Filling Canadia tax first time - No CRA account

Hello Experts,

Quick questions:

  1. I don’t have CRA account - so for the first time, do we need to do paper file our taxes? Is there a way to create a CRA account without being any prior tax filling? [In order to register for CRA account it does ask for prior-year tax amount]

  2. In USA, we need to file tax with the state as well - here Turbo Tax only provides an option to submit (EFILE or Paper) to Federal ONLY - does it include provincial tax as well ?

In the same boat. Here’s my research so far -
You can file online. Wealthsimple tax, cloud tax and tons of other companies … so research and try DIY. In GTA I found tons of folks doing it for $50 to $250 per person. You will get online CRA account only after you file taxes for the first time.
Here we don’t need to file state separately and it gets taken care along with federal tax filing.

@jayhop Thank you for the insight - so for the very first time, we need to paper file it? I am trying to EFILE using turbo tax but CRA is not accepting it - my assumption is since I don’t have CRA account - it’s being rejected?

No, you don’t need to paper file. You can still efile.

Thanks @jayhop - I was able to do EFILE for my spouse but for me, it’s getting Error 31 - has anyone faced this issue? I will try to reach out to CRA

Also, Once EFILE is accepted by CRA - do I become eligible to create CRA account ? I am wondering how do I update CRA with my direct deposit details?

@swamiom @jayhop

I was in the same situation couple weeks ago and decided to file with CPA. I needed to file both US and Canadian returns. Since I didn’t want to take chance filing myself, deal with audits for improper filing later.

It costed $150 + 13% HST for Canadian filing. EFILE.

The process was seamless with CPA using TAXDOME app/online account for all discussions, uploading required docs and everything. The experience was good.

Good thing is that now I got access to CRA account.

DM me if you’d like to get CPA contact info.

@Takita Thank you for the insight - Can you please guide us on how did you create the CRA account or CPA created one for you?

I get following error when trying to register for CRA:
Error—ERR.210 We cannot proceed with your request.

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you can’t unless you file your return…it’s like chicken and egg situation.

That’s why I mentioned about advantages filing with CPA for the first time.

CPA will file online. Then you should be able to create account or login using bank partner with net banking credentials.

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Sounds good - Thanks @Takita

@Takita - Can you PM me CPA details please?

DM’ed

Can you DM me as well please…

I was able to file it online using wealthsimple tax… but i still didn’t get any CRA account access…

Did you get notice of assessment and then got CRA account access?
or got account access even before getting that notice?

I tried login after CRA filed taxes using banking partner credentials. There is a message saying you NOA will be available so and so date (2 weeks from filing) and when I click on something to get more info it says you don’t have access to it unless you verify with pin which can be sent to mailing address. I was able to verify pin and later able to see NOA, RRSP limit, etc.,

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DM’ed

FWIW I filed my taxes for the first time with Wealthsimple last year and was able to create a CRA account immediately after my return was confirmed.

I think the way the process worked for creating my CRA account was that I needed to supply some information from a couple of specific lines of some forms and when the numbers tallied up the account was approved. I did need to wait a week for a PIN that the CRA send by snail mail after account creation.

As for the NOA it did take a couple of weeks to come through in my CRA account but an express NOA was made available immediately through SimpleTax.

An aside, this reminds me that I need to file taxes for 2021 and I’ll get to that this week!

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I finally got NOA notification email yesterday and was able to register CRA online account yesterday too.
Now waiting for pin to arrive in mail so that i can look at actual pdf of NOA or perhaps it will arrive in mail as physical copy around same time of pin arrival in mail.

This was a long journey for 2020 return… I filed it in last week of April 2021… So almost one year it took… There was documentation asked by CRA in July which i had faxed them in September… So after that submission after multiple followups they took their own sweet 7 months…

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