Tax season starts on February 23! Here’s what you need to start filing

Tax season starts on February 23! Here’s what you need to start filing

On February 23, 2026, you will be able to file your 2025 income tax and benefit return online! Last tax-filing season, the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) received more than 33 million tax returns and 93% were filed online.

We’re dedicated to serving Canadians well, helping you file your taxes, and connecting you to benefit and credit payments that improve your financial well-being. Last year, Canadians received:

• More than $56.1 billion in benefit payments

• More than 19 million refunds, for an average amount of $2,000 (79% were issued by direct deposit)

Let’s make sure you’re ready for tax-filing season, so you can receive all the payments you’re eligible for. You can find relevant tax-filing information, including quick tax facts about your province or territory of residence, in our latest tax tip: Tax season starts on February 23! Here’s what you need to start filing.

How to get started

Visit our improved Personal income tax web page. We’ve simplified this page and added information to help you before, during, and after the tax-filing process.

If you are registered for a CRA account, visit our tax tip on keeping your account up to date. By ensuring your personal information is accurate and that you can access your CRA account when you need it, you will save time during tax-filing season.

When you sign in to your CRA account, you may be prompted to add a backup multi-factor authentication (MFA) option. You will have the option to skip this step.

If you have forgotten your CRA account sign-in information or the answers to your security questions, you may be able to regain access by completing the online registration process again. More than 64,000 individuals have already done so.

Before you file, you can also sign up for direct deposit. By doing so, you will receive your tax refund and benefit payments faster and securely, deposited directly into your account at a Canadian bank or credit union. Last year, more than 1.1 million individuals signed up for direct deposit and there are more than 28 million individuals signed up in total.

Key dates and deadlines

By filing and paying any taxes you owe on time, you will avoid late-filing penalties and interest. Mark these dates in your calendar so you don’t miss any deadlines:

• February 23, 2026 – You can start filing your 2025 tax return online. Make sure you have all your tax slips before you file.

• April 30, 2026 – Deadline for most individuals to file their tax return and pay any taxes owed.

• June 15, 2026 – Deadline to file your tax return if you, or your spouse or common-law partner, are self-employed. If you owe money, you will still need to pay by April 30, 2026, to avoid interest.

CRA services and resources to help you this tax season

If you need tax-filing assistance, there are services and resources to help you:

• Free tax clinics – You could get your taxes done by a volunteer at a free tax clinic. In 2025, 1.069 million returns were filed through free tax clinics.

• SimpleFile services – If you have a lower income and a simple tax situation, you may be able to use SimpleFile services (digital or by phone) to file your taxes. If you didn't receive an invitation, you may still be able to access SimpleFile Digital. Check out our new eligibility questionnaire. The SimpleFile services will open on March 9, 2026.

• GenAI chatbot – The chatbot can now answer a wider range of questions, including more complex ones for businesses, such as eligibility for tax credits and compliance information.

• Taxology – Get the tax information you need by listening to the CRA’s podcast.

We also have additional tax tips that may be helpful for your tax-filing situation:

• The level of service you can expect from the CRA this tax season

• What you need to know for the 2026 tax-filing season

• Did you experience one of these milestone life events? Learn about impactful tax implications

• Important changes to the 2025 income tax package: What you need to know