Required to file income tax

[success2016]

In the application on one the pages it asks if I was required and if I did file taxes for 4 of the 6 years before application.

1. How do I know if I was required?
2. I only need to have filed 4 years of tax in the last 6 years before application, correct?

 

[canadaon]

If you earn more than $3500 in a year then you are required to pay taxes.

 

[pie_vancouver]

success2016, so it is not confusing for all of us, pls. answer some questions:
1. When did you arrive in Canada?
2. What years did you file for income tax?

Pls. remember that even if you have zero income, you still need to file income tax.

 

[Loulou79]

Pls. remember that even if you have zero income, you still need to file income tax.

Exactly.

you were required to file taxes for each year u lived in Canada? lets say u landed July 2012, u has to file tax return for 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015

 

[dpenabill]

It is not true that everyone who is a PR and residing in Canada is required to file an income tax return.

However, the threshold requirements mandating filing a return are fairly low. And foreign income counts. Who is required to file a tax return is prescribed by Canada Revenue laws and regulations and rules. See the CRA web pages for more information or an accountant.

Even though filing a return may not be required for those with no or minimal income, the benefits structure makes it foolish for anyone to not file a return. Thus, even if a PR is not technically required to file a tax return (such as due to very little income, noting again, however, that foreign sources count), it is so foolish to not file that the fact of not filing in itself invites, at the least, questions if not concerns.

Reminder: the test for being required to file a tax return is not whether one owes any taxes. A person may be required by law to file a return even if that person owes no tax.

 

[pie_vancouver]

here it is: http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/tx/ndvdls/tpcs/ncm-tx/flng-blgtns/menu-eng.html

if the requirements didn't apply, who wouldn't want a gst/hst credit? and child benefits?

 

[success2016]

Thanks for everyone's reply. I was living abroad in 2010 so I didn't file my taxes for that year. Otherwise, I have filed my taxes for 2011-2015.

Would it be an issue when I put that I didn't file my taxes for 2010 even though I was required to? Or since I have filed for 4 out of the last 6 years am I ok?

 

[b52shot]

I also lived the first two years after landing abroad before moving permanently to Canada. To my knowledge I didn't have to file any income tax for those two years. I started filing from the day I moved.

 

[frege]

Thanks for everyone's reply. I was living abroad in 2010 so I didn't file my taxes for that year. Otherwise, I have filed my taxes for 2011-2015.

Would it be an issue when I put that I didn't file my taxes for 2010 even though I was required to? Or since I have filed for 4 out of the last 6 years am I ok?

Why would you write that you were required to file? If you weren't in Canada at all in 2010, then it's unlikely you needed to file that year. You need to answer two questions for yourself.

First, were you a tax resident of Canada in 2010 despite being outside the country for most or all of the year? Look here to answer that question: http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/tx/nnrsdnts/cmmn/rsdncy-eng.html Even if you find that the answer is yes, the answer might still be no if you consider the effect of a tax treaty Canada might have with the country you were in.

Second, if you were a non-resident of Canada, did you have any income connected with Canada that would have forced you to file a return? Did you sell any property in Canada? http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/tx/nnrsdnts/ndvdls/nnrs-eng.html

Most likely, the answer to all of these questions is no. In that case, you can tick the box saying you weren't required to file with a clear conscience.

 

[pie_vancouver]

success2016, just put 2012-2015, yes to required to file and taxes filed
coz the form says 4 of 6 yrs before app.

 

[success2016]

Why would you write that you were required to file? If you weren't in Canada at all in 2010, then it's unlikely you needed to file that year. You need to answer two questions for yourself.

First, were you a tax resident of Canada in 2010 despite being outside the country for most or all of the year? Look here to answer that question: http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/tx/nnrsdnts/cmmn/rsdncy-eng.html Even if you find that the answer is yes, the answer might still be no if you consider the effect of a tax treaty Canada might have with the country you were in.

Second, if you were a non-resident of Canada, did you have any income connected with Canada that would have forced you to file a return? Did you sell any property in Canada? http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/tx/nnrsdnts/ndvdls/nnrs-eng.html

So if I apply say July 30 this month, is the application asking for up until July 30 2010? Because I left Canada in March 2010 so am I allowed to put that I was t required to file taxes for 2010? Technically I would have had to file for January and February of 2010 because I resided in Canada.

Most likely, the answer to all of these questions is no. In that case, you can tick the box saying you weren't required to file with a clear conscience.

 

[frege]

So if I apply say July 30 this month, is the application asking for up until July 30 2010? Because I left Canada in March 2010 so am I allowed to put that I was t required to file taxes for 2010? Technically I would have had to file for January and February of 2010 because I resided in Canada.

It goes by whole years, not parts of years.

If you were clearly resident in Canada before 2010, and you left in March 2010, then you were a resident of Canada for part of 2010 and possibly had to file taxes as a resident for that year.

So for the part of the year that you lived in Canada (January, February and part of March), you need to look at the same criteria as other residents of Canada to see if you needed to file. Those criteria can be found here: http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/tx/ndvdls/tpcs/ncm-tx/flng-blgtns/menu-eng.html

For most people who only had employment income, the main question will be whether they owed any tax. That is, did you owe more tax than was deducted from your paycheques that year? But also look at the other criteria to see if they apply to you.