The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) understands that many students have been struggling with financial hardship during the COVID-19 pandemic. Even if you didn’t make any income last year, that’s okay! We still encourage you to file your income tax and benefit return, so you don’t miss out on a refund, benefit, or credit that you may be entitled to receive.
To get your refund faster, avoid delays and reduce your exposure to COVID-19 , we encourage you to sign up for direct deposit, and make sure you file online and on time. The CRA’s Get Ready page has information about online filing and deadlines, as well as other helpful links.
COVID-19 benefits and your return
If you received the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB), Canada Emergency Student Benefit (CESB), Canada Recovery Benefit (CRB), Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit (CRSB), or Canada Recovery Caregiving Benefit (CRCB) payments, these are considered taxable income, and you will have to enter on your return the total of the amounts you received. You will receive a T4A (for benefits issued by the CRA) and/or a T4E (for benefits issued by Service Canada) tax slip in the mail with the information you need for your return. You can view tax slips online as of February in My Account. Residents of Quebec will receive both a T4A and RL-1 slip.
In addition, you may owe tax when filing your return. This will depend on your personal circumstances, and the type of COVID-19 benefits you received:
- If you received the CERB or CESB, no tax was withheld when payments were issued, and you tax return.
- If you received the CRB, CRSB, or CRCB, 10% tax was withheld at source. However, this may not be all the tax you need to pay. When you complete your personal income tax return, you may need to pay more (or less), depending on how much income you earned in 2020.
We recognize that for some individuals, repaying these benefits could present significant financial hardship. For this reason, payment arrangement parameters have been expanded to give Canadians more time and flexibility to repay based on their individual financial situations.
There may be other impacts to filing your tax return that are specific to the COVID-19 benefit you received, or if you are a resident of Quebec.
Get free tax help
If you have a modest income and a simple tax situation, a volunteer may be able to complete your income tax and benefit return, for free! This year, volunteers may be able to complete and file returns virtually by videoconference or phone, or through a document drop-off arrangement. To determine if you’re eligible and to find a tax clinic near you, go to
You can also quickly and securely file your return online. The payday loans in Rogersville TN CRA has a list of certified tax software products that are easy to use, fast, and secure. Some of which are free!
Put more money in your pocket
- Tuition tax credit – You could reduce the tax you may owe if you paid tuition fees to a post secondary school, or to an educational institution that has been certified by the Minister of Employment and Social Development to develop of improve skills in an occupation.
- Carrying forward past amounts – You can no longer claim federal education and textbook amounts on your return. But, you ounts from previous years to another year. If you carry forward an unused amount, you must claim it when you file your return for the first year you owe income tax.
