Tax season can feel overwhelming, especially when you’re juggling deadlines, documents, and everything else life throws your way. However, filing your taxes doesn’t have to be a headache. 

Whether you’re filing for the first time or you just need a refresher, here’s what you need to know for the 2025 tax season.

Filing process, deadlines, and tips for success

​​The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) — the federal agency responsible for administering tax, benefit, and related programs — offers tools to streamline the tax filing process. One such tool is My Account, an online portal that allows you to access tax information, track returns, and monitor refunds or benefits. 

NETFILE is an electronic filing service that allows free online submission and works with tax software programs like TurboTax, Wealthsimple, and UFile, that can send simple returns directly to the CRA. These programs help identify eligible credits — amounts that reduce the tax owed — and deductions, expenses that reduce your taxable income. They also help you import forms and identify additional savings, such as the tuition tax credit for students. 

The Canada.ca website also provides step-by-step guides to help you prepare for tax season.

It’s also essential to be aware of tax filing deadlines. For most people, the deadline to submit your tax return is April 30. Missing this deadline can result in penalties or interest charges, even if you don’t owe any taxable income. Filing on time also ensures that you don’t miss out on any benefits or credits you might be eligible for.

When filing taxes, common mistakes such as forgetting to report all sources of income — like tips and freelance work — or failing to update personal information, can cause delays. Keeping accurate records ensures the CRA can send your refunds or any applicable benefits to the correct home or email address in a timely manner.

To avoid mistakes when filing, students can simplify the process by using U of T’s tax clinics — including UTSU’s, SCSU’s, and UTMSU’s — which offer free and personalized assistance for tax returns. 

In an email to The Varsity, CRA spokesperson Zachariah Fernandes noted that students with modest incomes and simple tax situations — such as a student with only T4 income and tuition credits — can also access free clinics through the Community Volunteer Income Tax Program, where volunteers can complete taxes in person, virtually, by phone, or through drop-off clinics.

It’s important to stay alert to potential tax scams when using online platforms. Always verify communication with the CRA through My Account or by calling 1-800-959-8281. The CRA will never request payment through calls or texts, nor ask for personal information through unsolicited messages.

Key tax documents and credits every student needs

Before filing your taxes, gather the necessary documents to claim all eligible credits. 

The Tuition Enrolment Certificate (T2202) is key, as it outlines the tuition fees paid and your enrollment period, helping you claim tuition tax credits — a credit that reduces the amount of tax you owe based on your tuition fees. 

If you don’t use it immediately, the credit can be carried forward or transferred to a parent, spouse, or common-law partner, provided they’re Canadian residents. U of T students can access the T2202 through ACORN under ‘Finances.’

If you were employed at some point during the year, your employer will issue a T4 slip showing your earnings and tax deductions. Be sure to collect all T4 slips if you had multiple jobs. 

Students receiving scholarships, bursaries, or grants may also receive a T4A slip, which reports these as income. Note that T4A slips don’t include amounts from the Ontario Student Assistance Program.

Filing a return not only allows you to claim tuition tax credits but also unlocks benefits like the Goods and Services tax credit and Harmonized Sales tax credit, which provide tax-free quarterly payments to low-income individuals including students to offset sales tax. The CRA automatically determines eligibility upon filing. 

Fernandes noted that filing is essential for accessing benefits like the Canada Child Benefit, Ontario Trillium Benefit, and other provincial or territorial benefits, even for students with no income or temporary residents.

For the 2023 tax-filing season, Canadians eligible for a tax refund received an average of $2,262.

What’s new for 2025?

As we approach the 2025 tax season, students working in the gig economy should be aware of the new Platform Work Reporting rule. Platforms like Uber, Lyft, and DoorDash were mandated to provide workers with an earnings summary by January 31, for it to be used when filing taxes this April.

If you’re filing taxes for the first time, the CRA has streamlined the registration process with the new Document Verification Service. This service eliminates the need to wait for a CRA security code by mail to access your My Account, which could take up to 10 business days. Instead, you can verify your identity online in real time, allowing first-time filers to immediately access the website. 

Another new feature is the online chat service available through My Account. This service allows you to directly chat with a CRA agent if you have any questions about your taxes, CRA benefits, or other related topics. To access the chat, simply sign in to your CRA account and look for the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the page.