Individual tax filing assistance

Help with filing your taxes over the phone

The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) wants to make it easier for eligible individuals to do their tax return with help over the phone.

We don’t want you to miss out on your benefit and credit payments. To make sure you get them, you need to do your taxes every year. Doing your taxes lets us determine if you qualify for benefit payments and tax credits – like the Canada child benefit and the GST/HST credit.

You are eligible for this phone initiative if you have:

• a modest income
• a simple tax situation, and
• used a free tax clinic before (or are eligible to use one)

Eligible individuals will get a letter from CRA in the mail or through My Account with more information about this initiative.

Your letter will invite you to call the CRA to do your taxes over the phone between March and the end of December 2023. Your letter will contain a phone number to reach the CRA directly and a code word to ask the CRA agent for so you can verify the call is not a scam.

Agents can also help you find virtual tax clinics, or show you online certified tax software (including a number of free options), if you would rather do your taxes yourself.

Residents of Quebec who qualify for this assistance will also be able to have their Quebec tax return filed by a Revenu Québec agent. In Quebec, the CRA and Revenu Québec work together to deliver the Federal and Provincial Individual Tax Filing Assistance initiative.

If you receive a letter and a call from a CRA agent, we hope you will stay on the line so we can help you do your taxes.

Learn how to identify fake CRA calls, texts, emails or mail.

Free virtual tax clinics

Community organizations are hosting free in-person and virtual tax clinics again this year for individuals with a modest income and a simple tax situation. Volunteers may be able to do your taxes for free in the clinic setting, by videoconference, by phone, or through a document drop-off arrangement.

To find a free virtual tax clinic, please check our national directory or, if you live in Quebec, visit Income tax assistance – volunteer program.

More ways to do your taxes

We understand that you might want to do your taxes yourself. Visit Find a way to file your taxes to find an option that fits your needs.

For information on filing a Quebec provincial tax return, contact Revenu Québec.