Personal tax returns in Langley
Need this year’s T1 return prepared, an older year filed, or help understanding a CRA letter? Tell us what needs attention. We will explain what records are required and agree the fee in writing before work starts.
Self-employed, or running a side business? Go to self-employed tax returns →
What is a personal tax return?
The question behind most of the calls we take.
The T1 is your personal income tax and benefit return. It brings together your reported income, deductions and credits to calculate the year’s tax position.
It is not the same document as a T4 employment slip, and not the same as CRA’s notice of assessment.
If someone asks for your “T1”, check whether they need the complete filed return or the assessment. A notice of assessment summarises CRA’s result; it does not replace the return.
What goes into your personal tax return?
The T1 General — its formal name is the Income Tax and Benefit Return — is the return every Canadian resident individual files each year. One form covers federal and provincial tax together, which is why there is no separate BC return to file.
“T1” and “T1 General” mean the same document. People also call it the personal tax return, the income tax return, or simply “my taxes”. A business files a T2 instead; a trust or estate files a T3.
T1, T4 and the notice of assessment are three different things
This is the confusion behind most of the calls we take, and it matters when a lender or a government programme asks for a document:
- The T1 is the return you file.
- A T4 is a slip your employer issues, showing one year's employment income. It is an input to the T1, not the return itself.
- The notice of assessment is what CRA sends back after processing. It summarises their result and does not replace the return.
The lines people are actually asked for
Lenders and benefit programmes ask for line numbers rather than document names. The three that come up:
- Line 15000 — total income. Everything before deductions. This is the figure most often meant by “your income”. It was line 150 before CRA renumbered the return, which is why older paperwork asks for line 150.
- Line 23600 — net income. Total income less deductions such as RRSP contributions and union dues. Benefit calculations generally use this one.
- Line 26000 — taxable income. What the tax is actually calculated on.
Schedules that attach to the return
A schedule is a supporting calculation filed with the T1. The ones that come up most:
- Schedule 11 — tuition, education and textbook amounts, including carrying unused tuition forward to a future year.
- Schedule 8 — CPP contributions, and CPP payable on self-employment income.
- Schedule 3 — capital gains and losses.
- Schedule 7 — RRSP contributions, transfers and the part you choose to deduct this year.
You do not need to work out which schedules apply before coming in. That is part of preparing the return.
Personal tax preparation in Langley
We prepare personal returns involving employment, pensions, investments, rental activity and self-employed income. The records and the scope depend on what happened during the year, not just how many slips arrived.
Tell us about a property sale, a business, a change in marital status or another significant change when you first send the file. Do not assume it will appear on a slip we receive separately.
- Employment, pension and investment income
- Rental property
- Self-employed and business income
- Prior years that were never filed
For a sole proprietorship or side business, see self-employed tax returns. For someone who has died, use our estate and final return service.
What should I bring?
Start with your income slips, last year’s return and notice of assessment, and receipts supporting what you want claimed.
- RRSP contribution receipts
- Tuition, medical and donation records
- Childcare costs
- Investment transactions
- Rental or business summaries
Keep the original records. A tax-slip summary is not a substitute for purchase and sale documents where a gain or loss has to be calculated.
Missing a slip? Tell us which one you expect and who issues it. An absent slip does not mean the income can be left out.
When is a personal tax return due?
The usual deadline for an individual return is April 30 of the following year.
Every date for the year, instalments and the RRSP deadline included, is on tax deadlines in BC, worked out from today’s date.
Weekend and public-holiday rules can shift the date. A deceased person’s final return follows separate rules — see the executor tax guide.
Overdue personal tax returns
Tell us the last year filed and which years are still outstanding. We will assess the records and agree the catch-up work in writing.
If CRA has sent a request, demand or assessment, include the type of letter and the response deadline in your enquiry. Filing missing returns and resolving an existing CRA issue can require different steps.
We do not promise a refund, removal of penalties or a particular CRA outcome before reviewing the facts.
What happens once it is ready
We explain the result and identify anything needing your confirmation. Once the return is ready and the required authorisation is in place, we arrange filing.
Keep your copy and the assessment CRA issues afterwards. A filed return can still be reviewed or reassessed.
Questions we get first
Do I need everything organised before contacting you?
No. Start with the years involved and the type of income. We can explain the next step without you knowing every form name first.
What is the difference between a T1 and a notice of assessment?
The T1 is the return you file. The notice of assessment is CRA’s summary of how they assessed it. A lender asking for your “T1” may want either — check which.
Can you file returns from several years ago?
Yes. Tell us the last year filed and what records survive. We assess the catch-up work and agree it in writing before starting.
Can I book a personal tax appointment in Maple Ridge?
Standalone personal tax is handled through Langley. Maple Ridge takes personal tax only where it is connected to a corporate, estate or trust file.
What will it cost?
Our base fee for a personal return is $95. The fee is agreed in writing before any work begins. Personal returns vary with the records and the complexity, and we will say so up front rather than after.
Or call 604-533-4214. Our Langley office is at Unit 106, 20644 Fraser Hwy. Nicole handles enquiries and we reply within one business day.
General information. Your records and circumstances determine the return and supporting forms required.