Notice of Assessment Analyzer
Upload your notice of assessment for a plain-English reading, plus a checklist of the seven things on it worth acting on.
Private: the letter is read once and not saved on our server. Please cover your social insurance number before you take the photo.
The short version
- Upload your notice of assessment or reassessment (the PDF from My Account reads best). The analyzer pulls out the refund or balance, every change CRA made and why, and your objection deadline.
- It tells you whether the notice matches what you filed, and if not, which line moved and whether that's usually worth disputing.
- Below, a checklist of the seven things on a notice worth acting on, from next year's RRSP limit to a Home Buyers' Plan repayment you may have missed.
- Free and private: the file is read once and not saved on our server. Cover your social insurance number before you take a photo.
- It reads the notice; it can't see your CRA account. If something looks wrong, check My Account before you act.
Notice of Assessment Analyzer
Most people read their notice of assessment the way they read a restaurant bill: look at the total, sigh or smile, put it in a drawer. The total is the least interesting number on it. The useful parts are the explanation of changes, next year's RRSP limit and the carryforward amounts, which are worth money if you use them and nothing if you don't. The analyzer above reads the whole thing; the checklist below tells you what to do with it.
Seven Things to Act On
| On the notice | What to do |
|---|---|
| Date of the notice | Your objection deadline counts from it; see objection deadline |
| Refund or balance different from your return | Read the explanation of changes; a smaller refund may also be an offset against another debt; see refund reduced |
| Explanation of changes | Decide: CRA is right (pay), missing a receipt (send it), or wrong (object); see what to do after a reassessment |
| RRSP deduction limit for next year | Your room for contributions; contributions above it plus $2,000 are taxed 1% a month; see RRSP contribution limit |
| Unused RRSP contributions | Already contributed but not yet deducted; deduct them in a higher-income year |
| Home Buyers' Plan or Lifelong Learning Plan repayment | The minimum due this year; anything not repaid is added to your income; see Home Buyers' Plan |
| Carryforward amounts | Unused tuition, net capital losses and similar amounts; claim them in future years so they aren't forgotten |
Your TFSA room isn't on the notice; it's in My Account, along with every past notice. The full section-by-section guide is on notice of assessment explained.
The notice is wrong?
The objection SmartFile uses the analyzer's reading of your notice, sorts the changes you agree and disagree with, and drafts the objection with form T400A before the deadline.
Common Surprises, and What They Usually Mean
| You see | Usually means |
|---|---|
| Refund smaller than your software said | A change in the explanation, or part of the refund applied to another debt or benefit overpayment |
| A balance when you expected a refund | A slip you missed, a credit denied, or not enough tax withheld; see why do I owe tax? |
| "We changed your claim for…" | A limit applied, or receipts CRA asked for and didn't get |
| Extra income added | A missed Home Buyers' Plan repayment, or a slip CRA has and you didn't report |
| CPP or EI refunded | You overpaid through two jobs, which is normal and good news |
| Instalment reminder later in the year | Your balance was over $3,000; see tax instalments |
Getting a Clean Reading
- Download the PDF from My Account, under mail or tax returns.
- Paper notice? Photograph every page flat, in good light.
- Cover your SIN; the analyzer doesn't need it.
- Have your return handy to compare line 15000, 23600 and 26000 with what CRA used.
Have a CRA letter that isn't a notice? Use the CRA letter analyzer. Tax slips go in the tax document analyzer. All free tools are on tax tools.
Notice of Assessment Analyzer Questions
How do I read my notice of assessment?
Start with the date and the account summary, then read the explanation of changes, which lists every line CRA changed. Then check your RRSP deduction limit, any Home Buyers’ Plan repayment and carryforward amounts for next year.
Is the notice of assessment analyzer free?
Yes. Reading a notice and explaining it is free, within a fair-use limit.
Do you save my notice of assessment?
No. It is read once and deleted when the request ends. We keep only the type of document and tax year for statistics.
Where do I find my notice of assessment?
In CRA My Account, which keeps copies of past notices, or in the mail if you are not registered for online mail.
What if my notice of assessment is wrong?
If CRA is missing a receipt, send it through Submit documents. If CRA got the facts or rules wrong, file a notice of objection by the later of one year after your filing due date and 90 days after the notice date.
Sources: CRA, After sending your tax return; Income tax objections decision tree. Checked October 2026. What appears on a notice varies with your situation. The analyzer is an AI reading and can make mistakes; check key amounts against the notice and My Account.
Last reviewed October 5, 2026 against CRA and Government of Canada sources. How we check our facts.