The deadline is approaching but who’s leaving it to the last?
The Canadian tax deadline is just a couple of weeks away but more than 4 in 10 have yet to file their personal tax return.
A survey conducted on April 2 by H&R Block found that 44% of Canadians have yet to file, but there are some clear regional differences in behaviour.
In Quebec, two thirds of taxpayers had already filed their return, while in British Columbia more than half (51%) were yet to do so, and that brings some potential pitfalls says Lisa Gittens, H&R Block Senior Tax Professional.
"You don't get bonus points for filing well in advance of the deadline but you can get your refund earlier," she says. "If you delay filing until the last minute, you are more likely to make mistakes. Filing early means you'll have more time to track down documents and ensure you don't miss any credits and deductions you're eligible for."
Almost half of respondents said they file their tax return more than a month ahead of the deadline.
An earlier survey by H&R Block conducted at the end of 2017 revealed at 11% of taxpayers leave filing their return until just a week before the deadline.
