Understanding Your Notice of Assessment
- 4 days ago
- 3 min read
It may have taken some time and effort, but you managed to complete your income tax return for another year. While most of your work is done, you’re not quite finished yet.
After the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) reviews your tax return, they will send you a Notice of Assessment (NOA). Go through it carefully and also think about sharing it with your advisor. Before we consider the main reasons why, let’s look at the basics of the NOA.
What is a Notice of Assessment?
The NOA is an annual statement that the CRA sends (through the mail and/or electronically) after you file your income tax return. It will state whether you received a refund or had an amount owing, and will provide the exact figure. If a balance due remains outstanding, you should pay it promptly to avoid additional interest charges.
The NOA is also an itemized tax assessment. It will list details from that specific tax year, such as your income, deductions, credits and tax payable (both federal and provincial). If you made an error when filing your return, the CRA will correct it and provide an explanation of the adjustments they made. The NOA will also indicate your RRSP contribution limit for the next calendar year, as well as the dollar amount of unused net capital losses (if any) from previous years that you may apply to reduce taxable capital gains in the future.
An advisor can help decipher your NOA
As you can see, the NOA is a practical and informative snapshot of your finances for the past year. When you read through it, enhance your overall understanding of the types of income you generate and your primary sources of tax relief. Take note of any mistakes or incorrect calculations you may have made so you can avoid them when filing future tax returns.
An advisor has the experience and relevant skills to review your NOA with a critical eye and offer specific advice regarding matters you might be unaware of. Maybe you missed capturing some deductions or credits that would lower your income tax payable or increase your tax refund. If you donate to charities, an advisor may recommend – depending on your financial situation – that you donate securities instead of cash, or defer claiming donations to a future tax return in order to maximize your tax savings.
An advisor may also uncover opportunities to adjust your investment portfolio to increase capital gains and dividends while reducing income generated from interest, which is taxed at your highest marginal rate. Advisors are trained to develop and execute tax-efficient investment strategies so you can reduce the amount you owe each year. They may also work with other professionals in their network, such as an accountant, to help build a tax-smart plan that is customized for your unique financial circumstances.
It’s also valuable for your advisor to know how much unused capital losses you have from previous years, as it could impact decisions on selling securities that trigger capital gains. Knowing your RRSP deduction limit for the upcoming year will help your advisor create or revise your strategy regarding how much to contribute. Your advisor may also help you take advantage of a pre-authorized contribution plan so you can automatically contribute a set amount to your RRSP on a regular basis (e.g., monthly) rather than try to make a large annual lump-sum contribution.
This educational content was originally created by Investia Financial Services Inc. and is reproduced here with permission. This article is a general discussion of certain issues intended as general information only and should not be relied upon as tax or legal advice. Please obtain independent professional advice, in the context of your particular circumstances. Investia Financial Services Inc. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Industrial Alliance Insurance and Financial Services Inc., a life and health insurance company which operates under the trade name iA Financial Group.
Source: Understanding Your Notice of Assessment, Investia Financial Services Inc., 04/2023.
