Your first tax return (you'll probably get money back)

If you had a part-time job, a summer job, or started full-time partway through the year, there’s a good chance the government owes you money. You only get it if you file.

Why you’re probably owed a refund

Payroll takes off income tax as if each cheque continues for a full year. Say you earn $1,440 every two weeks over a 10-week summer job. Payroll treats that as a $37,440-a-year job and takes off tax to match. You actually earned about $7,200 for the year, which is below the amount you can earn tax-free. The tax that came off comes back to you when you file.

The same thing happens to CPP. The first $3,500 of income each year is exempt, but payroll only applies a slice of that exemption to each cheque. Work part of the year and some CPP comes back too.

Reasons to file even if you earned very little

• A refund of the tax and CPP that came off your cheques.
• The GST/HST credit. Once you’re 19, filing lets the CRA pay you this credit every few months if your income is low. You have to file to get it.
• RRSP room. Every year you file with earned income adds room: 18% of what you earned. It carries forward until you need it.
• Tuition credits. If you’re in school, your tuition is recorded and carried forward. That cuts your taxes later, when you’re earning more.
• Provincial benefits. Some provinces pay credits, like Ontario’s Trillium Benefit, through your return.

What you need

• Your T4 slip from each employer. Employers have to send it by the end of February.
• Your T2202 tuition slip, if you’re a student. Your school posts it online.
• Your SIN.
• Receipts for anything else you’re claiming, like transit or moving costs if they apply to you.

If you sign up for CRA My Account, most of your slips appear there automatically, and you can import them straight into tax software.

How to file for free

• Free certified software. The CRA keeps a list of NETFILE-certified software, and several options are free.
• Free tax clinics. If your income is modest, volunteers in the Community Volunteer Income Tax Program will file for you at no cost.
• Paper. Still allowed, but slower.

Filing online gets you your refund fastest, often within about two weeks, and quicker with direct deposit.

Deadlines

For the 2026 tax year, file by April 30, 2027. If you’re owed a refund, there’s no penalty for filing late. You just wait longer for your money, and your benefits can be delayed.

Common first-timer mistakes

• Forgetting a job. Every T4 counts, even a two-week gig. The CRA gets a copy too.
• Claiming the basic amount at two jobs on your TD1 forms. You’ll owe money in the spring.
• Not filing because you “didn’t make much.” That’s exactly when filing pays off.