2023 TurboTax® Canada Tips

Want to Make the Switch to Filing Online? Here are 5 Reasons Why You Should Consider it

TurboTax Canada
September 16, 2020 | 3 Min Read

Cropped shot of an attractive young woman using her laptop while chilling at home

More Canadians are shifting to filing their taxes online. In fact, last year 30.3% of Canadians filed their tax return using the Netfile Service.

Let’s review 5 reasons why you should consider making the move to filing your taxes online.

On-the-Go Tax Prep

If you are a MAC user, you will have access to our TurboTax Online editions, as they will work in any preferred browser. You need not worry about installing anything on your computer, as it is run directly in the browser of your choices such as Google Chrome, Safari, Internet Explorer, Microsoft Edge, or Mozilla Firefox.

As long as you have an internet connection, you will be able to use the software on any computer.

Say you start working on your tax return at the office, but don’t get to finish it. If you choose to file online, you can pick up where you left off, from the comfort of your living room couch. It’s definitely more convenient!

Expert Tax Assistance with SmartLook™

If you’re looking for the help of a tax expert, but don’t want to deal with finding one, then TurboTax Online is the right choice for you because of our Live Assist & Review feature which brings the confidence and expertise of an on-demand tax expert right to you who can answer questions and will review your tax return before you file it.  TurboTax Live Assist & Review uses SmartLook™ technology, which allows you to connect on-demand to a TurboTax expert via a one-way video that allows you to see them, but they can only see your screen, not you, or anything in your home.

With our other online editions (StandardPremier and Self-Employed), you have access to a TurboTax Product Expert to help you with any questions you may have.  With TurboTax Live Assist & Review, you have a Tax Expert within arm’s reach to help you get through your tax return.

Smartlook™ is exclusive to TurboTax’s online software.

Ditch Your Filing Cabinet

You can now save your tax returns for up to seven years with TurboTax Online. Using Tax Return Access, we’ll save your filed tax return as a PDF document and store it on a cloud server, so you can access it from any device that’s connected to the internet. If you want to store copies that are older than seven years, then it’s best to save the PDF document onto a hard drive, in online storage, cloud service, or on a USB drive.

Auto-fill My Return

The best thing about using TurboTax Online is its features, including the CRA’s Auto-fill my return. If you’re tired of tracking down T-slips, double-checking your entries for accuracy, or calculating your carry-forward amounts, Auto-fill My Return has you covered as it pulls your information from the CRA’s My Account.

Even the smallest typo, like a misplaced decimal, can cause a headache. With the CRA’s Auto-fill my return, you import your information directly from your CRA My Account, minimizing the chance of typing errors or incorrect entries. You’ll sleep easy knowing your information is fully accurate. Learn more about how to set up your CRA My Account.

Start for Free

With TurboTax Online products you have the option to start your return for free. Only pay at the end, once you are satisfied with your results and are ready to file.

Security

Intuit takes security very seriously.  We strive to exceed industry standards to ensure the integrity and safety of our customer’s data.

Security is built into everything we do.  In addition to the many security measures that Intuit has implemented in its TurboTax products, such as expanded multi-factor authentication, and customer notifications, additional measures have been put in place, including data encryption.

The security of your data is our number one priority. Year after year, millions of Canadians trust TurboTax to protect their personal information. We use the same trusted encryption on all of our products as online banking channels, and our strict security guidelines ensure your data, both imported and manually entered, is safe.

Please note that it is advisable to avoid using unsecured public computers for TurboTax Online, such as computers in libraries, internet cafés, or coffee shops. If you absolutely must use a public computer to complete your tax return, be sure to log out of your tax software account and close the browser window before leaving the computer so people who use the computer after you won’t have access to your personal information and financial data.