Updated Checked by the Tax-Services.ca editorial team How we check
Getting your taxes done near you comes down to five routes: certified software, the CRA’s SimpleFile, a free tax clinic, a paid preparer or a paper return. The right one depends on how complicated your year was and how much you earned, and the first two cost nothing to try.
Which of the five routes fits you?
The CRA lists all five on its page about ways to file. Here’s how we’d sort them.
| Route | Best for | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Certified software with NETFILE | Most people with a few slips | Depends on the product |
| SimpleFile Digital | Very simple, low income returns | Free |
| Free tax clinic | Modest income and a simple year | Free |
| Professional preparer (EFILE) | Business, rental or unusual income | A fee that varies |
| Paper return | Anyone who prefers it | Postage |
Software prices and preparer fees change too often for us to quote, and we found no official figures for either.
Can you use a free tax clinic in your area?
You need both a modest income and a simple tax situation. On the CRA page we read, the income cap depends on family size. It shows $40,000 for one person, $55,000 for two and $60,000 for three. Older pages and summaries list lower figures, so check the current chart before you count yourself out.
A simple situation means income like employment, pensions, benefits, RRSP income or scholarships, plus interest under $1,200. Self-employment, rental income and capital gains don’t qualify in most cases.
Clinics run as walk-in, drop-off or by appointment, and you find yours through the CRA’s tax clinic directory. Bring photo ID, your Social Insurance Number, your slips, receipts and last year’s notice of assessment. We couldn’t find opening dates on the page, so look them up in the directory.
What does your tax look like on a modest income?
Take a single Ontario employee on $32,000 in 2026. Our estimate is $2,804.23 of income tax and $2,217.35 of CPP and EI, leaving $26,978.42. That’s a case where a clinic or free software works fine, and where a paid preparer would mostly be retyping slips. Try your own figures in the income tax calculator.
A $2,000 RRSP contribution would take that tax down to $2,423.23, a saving of $381. It’s a real amount, though smaller than most people expect at that income.
When are taxes due?
For the 2025 return, the CRA gave April 30, 2026 as the deadline to file and pay. Self-employed people, and people whose spouse or partner is self-employed, had until June 15, 2026 to file, but any tax owing was still due April 30.
We couldn’t find the dates for the 2026 return, which is filed in 2027, so check the CRA’s due dates page in the new year. You may also need to pay instalments if your net tax owing passes $3,000 this year and did so in at least one of the two years before, and the threshold is $1,800 in Quebec. The tax instalments calculator shows what four payments would look like.
And expecting a refund? The tax refund calculator gives an early idea. Filing every year matters even with no tax owing, because the CRA says you need to file to receive benefit and credit payments you’re entitled to.
Mistakes when you look for local help
People assume that an office nearby must be safer, and it isn’t, because nothing on the CRA pages we read ties trust to distance. Check that the preparer is EFILE certified in the CRA directory, and read the return before you approve it.
The other mistake is paying for help you didn’t need. Free clinics and software cover a lot of ground. Save the fee for a return with real complexity.
Where do these numbers come from?
The five ways to file, the deadlines, the clinic income chart and the clinic rules come from CRA pages on filing a return and on free tax clinics. The instalment threshold comes from the CRA page on required instalments. Example figures come from our calculators on 2026 rates rechecked on 29 September 2026. This website has no connection with the CRA or any other government body.
Frequently asked questions
Where can I get my taxes done for free?
Free tax clinics help people with a modest income and a simple tax situation. SimpleFile Digital is another free CRA option for very simple returns.
Who qualifies for a free tax clinic?
You need a modest income and a simple tax situation. The CRA page we read shows a $40,000 family income cap for one person, so check the current chart.
What is the tax filing deadline?
For the 2025 return it was April 30, 2026, or June 15, 2026 for the self-employed, who still had to pay by April 30. We couldn't find 2026 return dates.
What should I bring to a tax clinic?
Photo ID, your Social Insurance Number, your tax slips, receipts and your previous notice of assessment if you have one.
Do I need to file if I owe no tax?
Yes, if you want to keep receiving benefit and credit payments. The CRA says you need to file every year to receive them.
- 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
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.