Updated Checked by the Tax-Services.ca editorial team How we check
If you searched for K&R Taxservices Inc, we’ve assumed you’re looking at a small tax preparation business and want to know whether to hand it your return. We can’t confirm anything about that firm, its fees or its work. What we can do is show you how to check any tax services provider in Canada, using what the CRA itself says about tax preparers.
What does a tax preparer actually do?
The CRA describes a tax preparer as a firm, organization, discounter or certified individual who prepares your return and files it electronically for a fee. You bring slips and receipts, they enter the numbers, and the CRA sends a notice of assessment, usually within two weeks of the electronic filing.
That’s the whole job. A good one also spots credits you’d have missed. A bad one takes your money and files what you gave them.
How do you check a tax services firm before you hand over your papers?
Start with the CRA’s tax preparer directory, which the CRA points to for finding certified professionals by postal code. Then ask the direct questions below. Nobody minds them, and a firm that dodges them has told you something.
| Ask or check | Why |
|---|---|
| Are you listed in the CRA directory? | The CRA lists it as the way to find certified preparers |
| What will the fee be, in writing? | We couldn’t confirm typical fees, so get the price before the work starts |
| Will you give me a copy of the return? | The CRA says to ask for one for your records |
| Will you show me Form T183? | You sign Part F of it to authorize electronic filing |
| Who will see my CRA account information? | Access is optional, and it’s your call |
Watch for one warning sign the CRA names: a preparer who promises unusually large refunds. Refunds come from your numbers, not from the preparer’s confidence.
How can you sanity check the return you get back?
Do a quick estimate yourself. Say you earned $60,000 as an employee in Ontario. Our income tax calculator gives combined federal and Ontario tax of about $9,417 using only the basic personal amount. Your real figure will be lower, because credits like the Canada employment amount and any others you qualify for come off. But if the preparer’s total is thousands of dollars away from your rough number, ask why.
To see what has already been withheld, use the take-home pay calculator, and the tax refund calculator can give a rough sense of whether a refund or a balance is likely. Neither replaces the assessment, and they’re only a check.
Not sure you’re eligible for a bigger claim? Try the tax credits calculator. It covers federal credits only.
Do you need to pay anyone at all?
Not always. If your income is modest and your tax situation is simple, the CRA runs free tax clinics through its Community Volunteer Income Tax Program. We’re leaving out the income limits because they differ between CRA pages, so read the current page before you count on it. If you have a small business, rental income or several moving parts, a paid preparer can earn the fee.
You can also file it yourself with tax software. That’s a good fit when your year is a T4 and not much else.
Records and the paperwork that follows
The CRA says to keep your slips, receipts and the completed T183 for at least six years. Keep the preparer’s copy of the return with them. If you want the preparer to see your CRA account, that needs an authorization. You can give it online through My Account or on Form AUT-01, and the form must be sent within six months of signing.
Update your CRA profile with your current address and direct deposit details before you file. Otherwise the refund goes to the wrong place.
Mistakes to avoid
Signing a blank form comes first. Handing over only some of your slips is next, because a slip you leave out may well be one the CRA already holds a copy of. And don’t pick a firm on a name alone, whether that’s K&R or anyone else, since a name says nothing about the person who will sit with your return.
Where the numbers come from
Guidance on preparers, T183, record keeping, and authorization comes from Canada Revenue Agency pages for using a professional tax preparer and for authorizing a representative. Free clinic information is from the CRA’s free tax clinics page. The worked figure comes from our own engine at 2026 rates. This site is independent of the CRA and of any firm mentioned.
Frequently asked questions
Is K&R Taxservices Inc a good choice?
We can't confirm anything about a specific firm. Use the checks on this page, and look the firm up in the CRA's tax preparer directory.
How do I find a certified tax preparer?
The CRA points to its tax preparer directory, where you can search by postal code.
What do I sign when a preparer files for me?
Part F of Form T183, the declaration and authorization to file electronically.
How long should I keep my tax records?
The CRA says at least six years for slips, receipts and the completed T183.
Are there free ways to get my return done?
Yes, the CRA's free tax clinics help people with a modest income and a simple tax situation. Check the CRA page for the current rules.
- 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
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.