Updated Checked by the Tax-Services.ca editorial team How we check
TurboTax Canada customer service is run by the software maker, not by the CRA, so your first stop for a software problem is the help section on the maker’s own site or inside your account. We haven’t listed support hours, phone numbers or fees for any product, because they change and we won’t guess. What we can do is help you sort a software problem from a tax question, and point you to where the CRA itself helps.
Is your problem with the software or with your taxes?
These get mixed up all the time, and they go to different places. A crashed page, a slip that won’t import, a payment that failed, a login that’s locked: that’s the software company’s job. A question about whether a claim is allowed, what a line means or why the CRA changed your result is a tax question, and the software’s support team may not answer it.
Work out which one you have before you go hunting for a number. It saves a long wait in the wrong queue.
Where do you find real customer service for tax software?
Go to the company’s own website by typing the address yourself, then open the help or contact page. Sign in to your account if it has a message or chat feature, since that’s where your file is. Be careful with phone numbers that show up in search ads or on third-party pages. Anyone can post a number there. A number you found inside your account or on the company’s own site is the safer one.
TurboTax is just the example here. The same steps work for any product on the market.
Is your tax software on the CRA’s list?
That’s worth checking. On its find certified software page, the CRA says it certifies tax software developed by outside companies each year, and every product has its own detail page. You can see which tax years it’s certified for, what it costs (free, paid, or free depending on your situation) and which forms it can’t handle. Those unsupported forms matter: a product might not accept, say, a return for someone who left Canada during the year.
Certified software can be used with NETFILE, the CRA’s online filing service, which for 2025 returns was open from 23 February 2026 until 29 January 2027.
The list doesn’t say which product is better, or which one has good support. It only says the software meets the CRA’s filing requirements. We haven’t compared prices or features, so we don’t rank anything.
How can you check the software’s number?
Whatever you use, test the result. Take the tax refund calculator with its default figures. It works out income tax of $12,704.65 on taxable income of $74,273 and compares it with $14,000 already paid, for an estimated refund of $1,295.35. If your software gives you a figure far from what you expect from a rough check like this, look for a missing slip or a wrong entry before you call anyone.
For the tax side, the income tax calculator splits federal and provincial tax, and the tax credits and deductions calculator shows what a deduction or credit changes. They leave out many claims, so don’t expect a match to the dollar. A gap of a few bucks is normal. A gap of a thousand is a reason to look closer.
What should you do when the import fails?
Slip import trouble is the most common reason people call. Before you contact anyone, make sure you’re signed in to the right CRA account, then enter the slip by hand from the paper or PDF copy. It’s slower, but it works, and you’ve lost nothing. Keep a note of what the error said, since that helps support find the cause faster. If the problem is a missing slip, the issuer sends it, not the software company.
Mistakes to avoid when you need help
Don’t share your full sign-in details with a stranger who says they’re support. Don’t pay someone who promises a bigger refund than the software shows. And don’t leave a problem until the last week: for 2025 returns the general deadline was 30 April 2026, with 15 June to file for the self-employed but payment still due on 30 April. For 2026 returns the usual dates are 30 April 2027, and 15 June 2027 to file for the self-employed (payment still 30 April).
If you’d rather have a person do the return, that’s a separate choice, and you can use the marginal tax rate calculator to see how an extra deduction changes the picture before you ask them about it.
Our sources
Software certification, NETFILE dates and filing deadlines come from CRA pages on certified tax software, NETFILE and the 2025 due dates. The refund example comes from our 2026 tax tables. Nothing here comes from the software companies, and we have no link with any of them or with the CRA.
Frequently asked questions
Does the CRA run customer service for tax software?
No. The software company supports its own product. The CRA certifies software and publishes the list on canada.ca.
How do I know a support number is real?
Use one from the company's own website or from inside your account, not one from an ad or a third-party page.
What is NETFILE?
The CRA's online service for sending a return from certified software. For 2025 returns it was open from 23 February 2026 until 29 January 2027.
Can the software's support team answer tax questions?
Not always. Ask the company what it covers, and use the CRA for questions about how the rules apply to you.
How can I sanity check my refund?
Run a rough estimate in a calculator. A gap of a few dollars is normal, a gap of a thousand means look for a missing slip or entry.
- 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