The deadline for most who are reporting 2015 personal income is fast approaching – April 30, 2106. Injured workers who need free help to file their income tax returns might wish to contact one of the many Volunteer Tax Preparation Clinics available throughout Ontario for persons with low incomes or disabilities.
Why file a return?
Even if you had no or minimal income and/or are not required by law to file a tax return this year, it may be to your advantage if you qualify for certain benefits or tax credits. (Check the Ontario and federal government websites for a full list and updates following the recent budgets).
For example, you need to file a return in order to:
- Claim a tax refund for tax withheld from your income
- Claim the GST or HST (sales tax) credit, and other available tax credits such as those for family, medical, disability, seniors’ property tax expenses
- Carry forward an unused portion of tuition and education amounts or carry over a non-capital loss from previous years to apply against other years
- Become eligible for benefits such as Ontario’s Child Benefit or Guaranteed Annual Income System (GAINS) payments
- Renew automatically the Guaranteed Income Supplement or allowance benefits under the federal old age security program