# Filing Previous Years Taxes



## JudgeDredd (May 28, 2015)

Due to a personal upheaval, and then fear of the CRA :cower: - I have a few years of taxes to file. First, except for the year I withdrew from my RRSP, I always always received a refund. Same for my wife (no RRSP's). I tried to register for My Account, but since I haven't filed for the last two years, I cannot register online. I would like to access My Account to confirm I have all my slips (T3, T4, T5, etc.) available to start catching up. I was told to call the Individual Help Line to get my RRSP Deduction Limit (which is required for My Account registration). First question, should I apply for the Voluntary Disclosure Program and then call CRA? Second, could anyone suggest the 'order' I need to follow to get back to being current with CRA? I was never late until 2008. Certainly appreciate any information. Thank you in advance.


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## Just a Guy (Mar 27, 2012)

If you don't owe money, you don't have a lot to fear. You won't be able to e-file the outstanding ones, they have to be submitted on paper. You don't need voluntary disclosure, as you haven't misrepresented anything. 

As for what you need to do...Fill out your taxes for the years you need and submit them, start with the oldest. Better yet do them all and submit them together as soon as possible.

Remember, fines and penalties are generally based on the amount owing...if you don't owe anything, you won't have any fines. 

If you haven't claimed your refund, you just gave the government an interest free loan all theses years.


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## JudgeDredd (May 28, 2015)

Thank you very much. But how do I input maximum RRSP limits? Leave them blank, or use the maximum limits listed on the CRA sire (even though those limits would be low as I have never contributed to the maximum?).



Just a Guy said:


> If you don't owe money, you don't have a lot to fear. You won't be able to e-file the outstanding ones, they have to be submitted on paper. You don't need voluntary disclosure, as you haven't misrepresented anything.
> 
> As for what you need to do...Fill out your taxes for the years you need and submit them, start with the oldest. Better yet do them all and submit them together as soon as possible.
> 
> ...


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## OnlyMyOpinion (Sep 1, 2013)

Do you have your Notice of Assessment for the last year for which you submitted your T1 (2007?)? Your RRSP contribution limit (for 2008?) will be on it and then following years will be based on the results of each year (i.e. 2009 limit will be based on 2008 results, etc).
Are you pretty sure that you have all of your tax slips? If you do miss one that the CRA has on file, they will recalc your balance owing/payable.
It will take a while for them to process these but well worth your catching up.


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## Charlie (May 20, 2011)

Just call CRA 1-800-959-8281

Tell them you're catching up on old returns. They'll be happy to mail you out their copies of Tslips etc, and confirm any carryforward balances and RRSP limits. They can be very helpful in situations such as yours.


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## JudgeDredd (May 28, 2015)

Thank you all very much.



Charlie said:


> Just call CRA 1-800-959-8281
> 
> Tell them you're catching up on old returns. They'll be happy to mail you out their copies of Tslips etc, and confirm any carryforward balances and RRSP limits. They can be very helpful in situations such as yours.


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## Eclectic12 (Oct 20, 2010)

Just a Guy said:


> ... Remember, fines and penalties are generally based on the amount owing...if you don't owe anything, you won't have any fines.


YMMV ... a friend didn't owe either but had not filed the tax returns for five years. He started getting collection calls from CRA sent notices then gave up an processes the return. Generating the NOA seemed to trigger the penalties plus multiple years of interest (adds up quickly!).

It seemed to be just what was needed to get him to buckle down to get the five returns done.

When the paperwork was filed, it all went away but in the meantime, he was getting multiple calls from CRA's collection department.


So yes ... if one does not owe, one should not lie awake at night worrying about it but one should get the paperwork filed as soon as possible as CRA might not wait.


Cheers


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