For those making minimum wage, or have held a position that doesn't change on a yearly basis regarding income, automatic filling with simplification of the code would work. Though for the majority of workers, it won't work as there are too many nuances in the tax code. The key problem with the CRA conducting this on their own, is that they aren't transparent and often lie about their information. They are under no obligation to tell the truth, and it has been uncovered in court fillings that this is a major issue.
As a tax filer, I can see this working for seniors who only collect CPP, OAS and GIS. Often they forget to file and it take months for the government to restart their payments.
There are too many nuances to the code. I've always done it myself and I know most years I didn't do it right. I'm sure I missed things or didn't include a deduction. When it works, I relied on the "auto fill" they already offer and when they correct me, I assume they are correct and don't question it. I don't have the money to hire a fancy accountant to do my taxes and I've definitely taken advantage of free tax software options for people who don't make much money. When I have made some money, I've had to pay for the buggy software as the cheapest option. Auto-filing would be a win for me (if I was still living and working in Canada).
Thanks for a rant double feature. Excellent topic. The problem lies with the Canadian government's inability to manage anything. The software won't work. People will be overbilled or underbilled. Having to mail in your return is proof. In theory automatic filing is the way to go. Are you a dad?
For those making minimum wage, or have held a position that doesn't change on a yearly basis regarding income, automatic filling with simplification of the code would work. Though for the majority of workers, it won't work as there are too many nuances in the tax code. The key problem with the CRA conducting this on their own, is that they aren't transparent and often lie about their information. They are under no obligation to tell the truth, and it has been uncovered in court fillings that this is a major issue.
As a tax filer, I can see this working for seniors who only collect CPP, OAS and GIS. Often they forget to file and it take months for the government to restart their payments.
There are too many nuances to the code. I've always done it myself and I know most years I didn't do it right. I'm sure I missed things or didn't include a deduction. When it works, I relied on the "auto fill" they already offer and when they correct me, I assume they are correct and don't question it. I don't have the money to hire a fancy accountant to do my taxes and I've definitely taken advantage of free tax software options for people who don't make much money. When I have made some money, I've had to pay for the buggy software as the cheapest option. Auto-filing would be a win for me (if I was still living and working in Canada).
Thanks for a rant double feature. Excellent topic. The problem lies with the Canadian government's inability to manage anything. The software won't work. People will be overbilled or underbilled. Having to mail in your return is proof. In theory automatic filing is the way to go. Are you a dad?
Glad you appreciated the rant. Dad in 5 more months!