The deadline to file your return and pay your taxes is April 30, 2021. If you're self-employed or have a spouse or a common-law partner who is self-employed, the deadline to file your taxes is June 15, 2021. All taxes owed must still be paid by April 30, 2021.

As of January 11, CRA is starting to mail out T4A slips for CERB and CRB benefits to those individuals who received them. The T4A  provides the amounts of COVID-19 benefits received from the CRA in 2020. Residents of Quebec will receive both a T4A and a RL-1 slip. T4As will be sent out in waves. These slips are needed to file personal tax returns for 2020.

As an employee, you may be able to claim a deduction for home office expenses.

To claim this deduction, you must meet all of these eligibility criteria:

• you worked from home in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic or your employer required you to work from home
• you worked more than 50% of the time from home for a period of at least four consecutive weeks in 2020
• the expenses are used directly in your work during the period

Canadians can contribute up to 18% of their income or the maximum contribution limit towards the RRSP. According to the CRA, you can contribute up to a maximum of $27,830 towards your RRSP in 2021 (increase of $600 over 2020 contribution limit).

Please note that the Canada Revenue Agency no longer allows the option to enroll for direct deposit through paper filed tax returns. Taxpayers are encouraged to register using one of the following options: My Account online service, by telephone, through most Canadian financial institutions, or by completing and mailing a direct deposit enrolment form available at the following link: www.tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca/recgen/form/inscription-enrolment-eng.html.

This change does not affect T1 returns filed electronically by tax preparers.