Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) announced last week that the Federal eFile system will re-open on Monday, February 26th, 2018.  This will allow taxpayers a short 64 day window to have their returns electronically filed on time.  Most Canadian income tax and benefit returns for 2017 are due on April 30, and tax payments received after the April 30th, 2018 deadline are subject to late filing penalties and interest charges.

A CRA communication sent to tax preparers states "The EFILE service will stop accepting transmissions of your clients’ 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016 initial (T1) personal income tax and benefit returns and 2015 and 2016 amended T1 returns through the ReFILE service at midnight (Local time) on Friday, January 19, 2018. Both services will re-open on Monday, February 26, 2018 at 8:30 a.m. (Eastern time) for the electronic filing of your clients 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017 initial (T1) personal income tax and benefit returns and 2015, 2016 and 2017 amended T1 returns."

Candi Hallstrom-Capstick of CH Accounting & Tax Services in Sydney Mines has decided to extend business hours to help accommodate this short window.  Hallstrom-Capstick says "We will keep our office open 12 hours a day during the week, and offer extended hours on the weekends as well.  We understand people are busy and have varied work schedules, so we want to make it as easy for taxpayers as possible to get in and get filed on time."  This year the Northside tax service will be open from 9am to 9pm and will offer a drop off service to some taxpayers.  Hallstrom-Capstick stated that the Efile window seems to be getting smaller each year, and that the filing date was at least a week earlier last year, and even earlier in 2016. Hallstrom-Capstick said "The pressure of filing taxes is a huge stress to so many people, so we are doing everything we can to help reduce that stress as much as possible!  Our company goal is to make tax time as easy on everybody as we can."    That is definitely the case with CH Accounting & Tax Services, who offer a simple flat rate tax preparation service for just $40, with no extra fees or filing charges.  Reviews on the business' Facebook page confirm that these folks are in business to help.

CH Accounting & Tax services is located on Main Street in Sydney Mines and more information can be found on their Facebook page:

https://www.facebook.com/ch.accounting.tax

Canada Revenue Agency EFILE news can be found on their website:

https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/e-services/e-services-businesses/efile-electronic-filers/efile-news-program-updates.html