Canadian Tax Problem Solver
Find credits and benefits you may be missing, or get the steps, deadlines and tools for the most common CRA problems. Free, private, no account.
The short version
- Two doors. "Find money I'm missing" lists the credits, deductions and benefits that fit your answers, with an estimate for each. "Fix a tax problem" gives the steps, deadlines and tools for the 14 problems people bring to us most.
- Estimates use the 2026 federal amounts and the July 2026 to June 2027 benefit year. Provincial and territorial credits are estimated too, everywhere except Quebec.
- Nothing you enter leaves your browser. There's no account and nothing to sign up for.
- It points you to the right page, calculator, analyzer or SmartFile for the next step.
- For audits, collections and large amounts, it says so plainly: get a professional.
Canadian Tax Problem Solver
Most people don't need a tax lecture. They need to know two things: what they're missing, and what to do about the letter on the kitchen table. This tool does both in about a minute. Tick what applies and you get a short list worth checking. Pick your problem and you get the steps, in order, with the deadline that matters.
What the Money Door Looks For
| Group | Examples |
|---|---|
| Benefits | Canada child benefit, Groceries and Essentials Benefit, Canada workers benefit |
| Family credits | Spouse amount, eligible dependant, caregiver, child care |
| Seniors | Age amount, pension amount, pension splitting |
| Health | Medical expenses, disability tax credit, home accessibility |
| Home and savings | Home buyers' amount, FHSA, Home Buyers' Plan, RRSP |
| Work and school | Tuition, student loan interest, moving, work from home, union dues, business expenses |
Your situation doesn't fit the boxes?
Describe it in a sentence or two. The assistant answers with the CRA source and opens the right calculator, filled in with your numbers.
Problems It Covers
Reassessments, review letters, owing CRA, collections and garnishment, unfiled years, unreported income, missed objection deadlines, benefits that stopped, penalties from illness or CRA errors, audits, mistakes on your own return, refunds smaller than expected, refunds that have not arrived (three questions tell you whether to wait, check something or call CRA), GST/HST registration, and executor duties. For letters you don't understand, upload them to the CRA letter analyzer first.
How the Estimates Work
- Child benefit and Groceries and Essentials estimates use CRA's formulas with your family income and number of children.
- Credit estimates are the federal credit rate (14% for 2026) times the amount, reduced where income limits apply.
- Deduction estimates use your marginal rate from our income tax calculator.
- Ontario credits use the amounts for July 2026 to June 2027, which are based on your 2025 income. Answer the Ontario questions (rent, property tax, child care) and they show up in your list. The details for each one are on Ontario tax credits and benefits.
- British Columbia credits use the B.C. family benefit amounts for July 2026 to June 2027 and the 2026 amounts for the renter's credit, sales tax credit and tax reduction. The B.C. questions (renting, owning) show up when you pick B.C. More on B.C. taxes.
- Alberta estimates cover the Alberta child and family benefit (base and working parts) for July 2026 to June 2027, and flag the Alberta Seniors Benefit, which you apply for separately. More on Alberta taxes.
- Manitoba, Saskatchewan and the Atlantic provinces use the CRA and provincial amounts for July 2026 to June 2027 (Manitoba credits for the 2026 tax year). Where a province publishes the income range but not the exact reduction, the list shows the most you could get. See provincial taxes for each province.
- The three territories: the Yukon, Northwest Territories and Nunavut child benefits, using CRA's amounts for July 2026 to June 2027. More on taxes in the territories.
- Quebec runs its own tax return and benefits through Revenu Québec; those aren't included yet.
Only want the money side? The what can I claim tool opens straight on it. All our free tools are on tax tools, and dealing with CRA is covered on the CRA guide.
Tax Problem Solver Questions
What tax credits am I missing?
The most commonly missed are medical expenses, the disability tax credit, the caregiver credit, pension income splitting, the home buyers’ amount, moving expenses and unused tuition. The money door checks which fit your answers.
Is the tax problem solver free?
Yes. It runs in your browser, needs no account, and does not send your answers anywhere.
Are the estimates exact?
No. They use federal amounts and standard formulas; provincial and territorial credits are estimated too (except Quebec), and your actual return depends on all your income and claims.
What should I do first if CRA sends me a letter?
Find what it is about and the deadline. The problem door gives the steps for the most common letters, and the CRA letter analyzer reads the letter for you.
Can it file my taxes?
No. It tells you what to check and where to go next. You file with certified tax software or a preparer.
Sources: amounts and formulas come from our 2026 rules file, which records the CRA or Finance Canada source for each figure; see sources. Checked October 2026.
Last reviewed October 11, 2026 against CRA and Government of Canada sources. How we check our facts.