Personal Tax Checklist

Filing your personal income tax return is far less stressful — and far more likely to maximise your refund — when you walk in with everything organised. This personal tax checklist from BOMCAS Canada is designed for Saskatchewan individuals and families to gather the slips, receipts and information needed to file an accurate, optimised T1 return. Use it each year as your preparation roadmap, and you will spend less time hunting for paperwork and more time keeping what is rightfully yours.

The Canadian personal tax system rewards good record-keeping. Many of the most valuable deductions and credits — from medical expenses to childcare to charitable donations — depend entirely on you having the documentation to support them. Missing a single slip can mean a smaller refund, a reassessment, or a frustrating back-and-forth with the CRA. The checklist below covers the items that matter most.

Personal and identification information

Before anything else, make sure your basic information is current: your social insurance number, date of birth, current address, marital status and any change to it during the year, and the same details for your spouse or common-law partner and dependants. Direct deposit information ensures your refund arrives quickly. If you became a resident of Canada, emigrated, or had a child during the year, note those changes — they affect your filing and your benefits.

Income slips to gather

Collect every income slip you received, as the CRA receives copies too. The most common include the T4 (employment income), T4A (pension, self-employment commissions, scholarships and other income), T4E (Employment Insurance benefits), T4A(P) and T4A(OAS) (Canada Pension Plan and Old Age Security), T5 (investment income), T3 (trust income), and T5008 (securities transactions). If you have rental income, gather records of rent received and related expenses. If you are self-employed, compile your business revenue and expense records — we cover this in depth in our bookkeeping basics guide.

Deductions that reduce your taxable income

Deductions are powerful because they reduce the income on which you are taxed. Gather receipts and slips for RRSP contributions (including those made in the first 60 days of the year), union and professional dues, childcare expenses, moving expenses if you relocated at least 40 kilometres for work or school, employment expenses with a signed T2200 from your employer, carrying charges and interest on investment loans, and support payments made under a court order or written agreement. Self-employed individuals should also capture home-office and vehicle expenses with proper logs.

Credits that reduce the tax you owe

Non-refundable and refundable credits can significantly lower your final bill. Common ones for Saskatchewan taxpayers include medical expenses for you, your spouse and dependants (which can be combined and claimed for the most advantageous 12-month period), charitable and political donation receipts, tuition via the T2202 certificate, the disability tax credit where eligible, the Canada caregiver credit, and digital news subscription costs. Keep receipts even for small amounts — they add up, and the CRA can request proof.

Property, investments and other items

If you sold your principal residence, you must report the sale even though the gain may be exempt — failing to report it can jeopardise the exemption. If you sold other property or investments, gather the proceeds, the original cost (adjusted cost base) and any selling costs to calculate the capital gain or loss correctly. Note any first-time home buyer activity, Home Buyers' Plan or Lifelong Learning Plan withdrawals and repayments, and foreign property holdings over the reporting threshold, which require additional disclosure.

Last year's documents

Always have your prior-year Notice of Assessment on hand. It shows your RRSP deduction limit, any unused tuition or capital loss carryforwards, Home Buyers' Plan balances and instalment requirements. These carryforward amounts are easy to overlook and can be worth a great deal over time. Your prior-year return is also the fastest way to ensure nothing recurring is missed this year.

Why preparation pays off

A complete, well-organised package does three things: it maximises the credits and deductions you legitimately claim, it reduces the risk of a CRA reassessment, and it lets your accountant focus on planning rather than chasing paperwork. At BOMCAS Canada, we provide clients with a personalised checklist, a secure way to send documents online, and a careful review that looks for every opportunity to reduce your tax. Many clients are surprised by deductions and credits they did not know they qualified for.

Whether your return is straightforward or involves self-employment, investments, rental property or cross-border issues, our team prepares it accurately and on time. Explore our personal tax return services, or book a free consultation and we will send you the complete checklist tailored to your situation anywhere in Saskatchewan.