What Documents Do I Need to File My Taxes in Canada?
The exact documents you need depend on how you earned income and which deductions or credits apply to you. A salaried employee with one T4 may need very little. Someone with self-employment income, investments or a rental property can need a much larger file.
The easiest approach is to build the return from categories instead of waiting for a single ‘tax package’ to arrive.
Start with identity and CRA information
- Social Insurance Number and current contact information.
- Your previous Notice of Assessment if you need prior-year amounts or contribution-room information.
- CRA My Account access, if available, so you can review slips and notices.
- Direct-deposit and banking information if you are updating those details through the proper CRA process.
Common income slips
Employees often receive a T4. Other taxpayers may have T4A, T5, T3 or other information slips depending on the type of income. The CRA says many tax slips become available in My Account after they are processed, but you should contact the issuer if a slip is missing.
Documents for common deductions and credits
- RRSP and FHSA contribution receipts, where applicable.
- Eligible medical-expense receipts.
- Official charitable-donation receipts.
- Tuition information such as a T2202 for eligible students.
- Employment-expense records and the required employer form when a claim needs one.
- Child-care, moving or other supporting records if the rules for those deductions apply.
Self-employed or business income
Keep invoices, sales records, bank and credit-card records, expense receipts, vehicle logs where relevant, home-office calculations where relevant, and GST/HST records. The goal is to show both the income earned and the business purpose of expenses claimed.
Rental and investment income
Rental-property owners should organize rental income, mortgage-interest information, property taxes, insurance, repairs and other property records. Investors should keep the slips and transaction information needed to calculate income or capital gains correctly.
FAQ
What if I am missing a T4?
Check CRA My Account and contact the employer or issuer. Do not invent the missing amount.
Do I need to send every receipt with my return?
Usually not when filing electronically, but you should keep supporting records because the CRA may ask for them later.
Should self-employed people keep business and personal records separate?
Yes. Separate records make it easier to identify business income and the business portion of expenses.
Call to action
If your documents are scattered or your situation includes self-employment, rental income or multiple slips, GROWS Financial can help you organize the file before preparing the return.
Related services: Personal Tax, Accounting & Bookkeeping.
Related reading: What Is a T4 Slip and When Will I Receive It?
Official sources for fact-checking
Last reviewed: October 21, 2026.