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For your first meeting with an accountant in Canada, bring photo ID, your last two or three tax returns with the notices of assessment, this year’s income slips, and proof of anything you plan to claim. Most of it should already be somewhere in your drawer or your online CRA account, so the job is mostly gathering, not hunting.
Keep your tax documents and records for at least six years.
How long should you keep your income tax records?, canada.ca
What to bring if you’re an employee
Start with the slips: T4s from each employer, plus any T5 for interest or dividends and the T4A for other income. Add receipts for anything you’ll claim, such as tuition, medical costs, donations and child care. Bring your last returns and the notices of assessment or reassessment, because they show carry-forward amounts your accountant can’t guess.
If you’ve had letters from the CRA, bring them. Even old ones. They save the accountant a phone call and you a bill.
Picture Priya in Winnipeg, who changed jobs in June. She’d have two T4s, a tuition slip from her evening course and a stack of physio receipts. Nothing exotic, but if one T4 is missing, her return is wrong before anyone types a number.
What to bring if you run a business
The list grows. The CRA’s business records guidance describes income records, such as sales invoices, cash register tapes, receipts, bank deposit slips and contracts. On the expense side it lists receipts showing the date, the seller, the buyer and a full description of what was bought. If a receipt is missing, bring your expense journal.
Add bank and card statements for the year, your GST/HST filings if you’re registered, payroll records if you have staff, and a note of any big purchases, since those affect capital cost allowance. Keep the business and personal folders apart. If you’re self-employed, the CRA also reminds you to keep paper and electronic records securely, and it’s worth asking your accountant which format they prefer. Their own tips for the self-employed are short and worth a read before you pack the folder.
A quick checklist
| Document | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Photo ID and SIN | The accountant has to know who you are and file under the right number |
| Last returns and notices of assessment | Show carry-forward amounts and past filing |
| T4, T5, T4A and other slips | Your reported income |
| Receipts for claims | Support for deductions and credits |
| Business invoices, receipts, bank statements | Income and expenses for the year |
| CRA letters | Open issues, instalment requests, reviews |
Why does the paperwork change the bill?
Because missing proof turns into lost deductions. Take an Ontario sole proprietor with $80,000 of net business income. The self-employed tax calculator shows $22,126 of income tax and CPP. If $2,000 of expenses were recorded, income would be $78,000 and the figure drops to $21,421, a gap of $705. That’s a few hundred bucks gone because a receipt went missing in a drawer.
That tool leaves out GST/HST and EI, so it isn’t your return. But it shows why the shoebox matters. For a rough idea of where you stand before the meeting, run your salary through the income tax calculator. If you’re expecting money back, the tax refund calculator gives an estimate to compare with what the accountant finds.
What should you write down before you go?
A page of questions helps more than another folder. Did your job, marital status or address change? Did you sell a property or shares, start a side business, work from home or buy a vehicle? Any of these can change the return, and people forget them once they’re sitting in the room.
Ask how the accountant wants documents delivered, and how long they’ll keep them. And ask for a written quote. Accountants set their own fees and no official source publishes a typical price, so don’t assume a number.
What if you can’t find a document?
Don’t cancel the meeting. Missing T-slips can often be pulled from your CRA online account, and a lost notice of assessment can be reprinted from there too. A missing receipt is harder: ask the seller for a copy, or check your bank or card statement as backup. Tell the accountant what’s missing at the start, because they’ll know which gaps matter and which ones don’t.
Mistakes people make
Handing over everything without sorting it is the common one, and it usually costs more. Sort by year and by type. Another is holding back something awkward, like unreported income or a late filing. The accountant needs the truth to fix it.
Don’t send originals when a copy will do. And don’t throw out old records after the meeting. The CRA says you don’t attach supporting documents to the return, but you do keep them in case it asks. Destroying them early without permission can lead to prosecution.
Where we got these figures
The record types and retention period come from the Canada Revenue Agency‘s guidance for individuals and for business records. The example is worked from our tools on 2026 rates. This site is independent of the CRA and every other government body.
Frequently asked questions
What documents does an accountant need for my tax return?
Your income slips, last returns and notices of assessment, receipts for claims, and ID. Business owners add invoices, expense receipts and bank statements.
Do I need to bring original receipts?
Bring copies if you can and keep the originals. The CRA says to keep records for at least six years.
What if I've lost some receipts?
Say so, and bring an expense journal or bank statements. They're weaker than receipts, but better than nothing.
Should I mention a late or missed filing?
Yes. The accountant can only fix what they know about.
How much will the first meeting cost?
We couldn't confirm typical fees. Ask for a written quote before you go.
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