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If you’re searching for Liberty Tax Canada, you’re probably after one of two things: someone to hand your slips to, or a cheaper way to get the return done. We couldn’t confirm what any named firm offers today, where its offices are or what it charges, so this page doesn’t say. What it does cover is how paid preparers work, who can file for free, and how to size up any preparer before you sign anything.
What does the CRA say about paid tax preparers?
The CRA describes a professional preparer as an accountant, a firm, an organization or a discounter that prepares your return and sends it in electronically for a fee. It keeps a directory of preparers certified to use its EFILE service, and you can search it by postal code. On its EFILE for individuals page, the CRA says you sign Part F of Form T183 to authorize your preparer to file the return.
Your part comes before the appointment. Gather your slips, receipts and anything that backs up a deduction. Then you review the finished return and sign Form T183, the filing authorization. The preparer needs your signature in Part F, the declaration, before filing. Never sign a blank one. If something on the return looks off, say so right there at the desk, not in April.
Which questions should you ask before hiring anyone?
Whether the name is Liberty Tax Canada, a local accountant or a large chain, the same short list applies.
- Is the office listed in the CRA’s EFILE directory?
- What’s the fee, in writing, for your kind of return, and does it change if you add self-employment income?
- Who is paid from your refund, and when do you get the rest?
- Do you get a copy of the return and T183 before it’s filed?
- Who fixes it if the CRA reassesses?
We haven’t compared any firm’s answers, so don’t read this as a ranking. It’s simply what we’d want settled before handing over a social insurance number. Phone two or three places and ask each the same questions. The quotes tend to differ more than you’d guess, and a few bucks of difference on a small return is a big slice of the refund.
What is a refund advance?
The CRA notes that a discounter pays you a refund up front before your return is filed, and tells you to read the terms. That’s a loan against your refund, so the price of it is whatever the contract says. Ask for the amount in dollars, not as a description.
A quick reality check helps. On a $60,000 Ontario salary with $9,000 withheld, the tax refund calculator estimates a refund of $679.50. Say a preparer quoted $150 (a made-up figure, just for the sums). You’d keep $529.50, and the fee would eat about 22% of the refund. When the refund is that size, even a modest fee takes a big bite. For a simple return, that changes the maths.
Can you file for free instead?
Maybe. The CRA runs the Community Volunteer Income Tax Program, where volunteers prepare returns at no charge for people with a modest income and a simple tax situation. You can find clinics with the CRA’s clinic locator. We didn’t confirm the income limits, since the CRA sends you to a separate eligibility page, so check it before you book.
If your return is simple, you can also do it yourself. Start with the income tax calculator so you know roughly what to expect. On $60,000 in Ontario it shows $8,320.50 of income tax, an average rate of 13.9%, before any credits beyond the basic ones.
Where can a preparer not help you?
You’re still responsible for what’s on the return. The CRA states that you should keep your documents for at least six years, and a preparer’s mistake doesn’t remove your duty to answer if the CRA asks.
A preparer also can’t know what they aren’t told. A missed T5 or a side income left out comes back to you. Ask what a claim saves before you pay to make it: the tax credits calculator shows how a claim like a $5,000 RRSP deduction lowers the bill by $1,483 on a $90,000 income. And if you’re self-employed, the self-employed tax calculator gives you a number to compare against what a preparer tells you.
What if the preparer gets something wrong?
Say Priya in Mississauga finds, three months later, that her preparer left out a T4A. The return is still hers. She’d need to tell the CRA and ask for the return to be changed, and a good preparer will help with that. So ask up front who handles a correction and whether it costs extra. Having the answer in writing before tax time saves an argument later.
Where this information comes from
The description of paid preparers, EFILE, Form T183, refund advances and the six-year record rule comes from the Canada Revenue Agency page on using a professional tax preparer. The free clinic details come from the CRA’s Community Volunteer Income Tax Program page. Calculator figures use our 2026 federal and Ontario data. This site has no link with the CRA or with any tax preparation firm.
Frequently asked questions
Can I trust any preparer to file my return?
Start by checking that the office is in the CRA's EFILE directory. Then read the whole return before you sign Form T183.
What is Form T183?
It's the filing authorization for a return filed electronically by a preparer. The CRA says your signature is needed in Part F before it goes in.
What is a refund advance from a discounter?
The CRA says a discounter pays you your refund up front, before the return is filed. Read the contract for the cost, because we couldn't verify any firm's terms.
Is there a free way to get my return done?
The CRA's Community Volunteer Income Tax Program offers free clinics for people with a modest income and a simple tax situation.
How long should I keep tax records?
The CRA advises keeping your documents for at least six years.
- 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