Tax Clinic 2025

LOCATION, DATE, TIME

Saturday, March 22, 2025 – TBD - 10:00AM - 8:00PM
Sunday, March 23, 2025 – TBD - 10:00AM - 8:00PM
Saturday, March 29, 2025 – TBD - 10:00AM - 8:00PM
Sunday, March 30, 2025 – TBD - 10:00AM - 8:00PM

Please arrive at STC 1012, where our intake receptionists will take your information and provide you with directions to where your tax returns will be done.

To assist you in preparing your tax return, we have provided a checklist for you to use.

 Checklist

If you have any questions or concerns about the Tax Clinic this year, please feel free to email us at taxclinic@uwafsa.ca.

Eligibility:

Regrettably, we will not be able to prepare your return if it involves any of the following items:

  • Self-employed (including independant contractors)

  • Rental income

  • Bankruptcy

  • Deceased persons

  • A foreign investment property worth more than $100,000

  • Disposition of marketable securities (eg. Capital Gains/Losses on sales of shares)

  • Employment expenses (eg. form T2200 signed by your employer)

  • Interest Income over $1000

Total income above the following income thresholds (except those claiming a T2202 tuition credit during the year):

Taxpayer Status

Family Income

Individual

$35,000

Couple

$45,000

Each additional dependant

+$2,500

 *For each additional dependant you have, add $2,500 to the maximum family income.

To clarify, the tax clinic will serve any individual who is claiming T2202 tuition credits during the year, irrespective of income. The restrictions on certain scenarios and income types in the above-noted list still apply to individuals claiming T2202 tuition credits during the year

International Students: International students are welcome and encouraged to file a tax return even if they don't have any income! We will walk you through the process of getting an Individual Tax Number (ITN) if you're not eligible for a Social Insurance Number (SIN) and don't already have an ITN.  

International Taxes: We cannot prepare tax returns for other countries at this time (eg. US tax returns for students that had co-op in the US). However, if you bring your completed foreign tax return, we may be able to complete the Canadian return.

WHAT TO BRING TO TAX CLINIC:

Tax Clinic Checklist for your convenience:

All:  Checklist 

  • Government-issued photo ID (required)

  • Social Insurance Number (SIN) or Individual Tax Number (ITN)

  • USB drive (if available)

  • Direct Deposit Information (If you wish to have your returns and GST/HST etc/ credits filed by direct deposit (into your bank account), please bring your direct deposit number including branch and account number, or a void cheque.)

  • Information slips, (eg. T3, T4, T4A, T5, T5013, etc.)

  • 2022 Notice of Assessment (if not filing for the first-time)

  • Any other information not listed below that may be applicable

Students (see links below):

  • Tuition Slip (T2202)

  • T4; Employment slip

  • T4; Scholarships/RESP Withdrawals/CESB/CERB

  • Rent Receipts

  • T4E; Employment Insurance claims

  • Rent or property tax paid in Ontario

Less Common Items:

  • Foreign Income

  • Medical Expenses

  • Moving Expenses

  • RRSP Contribution Slips

  • FHSA Contribution Slips

  • Student Loan Interest

  • Charitable Donations

  • T3/T5/T5007

  • Tips or Gratuities Earned

  • Carrying Charges (eg. investment fees)

  • Interest on Student Loans

  • Home Buyer's Amount - let us know if you purchased a new home in 2023

WHAT NOT TO BRING TO TAX CLINIC:

  • Home Office Expenses

  • Pay Stubs

  • GST/HST Notice of Assessments

For checklists of prior years, please see this folder: Tax Clinic Checklists

HOW TO ACCESS UW STUDENT DOCUMENTS:

T4 from co-op work/summer job Your employer will mail this to the mailing address they have on file, so be sure that they have the most up-to-date mailing address, especially if you lived away from home during co-op. If you haven't received this by March 1, follow up with your employer.

T4/T4A from Waterloo (eg. Scholarships/Bursaries, TA, other University of Waterloo employment)

https://uwaterloo.ca/workday/ -> Main Menu -> Personal -> Documents   

T2202 Tuition Slip

Quest -> Finances -> Tax Receipts -> PRINT (don't choose View). You may have taken courses at an online university or other universities to replace a Waterloo course; make sure you get a T2202 from them as well (eg. Athabasca University T2202).

Charitable Donations to Endowment Fund(s)

Quest -> Finances -> Tax Receipts -> Scroll down all the way -> PRINT All UW students contribute to endowment fund(s) as part of your student fees, unless they opt out at the start of the term. If you're unsure, then you didn't opt out!

Rent Receipts

  • The address you lived at (including postal code)

  • How many months in 2023 you were there for

  • The total amount paid in 2023

  • The name of the landlord/company that owned it, or the person you subletted from

You should get a letter/receipt from your landlord (or sublettor) confirming the above in case the CRA reviews your claim in the future. The easiest way is to write the letter yourself, print it off and get them to sign it. Make sure the letter contains the above four items as well as your name!

Lived in Residence in 2023? No evidence/receipt is needed. If you are a student and live in a designated Ontario university, college or private school residence, you may qualify for $25. Make sure your preparer knows!

Health/Dental Plan Premiums (medical expense)

Either call the health/dental office or visit them in person and ask them for a receipt/letter stating the total amount of premiums you paid for the calendar year 2023. They will probably email it to you. Medical expenses may be transferable to parents depending on the situation. Find this here.

Moving Expenses

If you moved and are now 40 km closer to your new workplace, you may be able to deduct moving expenses against the income you earned (eg. move from studying at Waterloo -> your parents' house in Toronto for co-op). The information needed is:

  • Use Google Maps to determine the distance between

    • Your old residence and your new work

    • Your new residence and your new work

  • Address of both new and old residences (including postal codes)

  • Date of move

  • Date you started the new job

  • Name and address of employer that you moved to work at/attend

  • Amount of moving expenses, unless you took a train/plane, the best way is usually the 'simplified method'

    • Kilometres between new residence and old residence

    • Meals eaten during this move

    • (Number of nights, usually zero)

Ontario Staycation Credit (2022)

  • Eligible expenditures for stays in Ontario for less than a month may be claimed up to:

    • $1,000 for individuals or;

    • $2,000 for a family.

  • Eligible expenditures include accommodation expenditures (including Hotel, AirBnb)

  • Meals, travel, long-term rentals, fuel, flights, and entertainment are not eligible for the staycation credit.