One of the easiest things I’ve done to allow me to better understand my financial situation was to get online access to the Canada Revenue Agency through their My Account website. This service allows you see pretty much all of the paper information you’d normally get from the CRA online, up to date, and securely.  And it’s free.

Here are a few things you can do with CRA online access:

  1. See your unused RRSP and TFSA contribution room
  2. See your previous notices of assessment and reassessment
  3. See your T4 / T4s and other tax slips
  4. Modify your previous tax returns returns
  5. Change your address, apply for child benefits or arrange direct deposit

CRA online access mitigates your laziness

I know what you’re thinking already. Boring! “Why the heck would I want any more information than what they already mail me, Dean?”  I’ll tell you.  Because you won’t get wealthy by burying your head in the sand and because you’re lazy like me.  Imagine you’ve received your income tax refund (or paid income tax owing) and then you realize you missed a deduction worth $15.  The average person wouldn’t ‘waste’ the time filing it.  That’s lame.  It’s $15!! If you found that much money on the side of the road you’d pick it up.  If someone told you to hold their toothbrush for 10 minutes and then they’d give you $15, you’d probably do it.  Well with CRA online access it takes about 10 minutes to modify your tax return.  Or 3 minutes to change your address when you move so that your cheques will arrive on time (still using cheques?  Get direct deposit with CRA online access!).  Plus it doesn’t increase paperwork for anyone because it’s all online.   Yada dada.

Look, I’m making a big deal out of this.  But as you read more of my stuff you’ll start to see a recurring theme: small things make all the difference.