PERSONAL TAX SEASON

Filing Deadlines

Last year, the Federal and Provincial Governments provided multiple filing and payment deadline extensions. At this time, the Federal Government has announced they will not be extending the filing deadlines for the 2020 tax year.

If any changes to filing deadlines are announced, we will update that information here.

Filing deadline: April 30, 2021

Deadline to pay any taxes owing: April 30, 2021

If you are reporting self-employed or farming income on your return, generally these returns are not due to be filed until June 15, 2021. However, any taxes owing are still payable by April 30, 2021

Processing Times

We will begin to process personal returns in mid-March, once all of your information is received.

We require a minimum of 2 weeks turn-around time to finalize a personal return, once all information is received.

Client Meetings

Our ability to meet with clients in person is dependent on the restrictions in place at the time of the client meeting, and thus continually changing.

Regardless of whether or not an in-person meeting is possible, we are always happy to set up a phone or virtual meeting to go over your information. We can also set up a screen share if there is a specific document you would like to review with us.

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Expanded Home Office Expense Deduction

This year, the Government has expanded the home office benefit so that individuals who were required to work from home can claim a deduction on their personal tax return.

There are two options for calculating the amount of the benefit:

The Simplified Method: under this method, we will deduct an expense of $2/day (to a maximum of $400) for each day that your employer required that you work from home.
The Detailed Method: under this method, we will calculate the actual expense incurred for you to have a home office, for the period of time that your employer required that you work from home.

Regardless of which method you choose, there is additional information which we will need from you in order to complete your return.

If you have been working from home and would like the home office expense included on your personal tax return, please contact your advisor.

Document submission options

Regular mail

As always, our clients are welcome to send their documents via regular mail.

In light of the added pressures our mail delivery system is currently experiencing, this year we recommend that clients courier their information.

Client Dropoffs and/or Pick Up of information

Under current public health measures, as an Accounting Firm we are able to accept drop off’s of client information, or provide document pick up service for those clients within Sherwood Park and the greater Edmonton area, by appointment only.

If you would like to take advantage of either of these options, please contact our office to make arrangements.

Electronic document submission (via Xero)

Our clients can use the encrypted document transfer platform built in to Xero to upload documents directly to our office.

Using Xero, we will send you a personalized link to create a login to access our document request query, where you will be able to upload all of your personal tax information. One of the added benefits to using Xero is that you can add your information as it is received; you do not have to wait and upload all of your information at one time.

Once you are comfortable that all of your information has been uploaded, you can electronically submit the file to our office for preparation of your personal tax return.

If you would like to upload your information through Xero, please contact our office for a personalized login.

Electronic document submission (via Email)

We continue to accept your information emailed directly to our office.

Please send all personal tax information to our office email address, hamelprofessional@shaw.ca, so that we can ensure that your information is not missed.

Document signing options

Once again, the Canada Revenue has agreed to accept electronically signed documents for the personal tax season.

Once your advisor has completed your return, they will reach out to you to inform you of your return balances, and discuss how you would like to sign your documents. As is our normal policy, we will require a signed copy of for T183, authorizing the electronic filing of your return, as well as payment of your bill in full, before we can file your paperwork with the Canada Revenue Agency.

For the 2020 tax season, we are happy to offer our clients electronic document signing options through Xero and Verifyle.

Personal Tax Return Packages

Historically, we have provided our clients with a paper copy of their personal tax return package upon the completion of their return. However, we have heard feedback from our clients that they would prefer to receive an electronic copy of their package either instead of, or in addition to, the paper copy of their return.

For the 2020 personal tax season, we are happy to offer the option of an electronic return package.

If you would like to receive an electronic copy of your return package, in addition to or in lieu of a paper copy, please let your advisor know.

For those clients submitting their information via Xero, you will be asked to choose how you would like your information sent to you (paper, electronic, or both) when submitting your personal tax information.