Filing your taxes isn't very interesting. I'm going to post these news articles because I want to help you know how to save money on your taxes:
Mar. 11, 2026 "Don’t leave cash on the table: Experts give advice on how to maximize your tax return": Today I found this article by Ritika Dubey on BNN Bloomberg:
If you aren’t careful, it’s easy to leave money on the table when filing your taxes.
There are scores of deductions and credits available to taxpayers,
so it’s worth looking at the list of tax benefits that may apply to you,
both federally
and by province or territory.
Experts also say paying attention to government policies could make that job easier
— and help lower your tax bill.
“A lot of times when the government makes announcements, they’re usually retroactive,” said Gerry Vittoratos, national tax specialist at UFile. He said people should parse through federal budget headlines and see if there are any “goodies” announced for taxpayers, which is especially true during election years.
Vittoratos said most people don’t need to be a “tax bug” or have special expertise, but it’s smart to watch for such announcements and see how they might apply.
For example, the federal government announced it would reduce the tax rate for the lowest tax bracket from 15 per cent to 14 per cent last May.
Since the changes were announced mid-year,
Canadians will be taxed at 14.5 per cent on that portion of taxable income,
with the rate dropping to 14 per cent this year.
For 2025, that means a 14.5 per cent tax rate on any taxable income up to $57,375.
Earnings beyond that threshold are taxed at higher rates.
It might be helpful to think of tax season as a year-round process, Vittoratos said.
“It is not just four months out of the year,
because you spend on things that are eligible for your tax return throughout the year,”
he said.
Vittoratos recommended people set up a folder — either physical or virtual
— and add any receipts
or documents
that could be applicable when tax season rolls around.
Then, filter out whatever you don’t need when filing your taxes.
He said the biggest culprit for missed credits is omissions
— not making claims for credits or deductions,
even when you qualify because you can’t find the supporting documents.
The most common one is missing receipts,
such as for
medical expenses
or charitable donations,
that can be used for tax credits,
he said.
Often, people don’t remember to save proof of payments to a
dentist,
walk-in clinic
or prescription drugs throughout the year,
he added.
Couples should also remember they can further lower their tax bills by combining expenses,
said Ryan Lee, certified financial planner and founder of Twain Financial in Vancouver.
For example, spouses can claim joint expenses,
such as medical bills
or fertility treatments,
under the lower-earning spouse to maximize their return.
Canadians who are working remotely
can claim work-from-home expenses,
although they will need a tax form from their employer, he said.
For those who bought their first home last year,
Lee said they could save up to $1,500 because of the first-time home buyer’s tax credit.
Carry-forwards can also help maximize your return, experts say.
In some cases, taxpayers can bank credits or deductions for use in future years,
such as with the
registered retirement savings deduction
or tuition fee credit.
For example,
full-time post-secondary students often accumulate huge tax credits on their tuition,
but their federal taxes during that time of their life are low.
Vittoratos said
most students don’t need the full refund amount from their tuition credit
to reduce or mitigate their taxes
because they aren’t typically high earners.
Instead, they can choose to carry it forward until they land a full-time job within a higher income tax bracket.
“If they’ve banked a bunch of tuition tax credit,
they can grab that credit lump sum
and use it on their return
and really reduce their tax significantly,”
he said.
Students can also choose to transfer their credits to their parents to help them lower their tax bills,
Vittoratos said.
He said there’s a myth that if you’re a student or in a lower income tax bracket,
you don’t have to contribute to an RRSP to get tax deductions.
“You could bank them
and use them in a future year
when you get your promotion,
when you get a bigger job,
when you’ve got more money,”
he said.
Taxpayers would need to notify the Canada Revenue Agency if they decide to do so.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 11, 2026.
Ritika Dubey, The Canadian Press
Mar. 18, 2026 "Here are 5 tax credits and deductions Canadians are missing out on": Today I found this article by Christopher Liew on BNN Bloomberg:
Christopher Liew is a CFP®, CFA Charterholder and former financial advisor. He writes personal finance tips for thousands of daily Canadian readers at Blueprint Financial.
Every year, billions of dollars in tax credits and benefits go unclaimed in Canada.
A Statistics Canada research paper published in 2025 found that
paid employees left an estimated $212 million in Canada Workers Benefit unclaimed in a single year,
and that’s just one type of credit.
Below, I’ll walk through five commonly missed tax credits and deductions that could put real money back in your pocket this filing season.
Why so many credits go unclaimed
Canada’s tax system has more than 400 credits and deductions, and even people who file every year are leaving money on the table.
An H&R Block Canada survey found that nearly four in 10 Canadians believe they have unclaimed benefits from prior returns,
and the company’s Second Look service finds an average of nearly $3,000 per client.
I recently wrote about the 2026 tax brackets and the real opportunity this year isn’t just the lower-bottom rate: it’'s making sure you’re claiming every credit you’re entitled to.
1. The medical expense tax credit
If you paid out-of-pocket for anything medical in 2025, check whether it qualifies.
The list of eligible expenses from the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) is surprisingly broad and includes:
prescription sunglasses,
therapy and mental-health services,
travel costs for medical care at least 40 kilometres away,
and even gluten-free food for those with celiac disease.
For 2025, you can claim eligible expenses exceeding three per cent of your net income, or $2,834:
whichever is less.
Here’s a tip many people miss:
you can claim expenses from any 12-month period ending in 2025, not just the calendar year.
It often makes sense for the lower-income spouse to claim the credit,
since the threshold is based on net income.
2. The disability tax credit (DTC)
This one drives me crazy, because so many Canadians who qualify never apply. The disability tax credit is worth up to $10,138 for the 2025 tax year, with an additional supplement of up to $5,914 for children under 18.
Many people with conditions like ADHD, diabetes, or mental-health conditions qualify but don’t realize it.
The CRA evaluates how your condition affects your daily life, not the diagnosis itself.
The application requires a medical practitioner to complete Form T2201,
but if approved, you can claim retroactively for up to 10 years.
I’ve seen cases where that meant thousands of dollars in refunds.
Something new this year:
working-age Canadians approved for the DTC may also qualify for the Canada Disability Benefit, which provides up to $200 per month ($2,400 per year), retroactive to July 2025.
3. The Canada Workers Benefit (CWB)
This is the credit that Statistics Canada’s research specifically flagged as massively underclaimed.
For the 2025 tax year, single individuals can receive up to $1,633 and families up to $2,813.
It’s fully refundable, meaning it can increase your refund even if you owe no tax.
There’s also a disability supplement of up to $843.
To claim it, fill out Schedule 6 when you file.
The CRA will often calculate it for you automatically, but if you don’t file at all, you miss out entirely.
This is one of the biggest reasons filing matters,
even when your income is very low.
4. The home buyers’ amount and home accessibility tax credit
There are two housing credits that fly under the radar.
If you bought your first home in 2025,
you can claim up to $10,000 through the home buyers’ amount,
which translates to up to $1,500 in tax savings.
You don’t need to be a first-time buyer in the strictest sense:
if you haven’t owned a home in the previous four years, you qualify.
The home accessibility tax credit covers up to $20,000 in eligible expenses for seniors aged 65 and older, or anyone approved for the DTC who needs to make their home more accessible.
That’s a credit of up to $2,900. Notably, the CRA allows you to claim both the home accessibility credit and the medical expense credit on the same qualifying renovation.
5. The new top-up tax credit
This one is brand new for the 2025 tax year. When the federal government reduced the lowest tax rate from 15 per cent to 14.5 per cent for 2025, it also reduced the rate used to calculate most non-refundable tax credits, which would have made some credits worth slightly less.
To fix this, Ottawa introduced the top-up tax credit on Line 34990, which maintains the 15 per cent rate for non-refundable credits claimed on amounts over $57,375.
If you’re using tax software, make sure it’s picking this up.
It’s a new addition this filing season that will remain in place through 2030.
Final thoughts
The Canadian tax system has a lot of support built in,
but only if you claim it.
Take the extra 30 minutes before you hit submit.
And if you’ve missed credits in past years,
remember you can amend returns going back a full decade.
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