What You Must Provide Your CPA This Tax Season (2026): A Complete, Audit-Defensible Checklist

Every tax return is a legal declaration.
Under the Income Tax Act, you are certifying that the information provided is complete and accurate.

As a CPA and tax lawyer, I can tell you this:
Most reassessments are not caused by aggressive planning — they are caused by incomplete disclosure.

Do not assume CRA has everything.
Do not assume pre-fill is complete.
Do not assume last year’s information still applies.

Below is a structured, professional-grade checklist of what you must provide — including backup — and why it matters.

 

1. Personal Information Updates — The Foundation of Your Return

Before income and deductions are considered, your legal status drives your tax outcome.

Provide:

• Current address
• Marital status and exact date of change
• Date of separation (if applicable)
• SIN confirmation
• Direct deposit details
• Dependants’ names, SINs, dates of birth
• Residency changes (including time abroad)

CRA recalculates income-tested benefits (CCB, GST credit, etc.) based on this information.

Planning Note:
Marital status changes affect spousal credits, benefit eligibility, and attribution rules. Even a 90-day separation can alter your tax position retroactively. Precise dates protect you from reassessments and repayment demands.

 

2. Employment Income — Beyond the T4

Employment income is straightforward only when it is truly straightforward.

Provide:

• All T4 slips
• T4A slips (contract income, scholarships, commissions)
• Employment contracts (if new job)
• Signing bonus documentation
• Stock option or RSU statements
• Employer-issued T2200 (if claiming employment expenses)

Backup:

• Final pay stub of the year
• Stock option exercise confirmations

Planning Note:
Stock options, bonuses, and RSUs can create timing mismatches between payroll reporting and actual tax liability. Early modeling avoids instalment exposure and surprise balances owing.

 

3. Self-Employment or Side Income — CRA Is Watching Platforms

The gig economy is no longer invisible.

Provide:

• Gross revenue summaries
• Platform statements (Uber, Airbnb, Etsy, etc.)
• Detailed expense breakdown
• Bank deposit summaries
• GST/HST filings (if applicable)

Backup:

• Receipts
• Vehicle logbook
• Home office calculations

Planning Note:
CRA now receives third-party reporting from digital platforms. Income matching is automated. If deductions are weakly supported, reassessment risk increases dramatically. Proper categorization also protects you during a review.

 

4. Investment Income — Capital Gains Require Precision

Investment reporting is one of the most common sources of error.

Provide:

• T5 slips
• T3 slips
• T5008 summaries
• Brokerage annual statements
• Foreign income reports
• Cryptocurrency transaction exports

Backup:

• Trade confirmations
• Adjusted cost base (ACB) schedules

Planning Note:
CRA’s cost base information is often incomplete. Overstated gains increase tax. Understated gains increase audit risk. Accurate ACB tracking is a defensive requirement, not an administrative courtesy.

 

5. Rental Property — High Audit Exposure Area

Rental income is structurally simple but administratively scrutinized.

Provide:

• Rental income summary
• Expense breakdown
• Mortgage interest statements
• Property tax bills
• Insurance documents
• Purchase/sale agreements (if applicable)

Backup:

• Legal closing statements
• Capital improvement invoices
• CCA schedules

Planning Note:
Capital improvements increase cost base; repairs are current expenses. Misclassification can distort both annual income and future capital gains. Strategic CCA claims must consider recapture risk on sale.

 

6. Real Estate Transactions — Intention Matters

Property sales now trigger heightened scrutiny.

Provide:

• Purchase and sale agreements
• Closing statements
• Legal invoices
• Principal residence designation details
• Appraisals (if required)

Planning Note:
The flipped property rule presumes business income if sold within 365 days. Documentation of intention at purchase is critical. For family enterprises holding property, structuring and reporting must align with long-term objectives.

 

7. Registered Plans — Timing Drives Tax

Registered plan activity must be complete and reconciled.

Provide:

• RRSP contribution receipts
• RRIF withdrawal statements
• Pension income slips
• TFSA contributions and withdrawals
• FHSA activity statements

Backup:

• Latest Notice of Assessment (room confirmation)

Planning Note:
RRSP deductions reduce net income and affect benefits. RRIF withdrawals increase net income and may trigger OAS recovery. Sequencing withdrawals requires modeling — not assumption.

 

8. Support Payments — Documentation Determines Deductibility

Family law intersects directly with tax law.

Provide:

• Court order or separation agreement
• Payment schedules
• Proof of payment

Planning Note:
Spousal support may be deductible. Child support is not. Incorrect characterization can result in denial of deductions or inclusion adjustments. Documentation must align with statutory requirements.

 

9. Medical Expenses — Optimization Between Spouses

Medical claims are strategic.

Provide:

• Pharmacy summaries
• Dental invoices
• Insurance reimbursement statements
• Travel documentation (if applicable)

Planning Note:
Medical expenses are reduced by a percentage of net income. Claiming on the lower-income spouse often maximizes benefit. Planning is arithmetic, not guesswork.

 

10. Tuition and Student Documentation — A Long-Term Asset

Education credits carry forward indefinitely.

Provide:

• T2202
• Scholarship slips
• Tuition transfer designation
• Moving expense receipts (if applicable)

Planning Note:
Unused tuition amounts can shelter future high-income years. Transfers must be designated correctly in the current year or lost for family optimization.

 

11. Child and Family Credits — Precision Prevents Repayment

Benefits are income-tested and documentation-sensitive.

Provide:

• Childcare receipts (with provider SIN/business number)
• Disability Tax Credit approval
• Adoption expense receipts

Planning Note:
Childcare must generally be claimed by the lower-income spouse. Errors frequently trigger CRA reviews. Maintain detailed receipts to defend the claim.

 

12. Foreign Assets — Severe Penalty Exposure

Foreign reporting is one of CRA’s highest enforcement priorities.

Provide:

• Foreign bank account summaries
• Foreign investment statements
• Cost details of foreign property
• Cryptocurrency held on foreign exchanges

Planning Note:
Foreign property costing more than $100,000 triggers T1135 reporting. Penalties for non-filing are severe and automatic. Even inherited or passive foreign holdings must be disclosed.

 

13. Estate or Executor Information — Personal Liability Risk

Executors face statutory exposure.

Provide:

• Date of death
• Asset valuations
• Probate documents
• CRA correspondence
• Clearance certificate status

Planning Note:
Under ITA s.159, distributing assets before obtaining clearance can create personal liability. Estate tax planning requires coordinated filing of final and estate returns.

 

14. CRA Notices — These Drive Strategy

Your Notice of Assessment is not administrative clutter.

Provide:

• Latest Notice of Assessment
• Instalment reminders
• Review letters
• Audit correspondence

Planning Note:
Instalment obligations are based on prior assessments. Ignoring CRA notices compounds interest and penalties. Strategy must incorporate CRA’s current position.

 

15. What CRA My Account Does NOT Reliably Capture

Pre-filled information is incomplete.

Often missing:

• Late-issued slips
• Private corporation dividends
• Foreign investment income
• Crypto transactions
• Correct adjusted cost base

Planning Note:
CRA’s database reflects what was reported — not necessarily what is correct. You remain responsible for accuracy under ITA s.150.

 

16. Context — The Missing Variable

Tax is contextual.

Tell your CPA if:

• You changed jobs
• You moved provinces
• You started a business
• You received inheritance
• You sold investments
• You married or separated

Planning Note:
Tax outcomes depend on facts. Planning is impossible without context. A simple conversation can prevent structural errors.

 

Final Thoughts

A tax return is not a clerical exercise.

It is a legal declaration supported by documentation.
It is an audit file waiting to be opened.
It is a planning opportunity waiting to be optimized.

Provide complete information. Provide backup. Provide context.

At Shajani CPA, we build defensible tax positions aligned with your family, your enterprise, and your long-term objectives.

Because tax season is not about forms.

It is about protecting what you have built.

Tell us your ambitions, and we will guide you there.

This information is for discussion purposes only and should not be considered professional advice. There is no guarantee or warrant of information on this site and it should be noted that rules and laws change regularly. You should consult a professional before considering implementing or taking any action based on information on this site. Call our team for a consultation before taking any action. ©2026 Shajani CPA.

Shajani CPA is a CPA Calgary, Edmonton and Red Deer firm and provides Accountant, Bookkeeping, Tax Advice and Tax Planning service.