Get your benefits — Free tax clinics

People who have a modest income and a simple tax situation may receive valuable free help in the preparation and the filing of their income tax and benefit return through the province’s Get Your Benefits program, a partnership with the Community Volunteer Income Tax Program of the Canada Revenue Agency. Depending on the personal situation, a person may be eligible to receive credit and benefit payments by simply filing an annual income tax and benefit return.

You might think that because you have no income to report for the year, receive social assistance or are a low-income earner that there is no need to file your income tax return. However, people with modest to no income to report have a vested interest in filing.

Many programs and benefit payments from the provincial and federal governments could help qualifying individuals and families improve their financial status.

• A single person could receive up to $1,633 and up to $2,813 for families for the Canada workers benefit*.
• You could qualify for the GST/HST credit.
• Adults and children with a disability could be eligible for the Disability tax credit which may reduce the amount of income tax they may have to pay.
• Parents could receive up to $7,997 annually for each child by applying for the Canada child benefit.
• Your child could qualify for the Healthy Smiles, Clear Vision plan, New Brunswick’s dental and vision program for children of low-income families.
• Your child could qualify for the Canada Learning Bond, a federal program that offers up to $2,000 toward post-secondary education for children of low-income families, born in 2004 or later.
• Adults and children with a disability who have been approved for the Disability tax credit can open a Registered Disability Savings Plan (RDSP) before the year they turn 60. Until the end of the year they turn 49, they could receive up to $70,000 of Canada Disability Savings Grants, and $20,000 of Canada Disability Savings Bonds in their RDSP from the Government of Canada. 

To find other benefits you may be eligible for, visit www.canadabenefits.gc.ca. To receive benefit and credit payments, you must file an annual income tax and benefit return, even if you have no income to report for the year.

The Community Volunteer Income Tax Program helps those in need file their tax return free of charge. For details, visit www.canada.ca/taxes-help or call 1-866-837-1531.

Do you need help with your tax return? If you have a modest income and a simple tax situation, volunteers at a free tax clinic may be able to do your taxes for you. Find out how to get your taxes done at a free clinic.

At a Super Clinic you can get help filing your income tax and benefit return, apply for a Social Insurance Number for you or your child, apply for the Canadian Dental Care Plan, and learn about new programs, benefits, and credits such as the Canada Learning Bond for your child and the Registered Disability Savings Plan.

Visit canada.ca/taxes-help or call 1-866-837-1531 to confirm a list of organizations present by location.

Proof of identity:

• It should be government issued and include a photo such as a provincial or territorial driver’s license, a Canadian or foreign passport, etc.
• If applicable, you and your spouse or common-law partner, dependents or other family members that want to have their income tax completed, must all be present at the clinic.

Personal information including:

• Your Social Insurance Number (SIN), mailing address, marital status, your children’s date of birth (if applicable).
• If you filed an income tax return for the previous year and have your notice of assessment, it would be helpful to the volunteer if you bring it with you to the clinic.
• If you have a common-law partner or spouse and you want to file your return individually, you need to have his/her net income information and dependents, if applicable.

Information Slips, which might include:

• T4 (Statement of Remuneration Paid) — provided by your employer.
• T4E (Statement of Employment Insurance Earnings) — provided by Service Canada.
• T4A (Statement of Pension, Retirement, Annuity, and Other Income) — Issuer: Source of payment (i.e. school issuing scholarship).
• T5007 (Worker’s Compensation/ Social Assistance) — provided by Provincial Worker’s Compensation or Social Assistance Dept.
• T4RSP (Statement of RRSP Income) — provided by your financial institution
  • If you have not received, or have lost or misplaced a slip, contact the issuer of the slip, or contact CRA at 1-800-959-8281.

Reporting world income:

• You must report income from all sources both inside and outside Canada, including any world income earned after becoming a resident of Canada for income tax purposes.
• You must bring the amount of foreign sourced income earned when you were not a resident of Canada. This will be used to calculate some non-refundable tax credits. (For newcomers only.)

Receipts including:

• Medical expenses: Taxpayers can claim amounts paid for eligible medical expenses which have not been or will not be reimbursed. You can request a receipt at the end of the year with the total amount paid for your prescription drugs/dental fees at your pharmacy/dentist.
• Donations: If you or your spouse or common-law partner donated money or other property to certain institutions, you may be able to claim a federal and provincial or territorial non-refundable tax credit when you file your return.
• Amount paid for child-care expenses: You can claim child-care expenses that include caregivers providing child-care services, day nursery schools or daycare centres, etc.

Note: The individual or organization who received the payments must give you a receipt showing information about the services provided.