund calculator for both provinces. It counts income tax and the CPP and EI credits, and nothing else.
| Employment income | Alberta tax | Ontario tax |
|---|---|---|
| $60,000 | $7,969.60 | $8,320.50 |
| $70,000 | $10,812.98 | $11,133.91 |
| $100,000 | $19,771.98 | $20,024.35 |
So at $70,000 you’re about $321 ahead in Alberta. The gap shrinks as income rises, and at $100,000 it’s $252. It’s a real difference, but it isn’t a reason to skip the return or to hire anyone.
A worked example with a balance owing
Take a Calgary employee who earned $70,000 and had $9,000 withheld. The calculator shows tax of $10,812.98, so there’s a balance owing of $1,812.98. Had $11,000 been withheld, the result flips to a refund of $187.02.
Withholding is a guess made during the year. The return is where it gets settled. If you owe, that money is due on 30 April for the 2025 return, and CRA dates for the 2026 return aren’t published yet. Not sure how your pay is being taxed? The take-home pay calculator shows the deductions on each cheque.
Do you need a preparer in Calgary?
Probably not if you have one or two T4 slips. Software you use yourself is enough for that. A preparer starts to make sense when you have self-employment or rental income, sold shares, or haven’t filed in years. If you go, use the CRA’s directory of certified preparers, ask for the fee in writing and read the return before you sign the authorization form. You stay responsible for what’s on it, and the CRA says to keep records for at least 6 years.
We couldn’t confirm the fees, hours or services of any Calgary business on an official page, so we don’t quote any. Free help exists for some people with low income and a simple return. The CRA’s page has the current limits.
Where Calgary filers slip up
Missing slips are the usual problem. A T5 for a few dollars of interest still counts. Another is forgetting that self-employed people get until 15 June to file the 2025 return but still have to pay by 30 April. If your business is a side job, the self-employed tax calculator will show the income tax and CPP, though it leaves out EI and treats deductions as reducing income tax only.
One more thing. The marginal tax rate calculator is useful before you decide to make an RRSP contribution, because it shows the rate on your next dollar in Alberta.
Where the numbers come from
Alberta brackets and the basic personal amount come from the CRA payroll tables for Alberta (T4032AB, January 2026) and the Alberta government’s income tax page. Filing dates come from the CRA page for the 2025 return. The comparison figures come from our own calculator, which uses the same data. Nothing here comes from a private firm.
Frequently asked questions
Do I file a separate Alberta tax return?
No. You file one T1 return with the CRA, and Alberta tax is calculated on it.
What is the lowest Alberta tax rate in 2026?
It's 8% on taxable income up to $61,200, according to CRA payroll tables and the Alberta government.
How much less tax do I pay in Alberta than Ontario?
On $70,000 of employment income our calculator shows $10,812.98 in Alberta and $11,133.91 in Ontario, a gap of about $321.
When is my return due if I'm self-employed?
For the 2025 return, 15 June 2026 to file, but any balance owing was still due 30 April 2026.
Should I use a tax preparer in Calgary?
Only if your return is complicated. Use the CRA directory of certified preparers, get the fee in writing and read the return before signing.
- How Canadian income tax works: brackets and credits
How federal and provincial Canadian income tax stack up, what marginal and average rates mean, and how credits and deductions change your bill
- Alberta income tax and GST in 2026
How Alberta income tax works in 2026: six brackets, an 8% credit rate, no provincial sales tax, no surtax or health premium, and Alberta calculators
Information only. This page is general information, not tax, legal or accounting advice. Tax-Services.ca is an independent publisher: we don't prepare or file tax returns or offer tax services, and we have no connection with the CRA, Revenu Québec, any government or any company named on this page. Check the figures that matter with an official source or a qualified professional.