Tax tip

April 20, 2004

Missing information doesn't mean missing out

Did you know...

Even if you are missing information that is needed to complete your tax return, you should still file your return on time. The filing date for most individuals is April 30, 2004. If you owe tax for 2003, you must file your return and pay the amount owing by the filing due date, to avoid paying interest and a late-filing penalty. If you receive the goods and services tax/harmonized sales tax credit or the Canada Child Tax Benefit, filing on time will avoid disruption of these benefits.

The first thing to do if you have not received your information slips is to contact your payer. If you do not expect to get your slip by the April 30 deadline, use your pay stubs, bank statements, or other financial records to estimate your income and deductions. If you are filing a paper return, attach a note to your return telling us which slips are missing. When you receive the missing information, you can send it to us separately. If you are filing electronically and the CRA asks for your slips at a later date, you will be able to explain your circumstances at that time.

For more tax information, visit www.cra.gc.ca/tax or contact the Individual Income Tax Inquiries line at 1-800-959-8281.

This document is also available for download in .pdf format.

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