Free Tax Preparation Clinic
The MSVUSU will be offering a free tax preparation clinic from March 1st to March 28th. This is a service that is managed by the Canada Revenue Agency and coordinated by Normand Gendron, a Chartered Professional Accountant and Assistant Professor (Accounting) from the Mount Business Department. Volunteers will prepare and electronically file your tax return. These volunteers have undergone a reliability screening process (including criminal record checks), and are trained and supported by the Canada Revenue Agency and Prof. Gendron. They will electronically file your tax return, using software provided by the Canada Revenue Agency We have over 30 volunteers who will be available for this service and the service is free of charge.
How will it work?
Once you book an appointment through our online booking site, you will receive a confirmation email. Afterwards, a volunteer screener will contact you. Their job will be to collect some initial information to confirm your eligibility and ensure that the tax preparer will have the necessary information available on your appointment date to complete your return. You will then meet online or in-person with your tax preparer, according to the availability of the preparer and your preference.
In-person appointments will be in the MSVU Student Union Boardroom in the Rosaria building. Online appointments will be via Microsoft Teams.
Where do I go to book an appointment?
Book an appointment online at the following link: https://msvucvitp.simplybook.me/v2/
How long is an appointment?
30 minutes. It could be longer if you need to file returns for more than one tax year or if you are missing information. (A volunteer screener will contact you before the meeting to help ensure that you are ready for your appointment.)
Who is eligible for this free service?
In order to be eligible for the CVITP, you must have a modest income and a simple tax situation. We cannot file returns with business income or complex investment portfolios. Further eligibility information is available at this link. The screener will confirm your eligibility.
If I am owed a refund, how long will I need to wait to receive it?
We are filing returns electronically, so in general, the Canada Revenue Agency will review your tax return and deposit any refund owing within one week of filing.
I didn’t work, last year, so I don’t owe any taxes. Why should I file a return?
There are refundable tax credits which are available even if you have not worked. One example is the Nova Scotia HST tax credit. This is a tax-free quarterly payment that helps individuals and families with low and modest incomes offset the GST or HST that they pay. Currently, it pays up to $467 per year (for a single person).You cannot receive this without filing a tax return.
I haven’t filed a return in four years. Can you file prior year returns?
Yes, we can file returns from 2018-2022.