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Taxation and accounting services cover three different jobs: filing your return, keeping your books, and advising on how to structure things. Many firms sell all three, but you might only need one. We can’t tell you what any firm charges, because we found no official source for fee levels, so this page is about what to ask and how to check the answer.
Which taxation and accounting services do you need?
Start with the job, not the firm. An employee with slips and a few receipts needs a return filed. A sole proprietor needs that plus records of sales and expenses during the year. A corporation has another layer of filings on top.
The table sets out common situations and what the work is.
| Your situation | The work |
|---|---|
| Employee, simple return | Personal return, often e-filed by the preparer |
| Self-employed | Return with business income, expense records, instalments, sometimes GST/HST |
| Payroll for staff | Regular remittances to the CRA |
| Quebec resident | A separate provincial return with Revenu Québec |
Ask for the scope in writing. If a quote lists only the personal return, then bookkeeping and instalment reminders aren’t in it.
What does the CRA say about using a preparer?
Its page on professional tax preparers says most people can have a return filed electronically, and that preparers do this through the CRA’s EFILE service. It also names the types you might meet: a firm, an organization, a discounter or another certified individual. A discounter is one who works out your expected refund and pays you up front before the return is filed.
Before you hand anything over, the CRA suggests checking your direct deposit details, your mailing address and your notification settings. Then gather your slips, receipts and other proof. Get that done first and the first meeting is short.
How much access should you give?
Less than you’re first offered. You can authorize a representative through your CRA account, and you choose the level of access. It stays in place until you or the representative cancels it, or until it expires if you gave it an end date. So put an end date on it, and look at the list of representatives every year.
Ask the firm which access it wants and why. If the answer is vague, that’s your signal.
Is the quote close to reality?
You can test the work yourself. Take a sole proprietor in Ontario with $80,000 of net business income. Our self-employed tax calculator shows about $13,234 of income tax and $8,893 of CPP, so roughly $22,126 in all. That figure leaves out EI, since it isn’t modelled, and it uses no deductions beyond the basics.
If the return your preparer produces lands far from a number like that, ask why. There can be good reasons, such as expenses you didn’t know about. Then again, the difference might be a mistake, and you’re the one who signs.
The income tax calculator gives the same check for an employee. If you’ll owe instalments, the tax instalments calculator shows the payments to plan for, and business owners with staff can use the payroll remittance calculator.
Questions to ask before you sign
Ask who prepares the return and who reviews it. Ask what happens if the CRA writes to you a year later, and whether that’s included or billed extra. Ask how you’ll get your documents back and where they’re stored. Ask about deadlines too, because self-employed people had until June 15, 2026 to file their 2025 return, but any balance was still due by April 30, 2026. We couldn’t find the dates for the 2026 return yet.
If you have a low income, the CRA also runs free tax clinics. The income limits differ between CRA pages, so we’ve left them out. Check the CRA’s clinic page before you pay anyone.
Mistakes to avoid
Choosing on price alone is one. So is choosing on the size of the promised refund. A firm can’t promise a refund before it has seen your documents. And don’t sign a blank form, ever.
The professional bodies also matter. If a firm uses a designation such as CPA, you can ask the provincial body whether the person is in good standing. We couldn’t confirm licensing rules for every province, so we don’t list them here.
Where the numbers come from
Preparer and authorization points come from the Canada Revenue Agency’s pages on using a tax preparer and authorizing a representative. Filing dates come from the CRA’s 2025 return due dates page. The dollar example comes from this site’s calculator. We aren’t connected to the CRA or any firm, and we checked the pages in September 2026.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a tax preparer and an accountant?
A preparer mainly files your return. An accountant may also keep or review your books and advise on structure, so ask what each quote includes.
Can a tax preparer file my return for the CRA?
Yes. The CRA says preparers file electronically through its EFILE service.
How do I give a preparer access to my CRA account?
You authorize a representative in your CRA account and choose the access level. It lasts until cancelled or until the expiry date you set.
What does a tax discounter do?
A discounter estimates your refund and pays you up front before the return is filed. Check what they take from the refund first.
Are there free options?
The CRA runs free tax clinics. Income limits differ between CRA pages, so read the CRA clinic page for the current rule.
- 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
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.