We’re in the midst of Tax Season! So how do you prepare your tax return?

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 Whether you prepare your tax return yourself or get someone else to do it, here are some tax tips to remember:

– If you owe the government money, file your ’11 tax return before April 30th, 2012;

– If you purchased passes that allow you unlimited travel during 2011, you can claim them on your tax return (you are also allowed to claim the passes for your partner and children under age of 19);

– Parents with children: If you paid for your children to be involved in fitness classes or arts classes, you can claim those expenses on your tax return;

– Medical expenses, student loans, & tuition that were not claimed for 2010 can be carried forward to 2011;

– Apply for the Working Income Tax Benefit (a refundable tax credit for low income individuals and families) by completing a Schedule 6;

– If you have not included some information in your previous years’ tax returns (for instance you did not include certain expenses) you can fill a T1 Adjustment Form). This can increase your refund for a your old tax return, and you can get the amount back from CRA;

– If you did not claim a donation, it can be carried forward for up to 5 years, and;

– Ontario-specific: Remember to fill the ON-BEN Application in order to apply for Ontario energy and property tax credit, Northern Ontario energy credit, and Ontario senior homeowners’ property tax grant.

Good luck getting those returns in and hopefully getting your refund! 😉