Getting ready to file your Canadian income tax return? You do not need a mountain of paperwork—but you do need the right documents. The simplest approach is to gather your personal information, income records, deductions and credits, and any records of major changes during the year.
If you worked only one job, your T4 may cover most of your employment income. If you also earned interest, ran a side business, received rental income or sold a property, you will need more. This checklist is for the 2026 tax year, which most individuals will file in 2027.
1. Start with your basic details and last year's return
Before looking for tax slips, confirm your legal name, Social Insurance Number (SIN), date of birth, current address and province of residence on December 31, 2026. Record whether you were single, married or in a common-law relationship, and the date of any change. Family information matters because some tax credits and benefits depend on the household, not just one person.
Your 2025 Notice of Assessment or Reassessment, showing the CRA's assessment of last year's return.
Your CRA My Account access, if available, to check slips, RRSP room, tuition carryforwards and notices.
Your spouse or common-law partner's income details, even if they are filing a separate return.
Direct-deposit banking details if you need to update them with the CRA.
Dates of a move, a change in marital status, immigration or emigration, if applicable.
A Notice of Assessment is the CRA's summary after processing a return. It may show amounts that carry into another year, which is why it is useful even if you no longer have the old return handy.
2. Collect proof of every source of income
An information slip is a document sent by an employer, bank, pension provider or another payer that reports amounts to you and often to the CRA. Different slips identify different types of income.
T4: employment income, tax withheld and payroll deductions. If you changed jobs, you may have more than one.
T4A: certain pensions, fees, educational assistance and other payments. The boxes have different tax treatments.
T4E: employment insurance benefits.
T4A(OAS) and T4A(P): Old Age Security and Canada Pension Plan amounts.
T4RSP or T4RIF: certain RRSP or RRIF withdrawals and payments.
T5: interest, dividends and other investment income, generally outside registered accounts.
T3: income or gains allocated by a trust or mutual fund trust.
T5008: certain securities transactions. A T5008 does not always show your correct taxable gain.
Do not assume the absence of a slip means the income is tax-free. For instance, taxable interest may still need to be reported when it is too small for a bank to issue a T5. Cash side-job earnings also count even when no payer sends you a slip.
Example: you had two jobs and a savings account
A person worked at a grocery store until April 2026, joined an office in May, and earned interest on a non-registered savings account. They may need two T4 slips plus a T5 or bank statement for the interest. Filing with only the most recent employer's T4 would leave out part of the year's income.
3. Find deductions and credit receipts
A deduction can reduce the income used to calculate tax. A tax credit can reduce the tax itself. Each has eligibility rules, so keep the evidence even if you are not sure a claim is available.
RRSP contribution receipts, including qualifying contributions made in the first 60 days of 2027.
FHSA contribution information and related slips for a First Home Savings Account.
T2202 tuition certificate for eligible post-secondary studies.
Childcare receipts showing the provider's name, services, amounts and required identifying information.
Eligible medical and dental receipts, insurance reimbursement details and disability tax credit approval where applicable.
Charitable donation receipts, moving-expense records and employment-expense authorization such as Form T2200 where relevant.
Receipts for eligible professional or union dues not already recorded on a slip.
A receipt is not an automatic deduction. For example, ordinary commuting costs generally are not employment expenses just because you drove to work, and not every medical purchase qualifies as an eligible medical expense.
4. If you are self-employed, organize your business records
Self-employment income includes money earned from freelance work, consulting, a trade, online sales or other business activity. It normally needs a business income-and-expense calculation, often using Form T2125. You need records of gross revenue and the business costs you want to claim.
Sales invoices, customer payments, payment-platform statements and refunds.
Bank and credit-card records that match the business activity.
Receipts for supplies, advertising, software, subcontractors and other business costs.
Telephone and internet bills, with a reasonable business-use allocation where applicable.
Vehicle logbook showing business kilometres and total kilometres, plus related cost records if vehicle expenses are claimed.
Home-workspace measurements and household costs if the home-office rules apply.
Equipment purchase dates and invoices for assets that may be depreciated rather than deducted all at once.
GST/HST registration and return details, if the business is registered.
A common mistake is reporting only the amount deposited into your bank account. A payment platform may deduct transaction fees before paying you. Your business revenue may need to reflect the gross sale, with fees recorded separately as an expense.
5. If you own investments or real estate, keep the transaction history
For stocks and exchange-traded funds in non-registered accounts, collect purchase records, sale confirmations, commissions, reinvested distributions and adjusted cost base (ACB) tracking. ACB is your tax cost after required adjustments. A broker's T5008 might show sale proceeds without the correct ACB; the two figures are not interchangeable.
If you rent out property, gather rent received and expenses such as mortgage interest, property taxes, insurance, utilities, repairs and management fees. You may need Form T776. Keep records of personal-use periods and capital improvements separately.
If you sold a home or rental property, retain acquisition and closing statements, legal fees, selling expenses, improvements and occupancy records. Even a sale fully sheltered by the principal-residence exemption normally needs disclosure on the tax return.
Foreign accounts, securities, income and property can create additional Canadian tax or foreign reporting questions. Do not wait until you see a Canadian tax slip for foreign-source income.
6. Check what is missing before you file
Compare your document list with your employers, banks, investment accounts and sources of income from the year.
Check CRA My Account for slips already submitted to the CRA—but remember it is not always complete or up to date.
Ask the issuer for a missing or corrected slip. Keep pay statements or account records if you must estimate income.
Check whether you received amended tax slips before finalizing the return.
Coordinate eligible family claims with a spouse or partner, so amounts are not accidentally duplicated.
What if a slip never arrives?
You are still responsible for reporting taxable income. The CRA says you may estimate amounts from reliable pay statements or financial records if you cannot obtain a missing slip in time. Keep your calculations and follow up with the issuer. If corrected information arrives after filing, you may need to amend the return.
How long should you keep the documents?
For many personal tax records, the CRA's general reference is at least six years. Do not throw away purchase records for investments or property simply because six years passed after the purchase; they may be needed to calculate tax on a future sale. Special retention periods also apply to some situations.
A five-minute final check
Have you included income from every job and every account?
Have you separated personal and business expenses?
Have you found your RRSP, FHSA and tuition information?
Have you reviewed family, medical and donation claims?
Have you reconciled any investments, rental property or property sale?
Have you saved the documents in a folder named '2026 Tax Year' for future reference?
Related guides and help
Official CRA references
This is a general 2026 tax-year checklist for Canadian residents. Your actual list depends on your income, province, family and transactions. A tax preparer may ask for further supporting records after reviewing your circumstances.
General educational content only. Verify current CRA and provincial guidance before acting.