# CRA site doesn't show my tax payment



## agent99

I net-filed my tax return on April 6th. On next day, I transferred the amount owed electronically via bank as we have always done. The transfer shows up on our bank records, but no sign of it in MyAccount at CRA. My return has now been assessed and shows that I still owe them the balance. The payment does not show up in our installments or anywhere on MyAccount. 

Tried calling CRA. Just get a message saying all their agents are busy and that all queues are full. So no option to wait, leave a message or email them. The message says to try calling back later. Kind of frustrating! And my transfer seems to have disappeared into thin air 

By the way, not our first problem with CRA. Last year they asked for some additional documentation on our RRIF recontribution. We sent it in. About 2 months later we received a notice saying we owed them some thousands of $$ because they never received the documentation. We sent it again and once again, they claimed they had not received it. In both cases, we had used Registered Mail. We were able to get proof of delivery from the post office that even showed the name of the person at CRA who had received and signed for the Registered Mail. But they could not find anything we had sent. said it was probably thrown out! Finally, we faxed the documents to them and issue was resolved.

Not really surprising. I at one time worked as a consultant for CRA (in a different field) and observed some of what goes on there first hand 

Sorry - Just venting. I am sure we will sort it out!


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## OnlyMyOpinion

Spouse got their NOA yesterday showing a balance owing that we paid same day as submitting T1. 
Checked online though and they did have the payment showing, so a balance of $0. 
It was received about 10 days before the NOA was issued so not sure why the NOA didn't pick it up.

I'd think you should be seeing the payment in MyAccount after 2 weeks?

I notice they don't seem as fast processing my large refund.


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## Nerd Investor

Ya, it's pretty common for the NOA to lag quite a bit and not pick it up but I agree you should definitely see it in MyAccount _somewhere_, even if it isn't applied properly yet.


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## AltaRed

The system does not talk to each other, i.e. NOA processing and accounting are in total different planetary systems. The intial NOAs are generally auto-generated by computer once it processes your return and if it gets a match with data on account and there are no red flags. The idea is to initially process the return, acknowledge it with a NOA, and issue refunds within days or at most 2 weeks after submission. Same thing happens with payments (sometimes even longer). What the OP and OMO articulate is the typical experience I have had for a number of years. Don't worry about it. Don't go fretting CRA agents about it. It all sorts itself out within a month. And eventually another NOA will show payment received and 0 balance owing (if everything is correct).

Added: We netfiled Monday. I won't even go to MyAccount until the end of next week to see status. Indeed, I may get my email from CRA first that says I have 'something' in my Inbox and that most likely will be the NOA.


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## agent99

Nerd Investor said:


> Ya, it's pretty common for the NOA to lag quite a bit and not pick it up but I agree you should definitely see it in MyAccount _somewhere_, even if it isn't applied properly yet.


I expected to see it there not long after submitting, just like our installments do. Still not able to get through by phone


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## heyjude

CRA loves to get their money on time, but when a refund is due, they don't care how long it takes. I once had a refund sent to an address I had left five years before. Had I not followed up with them after three months, I don't think I would ever have received it.


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## pwm

I filed and sent my money on April 01. I can see my NOA online ok. "My Account" shows a balance of zero, but I can't verify because I get error code "ACC-020", "Your account info is not available online. please phone .....", when I click on "Statement of Account". All other functions are working except that.

I haven't even tried to call them. At this time of year? Impossible to get through.


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## OnlyMyOpinion

I once made a payment to the wrong payee, tax owing went to installments (or the other way around?). Eventually it made its way and was applied correctly.

Added: I found the system very laggy yesterday when checking the payment. No error codes, but had to start over from 'Home' a couple of times before anything was rendered on the screen.


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## AltaRed

This time of year, the system is going to be bogged down. Even Netfile has been known to be slow this time of year. Have patience! I come from another century when communication took weeks or months. Today's folks want/expect instant results. Slow down... Smell the roses.

On an T1 Final estate 'election' request I made March 2016 for a Carryback of a capital loss from the T3 to the final T1, we still don't have a Notice of Reassessment or refund cheque. It will happen, but hopefully before June 2017!


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## carverman

OnlyMyOpinion said:


> I notice they don't seem as fast processing my large refund.


Same here. 
I guess with the CRA cupboard being bare this time of the year, they are waiting until AFTER aPRIL 30TH to issue large refunds when the remaining taxpayers have to pay them.

*UPDATE*: Just logged into my CRA site. My refund will be deposited on April 24th, so expect
that yours may be also.


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## carverman

agent99 said:


> I net-filed my tax return on April 6th. On next day, I transferred the amount owed electronically via bank as we have always done. The transfer shows up on our bank records, but no sign of it in MyAccount at CRA. My return has now been assessed and shows that I still owe them the balance. The payment does not show up in our installments or anywhere on MyAccount.
> 
> Sorry - Just venting. I am sure we will sort it out!


I had to pay them a miniscule amount back in February. Since CRA does an auto deposit to my bank acct, I went into my CRA acct and paid them from my account using the "one time payment" option. 

The money came out of my bank acct. Balance $0. 
if it's just an adjustment that you owe them, don't use the "installment option"..because they could assume you will be paying them in installments.


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## agent99

AltaRed said:


> The system does not talk to each other, i.e. NOA processing and accounting are in total different planetary systems. The intial NOAs are generally auto-generated by computer once it processes your return and if it gets a match with data on account and there are no red flags. The idea is to initially process the return, acknowledge it with a NOA, and issue refunds within days or at most 2 weeks after submission. Same thing happens with payments (sometimes even longer). What the OP and OMO articulate is the typical experience I have had for a number of years. Don't worry about it. Don't go fretting CRA agents about it. It all sorts itself out within a month. And eventually another NOA will show payment received and 0 balance owing (if everything is correct).


My memory is not that good, but it seems to me that in the past when we transferred amount owing electronically, it at first showed up in our installment account. Then later it was used to pay amount owed on return.

In this case, bank shows money was transferred, but CRA never showed anything to indicate receipt of the funds. This is what concerns me. 

I will let it go for a few days, but will then try calling them again. I see same AC-020 error as pwm does.


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## AltaRed

It shouldn't. There are at least 2, and most times 3, separate CRA Bill Payment payees and if you pick the right one, the funds should never go to the 2017 installment account. 

But what you describe has nothing to do with my post you quoted. I was not even referring to the installment account. The post I made is simply that the NOA issuance process either does not talk to the Balance Owing account, or the Balance Owing account is very tardy in crediting deposits into the system. It is not unusual for an early NOA (7-10 days after filing) to still show a Balance Owing... even if you had already remitted the Balance Owing. That NOA will correct itself...eventually.


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## agent99

AltaRed said:


> It shouldn't. There are at least 2, and most times 3, separate CRA Bill Payment payees and if you pick the right one, the funds should never go to the 2017 installment account.


We have always used the same one as the installment account. And the money has shown up there and then later used for the return. This time it did not show up. Alta is right that there are three CRA payment options when doing a transfer. But I don't see where CRA specifies which one to use. It likely does not matter. 

I tried calling them just for peace of mind. OK - Still busy and unable to connect. If you listen long enough it says that they have a new express NOA system that is so fast it doesn't reflect payments made. It goes on to say that to check if your payment has been made/received, to check your own bank account and/or to check your MyAccount account. The link for the MyAccount account details is the one that is not working and gives the AC-020 error.


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## AltaRed

agent99 said:


> We have always used the same one as the installment account. And the money has shown up there and then later used for the return. This time it did not show up. Alta is right that there are three CRA payment options when doing a transfer. But I don't see where CRA specifies which one to use. It likely does not matter.


The descriptions I see in Scotiabank's Bill Payees list of my chequing account seems pretty clear on which one is which. Right now, I see a choice of:

CRA 2016 TAX RT

CRATAX INSTAL

Had the same clarity when I had a CIBC chequing account.


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## agent99

There are three options on BMO. I forget what they are exactly, but they follow the CRA site's instructions. 



> *How to pay your individual taxes online*
> Sign in to your financial institution's online individual banking service.
> Under “Add a payee,” look for an option such as:
> CRA (revenue)- current year-tax return
> CRA (revenue)- tax amount owing
> CRA (revenue)- tax instalment
> Enter your 9 digit social insurance number as your CRA account number.


Considering we used the tax installment option, surprising the money did not end up there! 

We used Studio Tax and it seems it may not be designed to use the new Express NOA feature. It took 12 days for our NOA to show up while Express NOA should show up next day. This is the link that describes the Express NOA. At the bottom it talks about payments not being shown, but this applies to the EXPRESS NOA it seems:


> *Why does Express NOA not show the payment?*
> Tax returns that are filed electronically are assessed so quickly that any payments you send with your return are not likely to show up on your NOA. This means that the payment also would not show up in the Express NOA service. Check your online banking to confirm your payment to the CRA or by logging into My Account to see your account balance.


Seeing on-line banking says our payment was made and My Account has $0 balance, I guess we are OK  Judging by the call volume, perhaps others have had same concerns!


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## AltaRed

agent99 said:


> There are three options on BMO.


As there are in all bank Bill Payee systems. I described only two because those are the only two that I use. I don't use the 'tax amount owing' since I am never in arrears nor have I had to make a supplemental payment on a prior return.


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## kcowan

I have had Arrears payments incorrectly credited to my Instalment account. I am not sure where the screwup occurred. My suspicion is TD. Check your balance in that account on CRA. If it is there, ask CRA to change it.


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## agent99

kcowan said:


> I have had Arrears payments incorrectly credited to my Instalment account. I am not sure where the screwup occurred. My suspicion is TD. Check your balance in that account on CRA. If it is there, ask CRA to change it.


The problem we have is that we cannot access our account on CRA site. It gives this message:



> *Statement of account*
> ACC-020
> 
> The information you have requested about your account is not currently available online. If you want to speak to one of our agents, please call 1-800-959-8281 (toll-free) or 613-940-8495 (we accept collect calls).
> Please print this error screen or write down the number at the left of the error message before you call.


It has not been possible to get through to that number and they won't even put you in queue. 

My bank did process the transfer, so presumably CRA has the money somewhere. Surely any funds we send to CRA should show up in our account??

On the NOA it says:



> We assessed your 2016 income tax and benefit return and calculated your balance.
> 
> You need to pay $xxx.97 minus any amounts you paid that we have not processed yet.
> 
> To avoid additional interest charges please pay by May 9, 2017.


Hopefully we will see something before end of month.


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## AltaRed

What you quote is similar to what I've seen for years. It has always sorted itself out for me, even if it takes another 6 weeks for a revised NOA.


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## pwm

agent99, I see you have the same ACC-020 problem as I do. I can access all my info except "Statement of Account". My wife's works OK. I'm not even trying to call them. I'd be interested in knowing what finally happens with your account.


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## agent99

pwm said:


> agent99, I see you have the same ACC-020 problem as I do. I can access all my info except "Statement of Account". My wife's works OK. I'm not even trying to call them. I'd be interested in knowing what finally happens with your account.


pwm,
I tried the collect call number today (613-940-8495 ) This got me into the system and eventually after hitting * I was able to talk to an agent. She was able to look at my account and confirm that they had received my payment. The My Account site still says no payment has been received. Anyway as suspected, they did receive our payment, but their system doesn't seem to be capable of reflecting that in a timely way.


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## pwm

agent99 said:


> pwm,
> I tried the collect call number today (613-940-8495 ) This got me into the system and eventually after hitting * I was able to talk to an agent. She was able to look at my account and confirm that they had received my payment. The My Account site still says no payment has been received. Anyway as suspected, they did receive our payment, but their system doesn't seem to be capable of reflecting that in a timely way.


Thanks for the update. Glad to see your payment went through. Did they fix the ACC-020 error? Can you see your Statement of Account now?


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## agent99

pwm said:


> Thanks for the update. Glad to see your payment went through. Did they fix the ACC-020 error? Can you see your Statement of Account now?


No change on the site - still shows error. My wife's account (she got a refund) shows same error.


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## agent99

PWM - Just checked the CRA site, and they now do have my Statement posted.


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## pwm

agent99: Thanks for the update. My "Statement of Account" is also working now.


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## kathy0327

*CRA acc-020 message*



pwm said:


> agent99: Thanks for the update. My "Statement of Account" is also working now.


Hi guys, I know this is an old post. But recently ran into the same problem. Received ACC-020 code on my CRA statement of account.
I made the payment on MyCRA website. After calling them, got a rude agent saying the payment is still pending. I need to wait for 5 business days to see if it shows up. call them back in 5 days. 

I'm just getting frustrated about the situation, and wondering how the things ended up for you guys? 
Did it show up automatically for you guys?

thanks,
kathy


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