CRA Auto-File Draft Review Service

    CRA Auto-File Review & Optimization – Flat Fee: $75

    About this service:
    Since 2016, the CRA has offered Auto-File—initially requiring you or your tax advisor to review, complete, and submit your own auto-filled return.
    Starting in 2025, the CRA will go further: for eligible taxpayers—those the system deems to have basic tax situations based on available data—it will automatically submit a bare-bones, potentially incomplete return after tax season, using only the income slips it has on file. This will happen unless you or your tax advisor file a return during tax season or explicitly opt out.
    This change is designed to enforce compliance (file your version, or the CRA will file theirs) and to ensure that non-filers receive benefits like the GST credit.
    But Auto-File is extremely limited. It only includes income CRA has on file and does not optimize for deductions, credits, elections, or planning strategies. It also does not identify when a situation that seems simple may not be simple (eligibility for credits, deductions, or optimizations you or CRA may not have realized were in play). This results in a worst-case tax assessment.

    What CRA Auto-File Doesn’t Catch or Optimize

    Examples include:
    Rent or property tax claims (Ontario Trillium Benefit, Seniors Property Tax Grant)
    Rental or self-employment income and expenses
    Employment-related deductions (e.g., home office, vehicle, meals)
    Moving, legal, and childcare expenses, pension splitting and investment splitting
    Capital and business investment gains, losses, and carrybacks
    Sale of a principal residence and exemption reporting, sale of other real estate
    Elective credits (disability, tuition, caregiver, senior transit, home renovations, Ontario LIFT, medical expenses, donations, attendant-care-as-medical, and credit transfers)
    Foreign income, foreign tax credits, and T1135 reporting or spousal support payments
    Family income optimization strategies (income splitting, credit transfers, etc)
    Union dues, professional fees, memberships, PD, advisory and accounting fee deductions
    Income slips like T3, T4, T5, T4A not yet reported to CRA and in the system
    RRSP slips not yet in the system, or first two months new year, or RRSP claims strategies

      Important

      Even if the CRA files your return automatically, you remain fully responsible for its accuracy. Missed income and incorrectly paid-out benefits flowing from a CRA auto-filed return can lead to interest, penalties, and benefit repayments. The CRA’s version is a best-effort estimate—not a complete or optimized return.

      What You Get for $75

      We import your CRA Auto-File draft into our professional tax software tool and conduct a full review, make any necessary optimizations like claiming rent or property tax, and
      1. Import & Analysis
      Retrieve and import Auto-File draft
      Cross-check with prior years
      Review all 2024 slips
      2. Optimization & Validation
      Identify missed deductions and credits
      Spot red flags or signs of hidden complexity
      Confirm CRA income data accuracy
      3. Plain-Language Summary & Support
      Explain your return clearly and simply
      Ensure Ontario Trillium claims are included
      Flag DTC eligibility and T1135 thresholds
      Flag eligibility for other credits or deductions you may qualify for by understanding your situation against what is currently available in our tax system
      Provide year-round audit support for CRA follow-up as necessary
      If your situation turns out to be more complex, we’ll upgrade you to our full-service preparation (starting at $80), always with fair, value-based pricing.

      Full-Service Upgrade Includes

      Year-round CRA audit support
      Ongoing tax planning and advice
      Unlimited tax questions
      Proactive strategies for next year
      Optimization of spousal claims, investment strategy, capital gains, and more

      Who This Is For

      This service is ideal for:
      CRA Auto-File eligible individuals
      Simple returns with small additions (e.g., Ontario rent or property tax claims)
      Anyone wanting peace of mind that their return is accurate, compliant, and tax-efficient
      If we uncover complexity, we’ll seamlessly move you into our full-service workflow—with expert care, clear communication, and fair fees.