What to Bring When Filing Your Income Taxes in Canada

Filing your income taxes doesn’t have to be stressful. The easiest way to avoid delays, reassessments, or missed deductions is to arrive prepared.

Below is a complete tax preparation checklist for Canadian taxpayers, including individuals, families, students, investors, landlords, and self-employed professionals. If you’re filing your personal or business taxes in Vancouver or anywhere in British Columbia, this guide will help ensure nothing gets missed.

General Tax Documents (Required for Everyone)

These documents apply to almost all Canadian taxpayers:

  • Government-issued photo ID
  • SIN (Social Insurance Number)
  • Notice of Assessment or Reassessment from the previous tax year
  • All income slips, including:
    • T3, T4, T4A (including OAS, CPP), T4E
    • T5, T5007, T5008, T5013, T5018
    • T4RSP, T4RIF (if applicable)
  • Medical expense receipts (prescriptions, practitioners, fertility treatments)
  • Insurance coverage summaries (if claiming medical expenses)
  • Charitable donation receipts (including unused donations from past 5 years)
  • Political contribution receipts (federal or provincial)
  • Foreign property disclosures (if total cost exceeds $100,000 CAD)
  • Void cheque (for CRA direct deposit setup)
  • Immigration/passport details (if you arrived in Canada during the tax year)

Students

If you attended post-secondary school in Canada or abroad, bring:

  • T2202A, TL11A, TL11B, or TL11C tuition slips
  • Student loan interest statements (federal or provincial)
  • T4A slips for scholarships or grants
  • RESP income slips (T4A)

Family Information

If you’re married or have children, we’ll need:

Spousal Details

  • Name, SIN, date of birth
  • Net income
  • Spousal support paid or received

Child-Related Information

  • Child care receipts (daycare, babysitting, camps)
  • Adoption expenses
  • Child support details

Employment Income & Work-From-Home

Employees should provide:

  • Professional or union dues
  • Form T2200 (Declaration of Conditions of Employment), if applicable
  • Work-from-home period details
  • Tool expense receipts (if required for employment)

RRSP Contributions & Withdrawals

To properly calculate your RRSP deduction:

  • RRSP contribution slips (March–December + first 60 days of the following year)
  • T4RSP withdrawal slips (if applicable)
  • Participation details for:
    • Home Buyer’s Plan (HBP)
    • Lifelong Learning Plan (LLP)

Real Estate Transactions

If you bought, sold, or converted property during the tax year:

  • Purchase and sale details of principal residence
  • Details if you converted your home to a rental property
  • Investment property purchase/sale documentation
  • Accessibility renovation receipts (if applicable)

Rental Property Income & Expenses

Rental property owners in Vancouver and across BC should bring:

  • Property address
  • Total rental income received
  • Detailed expense breakdown including:
    • Advertising and marketing
    • Insurance
    • Mortgage interest
    • Repairs and maintenance
    • Property taxes
    • Utilities
    • Strata/management fees
    • Professional fees
    • Travel related to rental management
    • Motor vehicle logbook (if claiming vehicle expenses)

Self-Employed & Business Owners

If you operate a sole proprietorship or side business, bring:

Income

  • Sales, commissions, T4A, T5018, and all business income

Expenses (categorized if possible)

  • Advertising and marketing
  • Office expenses and supplies
  • Internet and phone (business portion only)
  • Insurance
  • Professional fees
  • Rent or home office expenses
  • Motor vehicle logbook
  • Travel and meals
  • Training and conventions
  • Capital asset purchases
  • GST information (if registered)

Keeping organized records helps maximize deductions and minimize audit risk.

Investment Income

Investors should provide:

  • Details of foreign property over $100,000 CAD
  • Interest, dividends, and capital gains
  • Purchase/sale confirmations for stocks, ETFs, bonds, mutual funds
  • Investment loan interest
  • Advisory fees paid

Other Tax Situations

You may also need:

  • Moving expenses (if relocated 40km closer to new employment)
  • CRA correspondence
  • Disability Tax Credit certificate (T2201)
  • Northern residents deduction details

Filing Your Taxes in Vancouver, BC

Whether you’re an employee, investor, landlord, or self-employed professional, having the right documents ready makes tax season smooth and efficient.

At Schwartzman Integrated Financial Advice, we assist individuals and business owners across Vancouver and the Lower Mainland with:

  • Personal tax preparation
  • Self-employed tax filings
  • Rental property reporting
  • Investment income reporting
  • Strategic tax planning

If you’re preparing to file your Canadian income taxes and want to ensure everything is handled properly, contact our Vancouver office to book your appointment.