Established in 2003, the Canada Revenue Agency a.k.a the CRA is a crucial part of the Canadian Government. The sole purpose of the agency is to oversee the application and enforcement of various tax laws in different provinces of Canada. Even registration of charities and programmes for tax credits have to be approved with the CRA.
Working in conjunction with the Government of Canada, the CRA is also responsible for overseeing the registration of all incentive programs that are offering economic or social benefit through the Canadian Tax System. The Canada Revenue Agency has worked tirelessly to provide safety, security, and financial growth to all citizens, businesses institutions and more.
In the 15 years that the agency has been functioning, it has developed benefit programs as well as anti-fraud programs for their audience. The CRA also focuses on the collection of different taxes, including income tax, goods and services tax – GST, and the harmonized sales tax – HST. From charities to businesses and personal tax programs, the CRA can help you handle almost any issue.
With a focus on private and public taxes as well as business and professional ones, the CRA offers a multitude of services. Their role in tax collection has made them a central part of the lives of many businesses, charities, and individuals residing in Canada.
Canada Revenue Agency’s Customer Support Services
The CRA has also focused on improving their customer support services so that they can effectively ensure that there are no issues for their users. Their customer support services are designed to address issues, dispel confusion, and make it easier for new and old users to work with them.
The following are a few services that they offer for their consumers.
Self-Help with the Canada Revenue Agency
One of the first things that you can do is try some self-help services with the CRA by logging into or registering for an account with the CRA. Self-help allows you to get the answer to your issue in relation to all the details that you have.
Based on the kind of account you have with the CRA, the nature of the issue, and other fine details, you can pick from the following three categories for self-help:
- My Account –Allows for tracking of personal tax transactions, including refunds, returns or just to keep an eye on the RRSP limit.
- My Business Account – Makes it easier for businesses to track their tax-based expenses, including GST/HST, corporation income taxes, payroll, excise duties and taxes, and more.
- Represent a Client –Allows users to access information on behalf of their client, whether they are representing a person or a business.
Accessing these three areas will allow you to address or keep track of any issues that you might have with the Canada Revenue Agency. Plus, you have more freedom to address any issue without confusion.
The FAQ’s Section or The Most Asked About Topics with the Canada Revenue Agency
If you have some pressing questions, you can also take a look at the FAQ section at the CRA. Labeled as Most Asked About Topics, this section offers you a list of the most common questions in different areas and fields. In this case, you can pick from the following three lists:
- Individuals and Families – Address tax issues and problems relating to personal taxes and family taxes. From changing your status to establishing proof of income and more, you can find all the answers in this list.
- Business – From paying GST to registering your business and collecting and charging the appropriate GST/HST, this area addresses all questions you might have related to your business and the taxes which apply to it.
- Charities – If you run a charity, the CRA can help you out by figuring out the answers to some of the most pressing questions including how to register the charity, which taxes apply to it, and how to make claims for any applicable charitable tax credits that you qualify for.
These topics all focus on various different questions that you might have in relation to the services offered by the CRA. If you feel that your question isn’t listed here, you can also reach out and make use of the phone line for the Canada Revenue Agency’s customer support services.
I Have a Complaint or a Dispute, What Do I Do?
If you have a complaint or a dispute that you need to get addressed by the Canada Revenue Agency, get in touch with the CRA for it. Issues including EI/CPP appeals, confirmation of timelines, taxpayer relief, and more can be solved with the help of CRA. For more information regarding these complaints and appeal, you can either call the CRA or find more help here.
How Do I Contact the Canada Revenue Agency?
If you’re still not happy and would like more answers to your questions, you can also get in touch with the Canada Revenue Agency’s customer support services over the phone. CRA has different phone lines for different options. If you’re looking to get in touch with the CRA over the phone, try the following number:
- 1-800-959-8281 – For any personal and individual related inquiries – Individuals who suspect fraud are also encouraged to call on this helpline.
- 1-800-959-5525 – For all inquiries relating to businesses and the taxes which apply to them.
- 1-800-267-2384 – For inquiries regarding or related to charities, including how to register them, the taxes, and more.
- 1-800-665-0354 – For individuals who are either speech or hearing impaired and rely on a teletypewriter.
If you want to take a closer look at all the specialized phone numbers that the CRA has for individuals, businesses, and charities, you can view them all here.
With the help of these details, you can easily ensure that you have no issues in submitting the taxes for your returns when you are working with the CRA!
Based on the blatant and unapologetic trashing of my family heritage and ignoring my withdrawing permission to access my bank account by the CRA Commissioner and staff (and their demonstrated lack of ability to secure personal and banking information), I will only communicate with CRA in paper form . When I need to send money to the CRA, I mail many, many cheques … in sporadic and incremental amounts (as low as $0.01 in many cases).