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Tax assist accountants are hard to judge by name, because “tax assist” isn’t a protected title and we couldn’t confirm what any firm using it offers. What you can rely on is this: if your income is low and your return is plain, the CRA supports free tax clinics run by community organizations, and paying an accountant is optional.
Where can you get tax help for free?
Through the Community Volunteer Income Tax Program. Community organizations host free clinics where trained volunteers complete returns for people whose income is low and whose return is uncomplicated. You can go in person, get help on a video call, talk by phone or drop off your documents. Most clinics run in March and April, though some stay open all year.
The income limit varies with your family size, and organizations may adjust it locally. Look at the CRA’s chart or call the clinic before you go. We didn’t copy the figures here because they’re set by the program, not by us.
Picture Marcus in Regina, working part time and living on a modest paycheque. His return is two slips and a tuition receipt. A clinic is built for exactly that, and he pays nothing.
When is a paid accountant the better call?
When your return isn’t simple. Self-employment, rental income, a property sale or income from abroad all push you past what a volunteer clinic usually handles. A paid preparer also makes sense if you’ve missed years of filing.
| Your situation | Where to start |
|---|---|
| Slips only, modest income | Free tax clinic |
| Slips only, comfortable with software | Do it yourself |
| Business or rental income | Accountant, ideally before year end |
| Several years unfiled | Accountant, and soon |
What is the work worth in dollars?
Look at a simple case first. An Ontario employee on $60,000 pays $8,320.50 of income tax, $3,361.75 of CPP and $978.00 of EI, according to our income tax calculator. Most of that comes off your pay before you ever file, so the return only settles the difference. Use the tax refund calculator to guess which way it goes.
A business case has more room to move. On $80,000 of net income in Ontario the self-employed tax calculator shows $13,233.57 of income tax and $8,892.90 of CPP. If an accountant found $2,400 of missed costs (a made-up example, not a fee), income tax would fall by $700.03. Whether that beats their bill is your maths to do, and we couldn’t confirm typical fees.
How do you tell a reputable preparer from a risky one?
Look at how they behave before you look at what they promise. A reputable one asks to see your slips, explains what they’ll claim and why, and gives you a copy of what they filed. A risky one talks about the size of your refund before opening a single document, or asks you to sign something blank. Whatever name is on the door, those habits are the real test, and a few minutes on the phone usually shows which kind you’ve reached.
What should you bring to any preparer?
Bring every slip, last year’s notice of assessment, receipts for anything you plan to claim and your bank details for direct deposit. If you’d like a person to talk to the CRA for you, they’ll need your authorization through your CRA account, and you choose what they can see.
Before you claim credits, run the tax credits calculator. It covers federal credits only, so provincial ones are extra.
What if you’re behind on filing?
Don’t wait until you feel ready. Gather whatever slips you can find for each missing year, since your CRA account lists many of them, and start with the oldest year. A clinic may take some prior-year returns, though that varies, so ask when you call. If the pile includes business or rental years, go to an accountant. Filing late is bad, but not filing at all keeps getting worse.
Mistakes to avoid with tax help
- Paying anyone who guarantees a refund before seeing your documents.
- Letting a preparer deposit your refund into their account. It should go to yours.
- Filing late while you shop around. The deadline is April 30, or June 15 for you or a spouse in business, while what you owe must still be paid by April 30.
- Throwing away records. Keep them six years from the end of the last tax year they relate to.
Build one more habit. Ask the preparer to explain the two or three biggest lines on your return in plain words, such as your total income and the tax already paid. If they can’t, you’ve learned something before the deadline instead of after it.
Read the return before you sign. Your name is on it, not theirs.
What is this page based on?
Clinic details, deadlines and record rules come from Canada Revenue Agency pages we read in September 2026. Tax amounts come from the 2026 data in our calculators. We name no firm here, and we aren’t connected with the CRA or any government body.
Frequently asked questions
Is there free tax help in Canada?
Yes. Community organizations host free tax clinics through the CRA's volunteer program for people with a modest income and a simple tax situation.
Who qualifies for a free tax clinic?
It depends on family income and size, and the organization can adjust the limit locally. Check the CRA chart or ask the clinic.
When should I pay an accountant instead?
When you have business income, rental income, property sales, foreign income or several unfiled years.
What should I bring to a preparer?
Every slip, last year's notice of assessment, receipts for claims and your bank details for direct deposit.
How long should I keep my tax records?
Six years from the end of the last tax year they relate to, in most cases.
- 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