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Paying someone to file your return is legal, common and often worth it, but only some preparers can send it to the CRA for you. The CRA calls those ones EFILE certified. Firms such as H&R Block are one example of the kind of business people mean when they search for a preparer. This page doesn’t rate any firm. It shows how to pick one, what to bring and what to check before you sign.
How do you choose a tax preparer in Canada?
Start with the CRA’s own directory of certified preparers. The CRA says these preparers are certified to file your return using EFILE, and that a preparer can be a firm, an organization or an individual. If someone offers to file for you and can’t tell you whether they’re certified, walk away.
Then ask three plain questions. How much will it cost, in writing, before they start? Who signs the return? And will you see the finished return before it goes in? We can’t tell you what a fair fee is. We couldn’t confirm fee levels on any official page, so get two quotes and compare what each one covers.
Be careful with any promise of a bigger refund. A preparer can find credits you missed, but nobody can guarantee a number before they’ve seen your slips.
What does the CRA say you must sign?
| Step | What it means for you |
|---|---|
| Form T183 | You sign it to let the preparer send your return to the CRA electronically |
| Review | You look over the prepared return and the form before you authorize filing |
| Access to your account | Optional. A preparer can be given online access to see your tax information |
| Records | You keep your slips and receipts for at least 6 years |
That last row surprises people. Hiring a preparer doesn’t hand the responsibility over. The CRA’s page puts the review on you, so read the return. Check your name, your address, every slip and the direct deposit details.
On access, the CRA has said that since 15 July 2025 preparers no longer ask for authorization through EFILE for a single client. They use its Represent a Client service instead. So expect your preparer to ask for your CRA account details or a recent notice of assessment, and ask early how they’ll get authorized.
What should you bring to the appointment?
Bring every slip you received: the T4 from each employer, T4A, T5 and any RRSP or FHSA receipts. Add receipts for anything you plan to claim, such as medical costs, donations or child care. If you’re self-employed, bring your income and expense totals for the year. And bring last year’s notice of assessment.
A clean pile saves time, and time is what many preparers charge for. Sort by slip type before you go. Not sure what to expect? Run your numbers first with the tax refund calculator. You get an estimate to hold against what the preparer comes back with, which takes a minute and can save you a bad surprise in either direction.
A worked example to test the answer
Say you’re in Ontario, earned $60,000 from one employer, and had $9,000 of income tax withheld. The tax refund calculator shows income tax for the year of $8,320.50 on taxable income of $59,435. That means a refund of about $679.50 before any credits it doesn’t cover.
Now suppose a preparer tells you the refund is $3,000. That isn’t impossible, since you might have claims the calculator doesn’t model, but it’s a good moment to ask which credit or deduction makes up the gap. A real answer has a form line and a receipt behind it.
The income tax calculator gives you the same tax bill from the other side, and the tax credits calculator shows what the federal credits are worth. It’s federal only, so it won’t show provincial ones.
When is a preparer worth paying for?
If you have one T4 and nothing else, the software you’d use yourself is probably enough. A preparer earns the fee when your year is messy: self-employment, rental income, a move between provinces, a death in the family, or years of unfiled returns. Those are the cases where an error costs more than the fee.
Free help exists too. The CRA runs a volunteer program for people on a low income with a simple return. The income limits differ between CRA pages, so we’ve left them out. Check the CRA page before you pay anyone.
Mistakes people make with preparers
Signing before reading is the big one. Second is handing over an original document and not getting it back. Third is paying in cash with no receipt. If a preparer asks to have your refund sent to their bank account instead of yours, say no. The CRA lets you set your own direct deposit, and there’s no reason for anyone else to hold your money.
One more. Don’t assume the fee is deductible, because that depends on your kind of income. Ask.
Where the numbers and rules come from
The preparer rules come from the Canada Revenue Agency pages on using a professional tax preparer and on digital services for tax preparers, read in September 2026. The worked example uses our 2026 tax data, built from CRA and Ontario sources. We couldn’t confirm any price, discount or feature of a named firm, so none is stated here.
Frequently asked questions
Does a tax preparer have to be certified?
To send your return to the CRA electronically, yes. The CRA says its directory lists preparers certified to file using EFILE.
What form do I sign for a preparer to file for me?
Form T183. You sign it after you've reviewed the return, and it lets the preparer send the return to the CRA electronically.
Who is responsible if the return has a mistake?
You still are. The CRA expects you to review the return before you authorize it and to keep your records for at least 6 years.
Can a preparer see my CRA account?
Only if you allow it. The CRA says access is optional, and preparers now use its Represent a Client service to ask for it.
Is there free help instead of a paid preparer?
The CRA runs a volunteer tax clinic program for some people with a low income and a simple return. Check the CRA page for the current limits.
- How to choose a tax preparer in Canada
How to decide if you need a tax preparer, what a preparer does, the questions to ask before you hire one and where to find free help in Canada
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.