Tax time is here, which means that in addition to getting ready to file your tax return, you are also already one-quarter into your next tax year.  To say this time of year is hectic might be an understatement.

Free time is precious, and every minute counts, so making sure the right choices are being made at the right time can be the difference between success or mediocrity.

The other important factor around tax time is record-keeping, especially as the deadline gets closer, when those last few receipts just cannot be found.  Successful tracking of receipts can sometimes be the difference between owing tax and getting money back.  Knowing which of those receipts are legitimate deductions is another story all together.

Let’s take a look at some tax deductible items that you can find in your local grocery store, and what makes them deductions.  Don’t forget next time you head to the grocery store to keep your receipts:

  • Office supplies  – Office supplies may be eligible expenses for self-employed Canadians who work from home, or for fully employed Canadians who are required to work from home – and where their employer has completed Form T2200, requiring them to provide their own office supplies as a condition for employment.
  • Gluten-free products – Canadians who have been diagnosed with Celiac disease (gluten intolerance) and who have a letter from a medical practitioner certifying that they have this disease and require a gluten free diet, are eligible to claim the difference in cost between buying gluten-free products a similar products with gluten. Other products may be eligible if they are used by the person with Celiac disease to make gluten-free products for their own use.  Of note, if several people eat the gluten-free products, only the costs related to the part of the product eaten by the person with Celiac disease may be claimed as a medical expense.
  • A bottle of Windshield Washer Fluid to add to your vehicle so that you can keep your windshield clean is an eligible deduction for any Canadian who uses their vehicle for the purpose of earning income, whether it be travelling to see a client as a self-employed business owner, or if fully employed, and has a side gig driving ride share, or as a food courier.
  • Prescription drugs and medications – Some grocery stores have their own pharmacy which means that you are able to submit your prescriptions and receive the medication from the store.  These medications are tax deductible.
  • Pet Food – Canadians who have Service Animals are entitled to claim the care, maintenance, and food as eligible expenses.  Service Animals are specially trained animals which assist their owner in coping with any of the following impairments:
    • The owner is blind
    • The owner is profoundly deaf
    • The owner has a severe and prolonged physical impairment that markedly restricts the use of their arms and legs
    • Has severe diabetes (incurred after 2013)
    • Has severe mental impairment (for expenses incurred after 2017) and the animal must have been specially trained to perform specific tasks that assist the person in coping with the impairment.

An animal that only provides emotional support is not considered to be specially trained for a specific task.

Finally, do not forget to pick up your copy of TurboTax so that you get your tax return completed, on time, claiming the maximum deductions possible.

TurboTax guides you through a list of over 400 potential deductions and credits to ensure that you are claiming everything that you are entitled to – and maximizing your refund.

TurboTax, available at Loblaws and Real Canadian Superstore.