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If you live in Quebec, you file two income tax returns, one with the CRA and one with Revenu Québec, and that alone is a good reason to look for a tax accountant in Montreal who works with both every year. Anyone who is self-employed has until June 15 to file, but tax owing for 2025 was due April 30, 2026.
What does a Montreal tax accountant do that software doesn’t?
For a plain salary and a few slips, tax software is usually enough. It asks the questions and fills in both returns. An accountant earns the fee when your year has moving parts: a business, a corporation, rental income, a partner’s share, or a move in or out of the province.
Quebec adds a layer that other provinces don’t have. Your provincial return is filed with Revenu Québec, it has its own forms, and it uses its own contribution system (QPP in place of CPP). A firm that sees these every February will spot a mismatch between the two returns faster than you will.
We couldn’t confirm typical fees, or rank any firm, from an official source. So this page doesn’t quote prices or recommend a name. What follows is how to check someone and what to ask.
How do you check that an accountant is a real CPA?
Use the Ordre des CPA du Québec. It publishes a membership roll where you can look a person up, see whether they’re authorized to practise and read the public details of their listing. It takes two minutes. Do it before you send any documents.
Not every person who prepares returns is a CPA, and that’s fine for a simple return. But if someone calls themselves one, the roll should agree. Ask, too, who exactly will prepare your file. The name on the door and the person doing the work can differ.
| Question to ask | What a good answer sounds like |
|---|---|
| Do you file both the federal and Quebec returns? | Yes, and they explain how the two fit together |
| Who prepares my file? | A named person, with a reviewer |
| What’s in the quote? | A written list: return, GST/QST, payroll, year end |
| How are deadlines tracked? | They tell you the dates and send reminders |
| What do you need from me? | A clear document list, not “everything” |
What does self-employment cost you in Quebec?
More than most people expect, mainly because you pay both halves of the pension contribution. Here’s what the self-employed tax calculator gives for net business income in Quebec. Treat the Quebec column with some care. The federal Quebec abatement, the QPP rates and the parental insurance (QPIP) figures follow published rules, but the totals are still estimates.
| Net business income | Income tax (federal and Quebec) | QPP and QPIP | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $6,665.17 | $6,241.00 | $12,906.17 |
| $80,000 | $15,268.17 | $10,001.80 | $25,269.97 |
On $80,000 that’s 31.6% of income, and $54,730.03 is left. The same $80,000 in Ontario comes to $22,126.47, so Quebec costs more here. Your own case will differ, since deductions and credits move the number. The calculator also leaves out EI and business expenses.
Because nobody withholds anything from business income, the tax instalments calculator is worth a look. It splits an expected balance into four equal payments. Quebec residents have a lower threshold for the provincial part ($1,800), which the calculator doesn’t model.
What if you run a corporation in Montreal?
Then the accountant’s job grows. On $300,000 of active business income for a calendar 2026 year, the corporate tax calculator shows $36,600 of combined tax in Quebec, or 12.2%. Quebec has announced a lower small business rate for tax years that begin after April 29, 2026. We read that only through search summaries, so check Revenu Québec before you plan around it.
The calculator also ignores paid-hours tests, but it has boxes for associated companies and passive income. Those are the questions to put to a firm early.
What mistakes do people make when hiring?
Choosing on price alone is the usual one. Two quotes that look far apart often cover different work. Waiting until April is another, since the useful advice comes before year end. And handing everything over without keeping copies. The CRA says business records must be kept for six years from the end of the last tax year they relate to.
Also, don’t treat a calculator as a filing. An income tax calculator gives an estimate for a standard case, which is where an accountant’s judgement starts.
Where the numbers come from
Deadlines and the two-return rule come from Revenu Québec pages for the 2025 tax year. Federal corporate rates and the six-year record rule come from the CRA. The membership roll details come from the Ordre des CPA du Québec. Examples use this site’s calculators with 2026 data checked on September 29, 2026. This site has no link with any government body or accounting firm.
Frequently asked questions
Do I file two tax returns in Quebec?
Yes. Quebec residents file a federal return with the CRA and a provincial return with Revenu Québec each year.
When is the return due for a self-employed person in Quebec?
For 2025, the filing deadline was June 15, 2026, but any balance owing was due April 30, 2026.
How do I check that my accountant is a CPA?
Search the membership roll of the Ordre des CPA du Québec. It shows whether the person is authorized to practise.
How much does a Montreal accountant charge?
We couldn't confirm typical fees from an official source, so we give no figure. Ask for a written quote that lists what's included.
Does a Montreal accountant have to be in the city?
No. Both returns can be filed remotely. A local firm can meet you in person and knows local practice.
- 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
- Quebec income tax, QPP and QST in 2026
How Quebec income tax works in 2026: its own return and brackets, the federal abatement, QPP and QPIP contributions, QST, and calculators for Quebec
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.