7 reasons why the CRA will audit you

Below we will cover 7 reasons the CRA will audit you, what an audit really means, what transpires during the process, and how to properly and accurately file your taxes to hopefully avoid an audit altogether.

While the CRA may choose to audit you for any number of reasons, below are 7 potential problem areas that may trigger a CRA audit.

1. You are self-employed

While being self-employed has a number of benefits, it can also be a red flag when it comes to your taxes, especially if you work as a freelancer. If you work as a freelancer, your earnings haven’t been taxed yet, so you won’t have a T4 to show the government exactly how much you made and the taxes that were withheld. This lack of official documentation may lead the CRA to conduct an audit to be sure you are paying your proper share of taxes. Your best bet is to put aside roughly 30% of your freelance earnings in a separate account to ensure you have the funds to pay your tax bill.

2. Living beyond your means

If you are making a modest salary but live in a plush apartment and spend half the year on exotic beaches, the government may decide to delve deeper into your tax filings. While you are free to spend your money (or extend your credit) as you see fit, seemingly living far beyond your means is an easy way to trigger a CRA audit.

3. Excessive claims

In certain cases, your tax filing allows you to claim a percentage of your expenses for items including your car and your home (if they are partially used as a business expense). However, there are limits; you are only supposed to claim the percentage of funds or physical space that are actually used for your business. If you have a small office in a large home, attempting to claim the entirely of your rent or mortgage as a business expense will surely raise some eyebrows at the CRA.

4. Not reporting all of your income

It should go without saying, but you need to report all of your income on your annual tax filings. Your employers will create a T4 for you during tax season, and will also send a copy to the government. If you fail to report a source of income (no matter how small) that discrepancy can lead to a full CRA audit. T4 slips can be lost in the mail or sent to an old address of yours on file, so be diligent about tracking them down as early in the tax season as possible.

5. Big changes in your tax situation

While a lot can happen in a year, sweeping changes in your tax situation can lead to further scrutiny by the CRA. If you are suddenly claiming a vast set of new expenses or applying for a number of new tax credits, that can be seen as a red flag. However, perhaps you just learned more about your tax options or began using a new accountant; to avoid any issues, be sure to keep copies of all of your bills and paperwork should the CRA come knocking.

6. Running a cash business

Running a cash business (even a part time venture) will likely put you on the CRA’s radar. Running a cash business relies on you accurately reporting the business income, without the usual electronic paperwork the government can refer to. Without that backup, you need to diligently keep track of all of your transactions to prove that you have accurately reported all of your income and avoid an audit.

7. Standing out from the crowd

The CRA will look at your tax filing and measure it against a number of similar filings to look for discrepancies. They may look at other filings in your earnings bracket, your neighbours, and other members of your industry. For example, if you are reporting substantially less income than others in your field, that may lead the CRA to believe that something is amiss with your return.

Even with those 7 red flags in mind, there are still a number of other potential issues that might trigger a CRA audit.

Constant business losses: If you are continually reporting business losses year after year and using those losses to offset other amounts you owe, the CRA may step in and want to review your file.

Excessive rental losses: Similar to the situation above, if you purchased a rental property in order to supplement your income and are constantly reporting losses to offset your tax bill, the CRA may understandably want to see why your property has never turned a profit.

Large donations or gifts: While you can claim charitable donations or cash gifts, the amounts should be in line with your income. If the CRA notices you are donating large sums of money that don’t seem to line up with your income, that may be cause for them to conduct an audit of your file.

Excessive family salaries
There is nothing wrong with paying your spouse or family members for services, but you need to be careful; the amounts paid have to be in line with average rates for the service provided, and you need to keep meticulous records. If you are spending a large part of your income paying family members excessive wages in order to lower your tax bill, that’s a sure-fire way to trigger an audit from the CRA.

A tax audit is essentially a detailed verification process conducted by The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA). If the CRA has reason to believe there is an issue with your tax filing, they may institute a tax audit on your file. They are looking for discrepancies or improper claims on your tax return.

In essence, a tax audit is an investigation into your complete financial picture. The auditor is looking for anything out of place, which can include everything from excessive home office expenses, large cash gifts, or indications that you have underreported your income.

While it may feel random (especially if you’re selected for an audit) the CRA chooses who to audit based on an internal risk assessment tool that looks for inaccuracies and discrepancies in tax filings. These can include anything from underreported earnings, excessive home office claims (an easy way to trigger an audit), and running a cash-based business, any of which can result in a CRA audit.

A CRA agent will contact you (by phone and/or mail) to notify you of your upcoming audit. An audit can take place at your home or at a CRA office. If the audit is set to take place at a CRA office, you will be responsible for bringing all of the necessary documentation with you. The agent will make copies of all of your documentation, so be sure your records are in order and legible when gathering everything together.

During the audit, the CRA agent will ask to see all of your tax-related paperwork for the period under question (which can go back several years). The agent can also ask to see your personal records as well as those of your family. The auditor will ask you questions about any of their potential concerns while they are reviewing your file. If you have organized records, you should be able to back up all of the information you have provided on your tax return.

Once the agent has completed the audit to their satisfaction (which can take anywhere from several hours to several days depending on the complexity of your file) they will make a decision about how to proceed further. The agent may then decide that your initial filing is fine as is, and the auditing process is over. However, they may also re-assess your filing and present you with an updated version, which may increase your amount owing.

When the audit is complete, you will receive an official document in the mail outlining the auditor’s assessment (either that your initial filing was correct, or a re-assessment with either a new amount owing or a refund due).

You do have some recourse if you disagree with the auditor’s findings. you have 30 days to appeal the new assessment with the CRA, where you can make your case. If you still can’t come to an agreement, there are a number of options available to you including filing an official objection to the CRA ruling.

The general rule is 6 years from the date of the tax year in which they apply. For example, if the tax year is 2021, then you may be asked to furnish records going back to 2016. But if you file your returns late, then you should consider the date of filing and not the tax year.

It is important to note that while this is the general rule, it may change from case to case. If, for example, the CRA suspects fraud, there is a chance they may go back even further.

Apart from keeping your tax records, it is best that you keep all invoices, receipts, cancelled cheques, or any documentation related to medical expenses, donations, childcare, etc., that you may have shown in your tax returns over the years.

Filing your taxes may seem complicated, but there are a number of options now that make the process easier than it has ever been.

If you haven’t already done so, be sure to create your online account via the My CRA Account portal. You will be able to access all of your official government tax forms (including your Notice of Assessment, which you will need to file your taxes).

Once you have your Notice of Assessment, your T4 slips, and copies of all of the expenses you are looking to claim, you can file your taxes using any of the methods below.

1. Online

The fastest way to file your taxes is through the government’s online Netfile service. Once you have completed your tax return via a tax filing service (more on those below) you can simply upload the completed forms through the Netfile service. If you are signed up for direct deposit (which we highly recommend), filing with Netfile is also the quickest way to be paid if you have an amount owed to you.

2. Auto-fill

Another option for those filing online is the CRA’s Auto-fill option. Since the government already has copies of your T4 and other relevant information to file your taxes in the system before your filing is due, you can save time by using the Auto-fill service with an authorized tax return software. Note that you will need to be registered for CRA’s My Account in order to take advantage of this time-saving service.

3. Physical mail

If you aren’t very tech savvy or simply prefer returning your file in a physical form, you can always send in your tax return by mail. Note that this may take much longer to process, especially during COVID. While we don’t recommend this method (your return may be lost in the mail or take much longer to get to), you can return your filing by mail to your nearest tax centre. Note that if it is your first time filing your taxes in Canada, you are required to submit them by mail.

Tax filing software makes filing your taxes easier than ever. While many opt to hire a tax professional to do their taxes, tax filing software guides you through the process step-by-step and allows you to file your taxes quickly and securely. Below are a few of the most popular software services, all of which are certified by the CRA and authorized for use by Revenu Quebec.

While the thought of a CRA audit is enough to keep any Canadian tax payer up at night, understanding how and why the CRA may audit someone is a powerful tool in avoiding a potential audit.

Keep detailed records of your expenses and income and try to be as accurate as possible when claiming expenses related to your home office and car, two areas the CRA is extra vigilant about. While there is no fool-proof way to avoid a CRA audit, filing your taxes accurately and truthfully is the best way to avoid getting into hot water with the CRA.