Has Your Tax Return Really Been Filed? Here's How to Know for Sure
Discover how tax returns are filed in Canada and why you may never receive a CRA confirmation email.
One of the most common questions taxpayers ask after their tax return has been submitted is:
“Can you confirm if my tax return has been filed? Did we receive any confirmation email or document?”
This is an excellent question, especially for first-time taxpayers or individuals who have previously filed their own returns using online software or if someone has filed their first Canadian Tax Return or even if one has changed their Tax Preparer.
The answer depends entirely on how the tax return was submitted to the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA).
In Canada, there are three primary methods of filing an income tax return:
EFILE
NETFILE
Paper Filing
Each method works differently.
Many taxpayers assume that CRA sends an email immediately confirming receipt of every tax return. In reality, that is not how the Canadian tax filing system works, particularly when a Professional Tax Preparer files the return using professional desktop software.
This article explains how each filing method works, what confirmation numbers mean, and what documents you should expect after your tax return has been submitted.
