What to gather for your 2026 personal tax return

Prepare your records for the 2027 filing season

Start your 2026 tax-return checklist with three things: your income slips, the records behind deductions and a list of what changed during the year. If you ran a business, rented property, sold investments or sold your home, your preparer will need more than the slips that arrive in the mail.

This guide helps you organize the information for the 2027 filing season. You can begin the first conversation with Versa before every document is available. Tell us which items are outstanding so the preparation can be planned around a complete file.

1. Gather the slips for each income source

Check every employer, pension provider, financial institution and other payer that should issue a slip. Depending on your situation, you may receive T4, T4A, T4E, T4A(P), T4A(OAS), T5, T3, T5008, T4RSP, T4RIF or T4FHSA documents. The CRA maintains a guide to tax-slip types.

Most slips arrive by the end of February, but T3 and T5013 slips may arrive by the end of March. That means the first group of documents you receive may not complete the return. If a slip is missing, contact its issuer and check the CRA's instructions for obtaining a copy.

For investments sold during the year, also gather purchase records and transaction history. A sale statement alone may not contain the full cost information your preparer needs.

2. Set aside receipts for possible deductions and credits

Create a separate folder for:

RRSP contribution receipts and FHSA documents.

Charitable donation receipts.

Medical expenses, with any reimbursements identified.

Child-care receipts and the details of who paid.

Tuition certificates and related school information.

Union or professional dues.

Employment-expense records and any required employer forms.

Moving-expense records if you want the circumstances reviewed.

The presence of a receipt does not establish eligibility for a claim. Keep the document and explain why the expense arose, who paid it and whether any amount was reimbursed. The CRA's deductions, credits and expenses guide is the starting point for checking the relevant rules.

3. Add business, rental and property records

For self-employment, gather your sales records, invoices, expense receipts, account statements and any bookkeeping reports. Flag the last month your accounts were reconciled. Use the self-employed tax guide for the business-specific preparation.

For a rental property, gather rent records, expense invoices, financing statements and the dates of any change in use. Keep major renovation and purchase documents identifiable rather than combining them with routine bills. The rental-income guide explains the questions to discuss.

If you sold a home or another property, include the purchase and sale closing statements, ownership information and a timeline of its use. Reporting may still be required for a principal-residence sale even when an exemption eliminates tax on the gain. See the CRA's principal-residence reporting guidance.

4. Write down the changes that slips will not explain

A short timeline can prevent a long exchange of follow-up questions. Include:

Marriage, separation or another change in family circumstances.

A new child or changes involving dependants.

A move, including any arrival in or departure from Canada.

A new business, rental activity or registered account.

A property purchase or sale.

Foreign income or property.

Unfiled years, amended returns or CRA correspondence.

Bring your latest notice of assessment or reassessment and details of instalments already paid. If your direct-deposit information changed, use the secure method arranged with the firm to supply the necessary information.

5. Keep an outstanding-items list

Record which documents you have, which are missing and who you have contacted. Mention duplicates or amended slips so the file does not accidentally count the same income twice. Label documents by year when you are preparing more than one return.

Check the filing and payment dates early. Under current recurring rules, the ordinary filing and payment date for 2026 returns is April 30, 2027; eligible self-employed filers generally have until June 15 to file, while payment remains due April 30. Confirm the CRA's year-specific guidance before filing.

Do I need every document before contacting Versa?

You can start with an introduction and a summary of your situation. Knowing which records are missing helps the team assess timing and scope. Preparing a return still requires enough information to report it accurately.

Where should I send tax slips and personal details?

Use the secure document-sharing method the team arranges after engagement. The public contact form is for your introduction, rather than tax slips, a SIN or banking details.

Versa's personal-tax service includes discussion of the work your return needs and the information to prepare. Book a free tax consultation to get started.