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Return to All about your tax return

Completing a tax return

Topics for Completing a tax return
Personal and address information	Reporting income Search by line or topic on how to report income.
What you can deduct Search by line or topic on what you can deduct.	Slips (T4s and more)

What’s new for 2005

We list the major changes below, including income tax changes that have been announced but have not become law at this time. If they become law as proposed, they will be effective for 2005.

Federal tax rate - The lowest federal tax rate has been reduced from 16% to 15%.
Marital status – The proposed amendments to the Income Tax Act regarding same-sex relationships have now become law. The CRA has made adjustments to reflect these changes.
Child Disability Benefit – The maximum amount for the supplement has increased to $2,000.
Foreign property rule – The 30% limit in respect of foreign property that may be held by pension funds and other deferred income plans has been eliminated. See guide T4040, RRSPs and Other Registered Plans for Retirement, for details.
Registered retirement savings plans (RRSP) and certain deferred income plans – New investments have been added to the list of qualified investments. For more information, get guide T4040, RRSPs and Other Registered Plans for Retirement.
German pensions – Changes were made to the taxation of social security pensions received from Germany since January 1, 2005. For more information on these changes, contact us.
Schedule 3 – line 195 (Capital gains reduction on flow-through entities) has been removed. For more information, get guide T4037, Capital Gains.
Disability supports deduction – You can now claim certain additional expenses. See line 215 for details.
Basic personal amount - The amount has increased to $8,648.
Spouse or common-law partner amount - The maximum amount has increased. See line 303 for details.
Amount for an eligible dependant - The maximum amount has increased. See line 305 for details.
Adoption expenses – Certain expenses are now allowable as a non-refundable tax credit to individuals who adopt a child under the age of 18 years. See line 313 for details.
Disability amount – Certain conditions for this non-refundable tax credit have changed. See line 316 for details
Medical expenses – You can now claim certain additional medical expenses for you, your spouse or common-law partner and your dependent children born in 1988 or later, or other dependants. See line 330 and line 331 for details.
Eligibility of new home construction or home renovations or alterations for disabled persons – The rules for these expenses have been clarified. See line 330 for details.
Allowable amount of medical expenses for other dependants – The maximum amount has been increased to $10,000. See line 331 for details.
Tax transfer for residents of Quebec - You can now transfer up to 45% of the income tax shown on your information slips issued to you by payers outside Quebec.
Refundable medical expense supplement – The maximum amount has increased to $750.
2D bar code – Tax preparation software packages will generate 2D bar codes on your paper return.

Important dates

Generally, your tax return for 2005 has to be filed on or before April 30, 2006.
Your balance owing for 2005 should be paid on or before April 30, 2006.

Self-employed persons - If you or your spouse or common-law partner carried on a business in 2005 (other than a business whose expenditures are primarily in connection with a tax shelter), your 2005 tax return has to be filed on or before June 15, 2006. However, if you have a balance owing for 2005, you still have to pay it on or before April 30, 2006.

Deceased persons - If you are the legal representative (the executor, administrator, or liquidator) of the estate of an individual who died in 2005, you may have to file a tax return for 2005 for that individual. See
Preparing Returns for Deceased Persons for more information.

Completing your tax return

Be sure to correctly fill out the personal and address information section of your tax return or correct the information on your personalized label.

Report income from all sources.

Claim all deductions and tax credits for which you are eligible.

Completing a tax return

What’s new for 2005

Important dates

Completing your tax return

Forms and publications

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