Updated Checked by the Tax-Services.ca editorial team How we check
There are five places to do your taxes in Canada: at home with certified software, through a free clinic, with a paid preparer, on paper, or, if the CRA invites you, through SimpleFile. Which one fits depends mostly on how complicated your year was. We assumed “tax places” means where you can get a return done or sent in, since the phrase can also mean tax jurisdictions.
Where can you do your taxes?
The CRA’s page on how to file lists the routes, and here they are with the thing you should know about each. Our guide to filing your taxes goes through the steps in order.
| Place | Who it suits | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Certified tax software (NETFILE) | Most people with a job and a few slips | Some providers have free versions; check the CRA list |
| Free tax clinic | Modest income and a simple tax situation | Free, volunteers complete the return |
| Professional preparer (EFILE) | Business income, several sources, a CRA letter to answer | A fee; we couldn’t confirm any levels |
| SimpleFile | Qualifying people, some by invitation | Free |
| Paper return | Anyone who prefers it | Postage |
Look at the last column with some care. “Free” software often means a basic return, and extras can cost. The CRA’s certified software page says several providers offer no-cost versions, and some limit them to a modest income or a simple situation. Read the small print before you type your slips in. The CRA’s list of certified tax software is the place to confirm a product is approved for the year you’re filing.
Which of these tax places should you pick?
Start with the simplest one that covers your year. Suppose you earn $40,000 from one job in Ontario. Our income tax calculator gives $4,363 in federal and Ontario income tax. One T4, a few standard credits, nothing unusual. That return fits software or a clinic, and paying a preparer for it is hard to justify.
Now a self-employed person with $55,000 of net income in Ontario. The same engine shows $6,951 of income tax and $6,129 in CPP contributions. That’s more than $13,000 going to the government, with expenses to sort out, and it may be worth paying someone. The self-employed tax calculator is a rough guide only, since its deductions lower income tax but not CPP and it leaves out EI.
Not sure where you stand? Try it both ways. You lose nothing by running a quick estimate first, and it tells you if the answer will be a refund or a bill.
What should you have in hand before you sit down?
Whichever place you pick, the prep is the same. Gather your slips (T4, T5, T4A and so on), receipts for anything you plan to claim, your last notice of assessment, and your bank details for direct deposit. Ask for anything missing now, not the night before the deadline.
Tomás in Edmonton does this every February: one folder on his desktop, one paper envelope for stray receipts. By the time slips arrive, he’s ready. When he sat down with a free clinic volunteer last year, the whole visit was short because nothing was missing. That’s the real saving of any tax place. Not the few bucks of a fee, but the time you get back at tax time. Our tax return checklist lists what to gather.
What dates matter for filing?
For the 2025 return, the CRA opened NETFILE on 23 February 2026 and keeps it open until 29 January 2027. The usual due date was 30 April 2026, and it was 15 June 2026 if you or your spouse or partner were self-employed. The 2026 return dates aren’t published yet. We couldn’t find them, so don’t plan around last year’s without checking.
The tax calendar keeps the main dates in one place. The CRA also says you must file every year to receive, or keep receiving, benefit and credit payments. So even with no income, filing is often worth it. The GST/HST credit calculator and the Canada Child Benefit calculator show what could be at stake.
Do free tax clinics have an income limit?
They serve people with a modest income and a simple situation. The dollar limits differ between CRA pages, so we’re leaving them out. The CRA’s free tax clinics page describes the program, and its clinic search lets you filter by location and by the kind of clinic you’d like. Quebec’s version is called ITAVP and is run with Revenu Québec.
Some clinics do the return while you wait, some by phone or video, and some take your papers to work through later. That comes from the CRA’s description of the program. We didn’t verify any specific clinic’s hours or rules, and you’ll want to call ahead.
What goes wrong wherever you file?
Start with your bank details. Check your direct deposit information, address and notification settings in your CRA account before you file. Missing slips come second. If a slip shows up after you’ve filed, you’ll need to amend.
Choosing by convenience is a trap too. A storefront on your street isn’t a reason to pay. And if a preparer files for you, review the return and Form T183 before you authorize it, then keep your papers for at least six years.
Where this information comes from
Filing routes, dates and clinic information come from Canada Revenue Agency pages read in September 2026. The tax examples come from our calculators, using the 2026 federal and Ontario rates. The CRA doesn’t control this site, and nothing here endorses a provider. We couldn’t confirm preparer fees, the 2026 return deadlines or clinic income limits.
Frequently asked questions
Where can I file my taxes for free?
Free tax clinics run by community volunteers, SimpleFile for those who qualify, and free versions of certified software.
When does NETFILE close for the 2025 return?
The CRA says NETFILE is open from 23 February 2026 until 29 January 2027.
Do I have to file if I earned nothing?
The CRA says you must file to receive or keep receiving benefit and credit payments, so often yes.
What was the 2025 filing deadline?
30 April 2026, or 15 June 2026 if you or your spouse or partner were self-employed. The 2026 dates aren't published.
Can I mail a paper return?
Yes. The CRA still lists a paper return, using the income tax package.
- 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