# Documents to gather for your Canadian tax return

> A printable checklist of the slips, receipts and personal details to have ready before you file your Canadian tax return, and what each one is for

Most redone returns come down to one missing piece of paper. Tick these off before you sit down to file, and print the page if you'd rather work from paper, since a printed list stays on the desk while the slips pile up around it. Don't have everything yet? Start anyway.

## Income slips

You'll get most of these by the end of February. Many are also listed in your CRA My Account, so look there when one hasn't arrived. Tick the ones that apply to you.

-  T4: pay from each employer you had during the year, so every paycheque is accounted for.

-  T4A: pension, retirement and some other income.

-  T4A(OAS) and T4A(P): Old Age Security and Canada Pension Plan benefits.

-  T4E: Employment Insurance benefits.

-  T5: interest and dividends from banks and investments.

-  T3: income from trusts and some investment funds.

-  T5008: sales of shares and other securities.

-  T4RSP or T4RIF: money you took out of an RRSP or RRIF.

-  Year end earnings summaries from any gig app you worked on. They aren't CRA slips, but the income still counts.

## Receipts and slips for deductions and credits

These are the claims people most often forget. Each one lowers your tax.

-  RRSP contribution receipts, including the ones from the first 60 days of the year.

-  FHSA contribution statement, if you have an account.

-  Child care receipts with the provider's name and number.

-  Tuition slip (T2202) from your school.

-  Medical expenses and the receipts for them.

-  Donation receipts from registered charities.

-  Union or professional dues, if they're not already on your T4.

-  Form T2200 signed by your employer, if you worked from home and want to claim it.

## Personal details

-  Social insurance number, yours and your spouse's.

-  Date of birth for you, your spouse and any dependants.

-  Last year's notice of assessment, which shows your RRSP deduction limit.

-  Your bank details, if you want a refund by direct deposit.

One thing to settle before you start: if you're married or common-law, decide who'll claim the shared items, because who claims what can change the result for both of you, and it's far easier to agree on that before you fill anything in than after the return is filed.

## If you work for yourself

You'll need more. Our [self-employed expenses checklist](https://tax-services.ca/checklists/self-employed-expenses) covers the costs, and the [self-employed guide](https://tax-services.ca/guides/self-employed-and-small-business) explains the rest. Pull together invoices and bank statements too, so your total matches what really came in.

## How long should you keep all this?

Once the return is sent, don't shred the pile. The CRA is blunt about it.

Keep your tax documents and records for at least six years.

How long should you keep your income tax records?, Canada Revenue Agency, [canada.ca](https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/tax/individuals/topics/about-your-tax-return/long-should-you-keep-your-income-tax-records.html)

## What next?

With the pile in front of you, the [filing guide](https://tax-services.ca/guides/file-your-taxes) walks through the steps, and the [tax calendar](https://tax-services.ca/tax-calendar) tells you the due date. Wondering what your return will look like? The [income tax calculator](https://tax-services.ca/calculators/income-tax/income-tax-calculator) gives a rough estimate.

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Source: https://tax-services.ca/checklists/documents-for-your-tax-return
Last updated: 2026-10-10
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