How to fix a CRA mistake? | Income tax filing | Discussion forum

I would sign in to My Account, on first page under Tax Returns select Change My Returns and it will lead you through to change any lines(s) you want, i.e. in your case remove the amount on the tuition line and add the amount on the taxable capital gain line.

As you are making a change to their assessment, make sure to do this after the Notice of Assessment date, sounds like sometime next week for you.

No need to call and explain, unless you prefer to. But CRA errors like this can cause future liability, so you're right to make the adjustments.

CRA will issue a new Notice of Assessment and then you can send them what you owe them.

Yeah, I know, but I saw a 2016 Globe and Mail article when I googled it and some tax guy said you're responsible for reviewing your assessment notice and making sure it's right, that it doesn't matter who made the error, CRA could always come back later for the right amount, plus interest, so amend your return no matter whose error it is. Maybe he's full of it, I don't know.

Sure, you can call them up and get them to fix it, I just figure based on tax guy's comments it's a lot quicker not to worry about whose fault it is and just do it via My Account, probably take 5 minutes, new NOA issued, done.

Last year I realized I had omitted some deductions for 3 years so I went into My Account, amended 3 years worth of returns in about 10 minutes, ended up getting 3 deposits totaling about $800 into my bank account, so I'm biased, love My Account vs trying to call them.

Now that you mention it, there are 2 things you can do on My Account. The Change My Returns option is just that, changing your return, what you did in previous years, AltaRed. It's not appealing or objecting to your assessment, so no reasons provided, no T1A, etc, just changing previously assessed line amounts. Like you I've used this and it works great, I'm assuming it would work in this case too.

The other way, formally objecting to your Assessment, involves clicking instead on "Register my formal dispute", and only there is there a place for a narrative re your reasons for objecting. Maybe that's the better way to go in this case, now that I think about it. There's a time limit, 90 days from the date of the Assessment or up to a year, in this case. Problem with this is the Appeals branch can take a year or so to get to it. I think I'd still try the first way in this case, see what happens, if it works or not you'll know pretty quickly when you see your new Assessment Notice. Since no money's payable until the end of next month there's time.

Yeah, my only experience with the change my return option was as I said, re 3 years affecting one line each year and within a few weeks I had a new Assessment Notice, my money, no questions asked, that was about 2 years ago I think. And the amount was only $800. In your case, you're actually increasing your amount payable, so either they'll be happy to accept it without scrutiny or else they'll kick it out for a closer look because who amends returns to send in more money unless they're a cheater, who knows what their computer thinks?

As I said, I'd do it that way, you seem to know what's happening and you're on it, can check your My Account every week or so until you see it, and then send in your money. If it's not done by August end, you can just send them what you think you owe to be safe. In any event, it makes sense to do it this way to me, even CRA wouldn't expect someone to formally go through the appeal process in order to pay more tax (they're very conscious of people going to media with CRA shenanigans) - although I happen to know some CRA auditors who call their Appeals dept "the gift shop" because they are essentially a pr dept and like to reverse auditor assessments to be nice to those who make innocent errors - so I suppose if you went that way you might ultimately be let off, who knows?!

Aside from the wait sounds like top-notch service from CRA agents, nice to hear.