You could get some money back by filing your taxes. To receive your benefits on time, file by June 1, 2020.

To help you file your taxes and claim any refunds or credits, Mac’s Money Centre is offering free tax webinars through Zoom:

Thursday, March 26, 2020

• Part 1: Filing Taxes and COVID-19 Updates (1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.)
• Part 2: Do-It-Yourself Tax Webinar With Simple Tax (3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.)

Tuesday, April 7, 2020

• Part 1: Filing Taxes and COVID-19 Updates (1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.)
• Part 2: Do-It-Yourself Tax Webinar With Simple Tax (3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.)

Friday, April 17, 2020

• Part 1: Filing Taxes and COVID-19 Updates (1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.)
• Part 2: Do-It-Yourself Tax Webinar With Simple Tax (3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.)

After you register on OCSARplus, we send you a link to the Zoom webinar.

What to bring to the webinar:

• T4 — employment income slip
• T4A — scholarships, bursaries
• T2202A — tuition (Please consult with your parents/guardians if you are transferring up to $5,000 unused tuition.)
• T5 — investment income
• Rent receipts for 2019
• Medical expenses — UHIP premium and health-care expenses not covered by insurance
• Moving expenses to attend school in Hamilton
• Transportation costs
• Childcare expenses
• RRSP contributions
• Charitable donations
• Last year’s assessment form (if you have it)

If you are filing with your spouse or partner, please have them with you and bring all necessary tax documentation.

You are required to have a Social Insurance Number (SIN) in order to file a tax return.

If you have never filed your taxes before, we can prepare your taxes for previous years. Please remember to bring slips/receipts and all necessary documentation for the previous tax years to do this. Filing your taxes will allow you to collect your GST/HST credits, rent rebates and register your tuition credits for future use.

Due to COVID-19, the government has extended the tax deadline until June 1. However, this doesn’t mean that June 1 is the last day you can file. For most students, filing taxes means getting money back — not paying additional taxes. The deadline mostly applies to people who are in a tax payable situation, which means that they owe money. In this case, filing after the deadline results in interest and penalties. For students, we still recommend that you try to file before the deadline because it is a good habit to develop, and it ensures that you will receive your benefits on time.

Access your Mac tax forms

McMaster has made it simple for students to access and print their university tax forms through MOSAIC.

How to find your T2202A/T4A

• Log in to mosaic.mcmaster.ca
• On the home page, select “Student Centre”
• Scroll to the section titled “Finances”
• Use the drop down menu and select “print/view tax forms”
• Select the appropriate tax form(s) and the tax year
• Print tax slip(s)

How to find your T4

• Log in to mosaic.mcmaster.ca
• Go to “MOSAIC Home” at the top of the page
• Select “Employee Self Service” from the drop down menu
• Choose “View T4 Slips”
• Print tax slip

Student staff, as well as part-time and full-time McMaster employees, can also access their tax forms through MOSAIC.

Drop-In Tax Clinics

Personal tax preparation service is available at no charge to individuals with a modest income. The following individuals/families are elligible:

• One-person family: $35,000
• Two-person family: $45,000 (combined) or less
• Three-person family: $47,500 (combined) or less
• Four-person family: $50,000 (combined) or less
• Five-person family: $52,000 (combined) or less
• Family with more than five people: $52,500 (combined) or less, plus $2,500 for each additional person

Volunteers do not prepare complex returns, such as returns for individuals who:

• Have self-employment income
• Have business or rental income and expenses
• Have capital gains or losses
• Have employment expenses
• Have interest income greater than $1,000
• Have filed for bankruptcy
• Are deceased

Hamilton Public Library (Central Library), fourth floor, 55 York Blvd., Hamilton, ON L8N 4E4 (Jackson Square)

Dates and times:

• Cancelled: Saturday, March 28, 2020, 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
• Cancelled: Saturday, April 4, 2020, 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
• Cancelled: Saturday, April 18, 2020, 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
• Cancelled: Saturday, April 25, 2020, 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Hamilton Public Library (Red Hill Branch), 695 Queenston Road, Hamilton, ON L8G 1A1

Dates and times:

• Cancelled: Saturday, March 7, 2020, 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
• Cancelled: Saturday, March 14, 2020, 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

To make sure your tax return is completed correctly, please bring all of the necessary information that applies to your situation.

Information slips:

• Social Insurance Number
• T4 (employment income)
• T4A, T4A(P), T4(OAS), T4RIF, T4E
• T5 (statement of investment income)
• T3 (statement of trust income allocations and designations)
• PT5007 (statement of benefits)
• RC62 (universal child care benefit)
• Your notice of assessment from last year’s taxes

Receipts:

• Charitable donations
• Medical/dental expenses not covered by a health plan
• Rent
• Child care expenses
• Property taxes
• RRSP contributions
• Transit passes for monthly or weekly passes
• Children’s fitness activities
• T2202 — tuition and education

Join the Tax Squad

As a Tax Squad volunteer, you are participating in the Hamilton Tax Preparation Assistance (TPA) Program.

Gain valuable experience and help people in your Hamilton community. No experience is required. All training will be provided.

The Tax Squad Program is part of the Hamilton Community Volunteer Income Tax Program (CVITP), which helps lower-income individuals and families in the community get their taxes done for free. The CVITP program is a partnership between the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) and Canadian Professional Accountants (CPA).

To be considered as a volunteer, you must be prepared to commit to 10 hours for training and a minimum of 15 volunteering hours.

If you are interested in participating, please sign up for one of the information sessions taking place on February 11 or 12, 2020, to find out more.

• Register for February 11.
• Register for February 12.

Before attending the information session, please complete the following:

1. Fill out the online CVITP registration form (under “Register now”). Choose “Hamilton CPA Ontario Association” as your organization of choice.
2. Apply for an EFILE number by selecting Apply for EFILE and following the instructions.