Married or common-law? Your returns have to be prepared together
Married & Common-Law
What you need to know first
Canada does not have a joint return. You each file your own - which leads a lot of couples to have them prepared separately, or by two different people, and that is where the money goes.
Almost every benefit worth having is calculated on combined family income, and several credits are only worth anything if they are moved to the spouse who can actually use them. That decision cannot be made correctly if the two returns are prepared in isolation.
“We file separately, so it doesn't matter who prepares them.”
You file separately but you are assessed as a household. Credit transfers, the spousal amount, CCB and childcare allocation all depend on both sets of numbers being in front of the same preparer at the same time.
What we claim for you
The credits and deductions that apply here
Specific to your situation, not a generic checklist.
8 claims we check for you
Transferable credits
Tuition, age, disability and pension credits moved to whichever spouse can use them.
Spousal amount
Available where one spouse has little or no income, including a spouse living outside Canada.
Canada Child Benefit
Calculated on combined family income, so accuracy on both returns directly changes the monthly payment.
Childcare expenses
Generally claimed by the lower-income spouse. Getting this the wrong way round is a common and costly error.
Medical expenses
Usually best pooled on the lower-income spouse's return to clear the income threshold.
Charitable donations
Combined on one return to reach the higher-rate tier.
Pension income splitting
Up to half of eligible pension income allocated to a spouse in a lower bracket.
First-time home buyer credit
Claimed by either spouse or split, alongside the principal residence exemption on a later sale.
Before you message us
Have these ready
Not all of it is essential. Send what you have and we'll tell you what's missing.
- Both partners' full legal names and SINs
- Both partners' net income for the year
- Employment status for each of you
- Date you married or became common-law
- Children's details, if you have them
- Childcare, medical and donation receipts for the household
Questions
Married & Common-Law: common questions
Straight answers to what people ask us most.
Do married couples file jointly in Canada?
My spouse has no income. Do they still need to file?
What happens if we don't report each other's information?
When do we become common-law for tax purposes?
Do you charge extra for a couple?
Services
What you'll likely need
Let's get your taxes sorted
Message us on WhatsApp and one of our tax experts will walk you through exactly what we need. No obligation, no pressure.