Updated Checked by the Tax-Services.ca editorial team How we check
Most people need three things to file: the slips that arrive with their name on them, receipts for anything they plan to claim, and last year’s notice of assessment. The CRA’s rule is six years at minimum, measured from the close of the last tax year a record covers. That’s the rule that catches people out, because the shoebox you threw away in year four is the one a review asks for in year five.
Keep your records for six years from the end of the last tax year they relate to
Keeping Records (RC188), CRA, canada.ca
Which tax documents show up without you asking?
Slips are sent to you by whoever paid you, and the same figures go to the CRA. Here are the common ones.
| Slip | What it reports | Who sends it |
|---|---|---|
| T4 | Employment income | Your employer |
| T4A | Pensions, annuities, scholarships, RESP withdrawals and other income | Payer or trustee |
| T4A(OAS) | Old Age Security | The federal government |
| T4E | Employment Insurance and other benefits | The federal government |
| T5 | Interest and dividends from non-registered accounts | Your bank or broker |
| T3 | Trust income, such as mutual fund distributions | The trust |
| T4RSP | Money you took out of an RRSP | The RRSP issuer |
Most land by late February. T3 and T5013 slips may not show until the end of March, and RRSP receipts for the first 60 days of the year sometimes turn up in May. If you file in early March, check that nothing is missing before you send anything.
What do you have to collect yourself?
Slips cover income. Deductions and credits are on you. If you claim it, keep the paper: medical bills, donation receipts, child care receipts, RRSP contribution receipts, and the bills behind any work expenses. The tax credits calculator shows which amounts it models, so you can see what’s worth chasing before you dig through email.
Self-employed? Add your sales records, expense receipts and bank statements. Nobody sends you a slip for those, and they’re the documents a review starts with.
How long should you keep tax records?
Six years is the number to remember. The clock starts when the tax year they cover ends. A few cases stretch it. File late, and the six years count from the day you filed. Dispute an assessment, and everything tied to it stays until the dispute is closed.
Keep the copy of your return and the notice of assessment too, along with any notice of reassessment. Cancelled cheques and bank statements that prove a deduction belong in the same folder.
Here’s how that plays out. Noor files her 2025 return in April 2026. The records for that year can go at the end of the sixth year after 2025, which is December 31, 2031, so the folder stays until early 2032. A paper receipt that feels like clutter in 2028 is exactly what you’d want if the CRA asks about 2025.
What happens if you miss a slip?
You still owe tax on the income. The CRA has the figure from the payer, so a missing slip means a mismatch, not a secret. Here’s what it costs in a simple case. An Ontario employee on a $60,000 T4 has about $8,320.50 of income tax in our income tax calculator, with $4,339.75 of CPP and EI taken off the pay. Forget a T5 for $10,000 of interest and the tax rises by $2,965.00.
The CRA has also published a tax tip saying that waiting for all your slips can save you time and avoid mistakes. We agree. Filing a week earlier isn’t worth a reassessment. If a payer really doesn’t send one, the CRA has a page on how to get a copy of your slips.
A simple routine that keeps you ready
- Make one folder, paper or digital, for each tax year.
- Drop slips and receipts into it as they arrive, not in April.
- Once a year, tick off the slips you expect against the ones you received.
- After you file, add the notice of assessment and a copy of the return.
It takes a few minutes in each step, and it beats a frantic weekend of searching inboxes at tax time.
Where slips and records go wrong
People file with the T4 and forget the T4A for a scholarship or a small pension. Some throw paper out the day they file, then need it two years later for a refund estimate from the tax refund calculator that didn’t match the assessment.
A short checklist beats a long guide here. Before you file, look for your T4s, any T4A, T4E or T4A(OAS), T5s and T3s, RRSP receipts, and the receipts for each claim. After you file, put the notice of assessment in the same folder and write the date on the outside.
How we checked the figures
The list of slips, the delivery dates and the six-year rule come from the Canada Revenue Agency pages on tax slips and on how long to keep income tax records, read in September 2026. The example uses our 2026 Ontario estimate, which leaves out benefits and refundable credits. The 2026 filing deadlines aren’t published yet, so check the CRA before you plan around one.
Frequently asked questions
How long do you keep tax documents in Canada?
At least six years from the end of the last tax year they relate to. If you filed late, count from the filing date.
When do tax slips arrive?
Most come by the end of February. T3 and T5013 slips can arrive by the end of March, and early-year RRSP receipts sometimes come in May.
What if you lose a slip?
Ask the payer, and see the CRA page on getting a copy of your slips. You still have to report the income.
Do you send your documents with your return?
Generally you keep receipts and supporting papers at home. The CRA may ask to see them later, so don't throw them out.
Should you keep the notice of assessment?
Yes. The CRA says to keep the copy of your return, the notice of assessment and any notice of reassessment.
- How to file your tax return in Canada: steps and dates
What to gather, when your return is due and how to file in Canada, from the first slip to the notice of assessment that closes the year