Updated Checked by the Tax-Services.ca editorial team How we check
We couldn’t confirm what H&R Block or any other firm charges, and we won’t guess. Fees are set by each office and change every season. What you can check is what tax preparation cost should be measured against: filing free through a volunteer clinic or certified software, or paying a preparer whose price you get in writing first.
What does tax preparation cost, and who sets the price?
The firm does. There is no government fee schedule for preparing a personal return. So the honest answer to “how much?” is a question back: how complicated is your return, and who is doing the work?
A T4 and a few receipts is one job. Rental income, self-employment, a sold property or a return from a year you moved provinces is another. Ask for the price of your return, not the starting price on a poster. And ask what happens to the price if your slips turn out messier than you said on the phone.
We also couldn’t find any official statement on how firms structure fees, so ask directly whether the charge depends on the size of your refund. If it does, you want to know before you sit down.
Where can you file for nothing?
More places than most people think. Community organizations run free tax clinics through the Community Volunteer Income Tax Program, where volunteers prepare returns for people with a modest income and a simple tax situation. The CRA’s free tax clinic page suggests family-income limits of $40,000 for one person, $55,000 for two and $60,000 for three, and says clinics may adjust them. Self-employment and rental income are generally outside what volunteers handle.
Then there’s software. The CRA certifies programs each year, and says that if your income is modest, most of them will prepare a basic return for free. Others charge for extras. For the 2025 return, NETFILE is open until January 29, 2027, and the 2026 dates weren’t out yet when we checked.
| Option | Who does the work | What the CRA says about cost |
|---|---|---|
| Free tax clinic (CVITP) | Trained volunteers | Free, for modest income and a simple return |
| Certified tax software | You | Basic returns often free at modest income, otherwise a fee |
| Professional preparer | The preparer | Set by the firm, so get a written quote |
| Tax discounter | The discounter | Pays your expected refund up front in one payment, before filing |
Is a paid preparer worth it on a $60,000 salary?
Sometimes. Only when they find something you would miss. Here’s a case. In Ontario, with $60,000 of employment income and $9,000 of tax withheld, our tax refund calculator shows a refund of $679.50. Add one $1,500 deduction that you forgot about, and it becomes $1,086.03. That missed claim was worth $406.53.
So look at it from the other side. If a quote is bigger than what a missed claim could plausibly recover on a return like yours, ask what exactly you’re paying for. If your return is as plain as this one, software or a clinic may be all you need.
Deductions worth hunting for include RRSP contributions. Our tax credits and deductions calculator shows what each one saves, and you can test a contribution in the RRSP calculator before you decide.
Can you deduct the fee?
Often, yes. The CRA says salaried employees and commission employees can deduct reasonable accounting fees paid for help completing and filing their return. It goes on Form T777, on the accounting and legal fees line, and the total flows to line 22900. Commission employees must also meet the conditions for a T2200. If someone reimbursed you, reduce the claim by that amount.
If you’re self-employed, the fee is generally a business expense instead. Our self-employed tax calculator works from net income, so enter the figure after that fee.
How do you compare quotes without getting played?
Phone two or three places in January or early February, before the rush, and describe your return the same way each time: “one T4, a T5, tuition slips, and I moved in June.” Write down each answer. A price that jumps once you mention the move is a price you’d have found out about on the day.
Ask what’s included. Does the quote cover a second look if the CRA asks for receipts later? Does it cover a spouse’s return? A cheaper quote that leaves out the follow-up isn’t cheaper. Think of it like comparing coffees: the large double-double at one shop and the medium at another aren’t the same price per cup.
Mistakes that cost more than the fee
Signing a blank form is the worst one. The preparer’s electronic return must match the T183 you sign, so read both before you sign. The CRA also says to keep your slips, receipts and the T183 for at least 6 years.
Check that the refund goes to your own bank account. Make sure your direct deposit details are current with the CRA before anything is filed. If a discounter offers money up front, ask for the total you’ll actually receive and compare it with your refund.
And don’t pick a firm because you recognize a brand. A name tells you nothing about who will handle your return. Ask who prepares it. Ask if they file electronically. And find out if you’d deal with the same person in April if the CRA writes to you.
Where we got these figures
The clinic, software, deduction and record-keeping points come from Canada Revenue Agency pages, read in October 2026. The refund examples use our calculators, which run on the 2026 federal and Ontario tax data. We did not verify any firm’s prices, so none appear here.
Frequently asked questions
Can I file my Canadian tax return for free?
Often, yes. Volunteer clinics prepare returns for people with a modest income and a simple return, and most certified software will do a basic return free at modest income.
Is a tax preparation fee deductible?
Salaried and commission employees can deduct reasonable accounting fees for completing and filing their return, using Form T777. Self-employed people generally treat it as a business expense.
What should I ask before I hire a preparer?
Ask for a written price for your own return, who prepares it, whether it is filed electronically and whether the fee depends on your refund.
How long should I keep my tax records?
The CRA says to keep your slips, receipts and any Form T183 for at least 6 years.
What is a tax discounter?
A firm that pays you your expected refund in one up-front payment before your return is filed. Ask for the total you will receive.
- 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