For filing by phone, I didn't even know that was an option in the past!  To me, that would seem like a very frustrating way of doing my taxes, but I can see where it would be beneficial to anyone who has vision problems or difficulties reading in English or French.

I didn't know there were simplified returns, so I can't comment too much.  It will probably just take people a little bit longer, looking over the sections that do not need to be filled out.  I've always had areas that I've skipped.

The last point I do not understand the concern, but this seems to be what people are most upset about.  Letters are going out to inform people ahead of time.  I think this is actually a good way of saving some money, as many of the forms that get mailed do not get returned.  How did some people even get them mailed anyway?  I've always seen people picking them up at the post office.

I think people should be encouraged to use a computer for tax returns. I've done grading and know how difficult it is to interpret some people's printing correctly, even for numbers.  I do understand the need for paper returns still, but I think a gradual phasing out of them would be beneficial.

Filing by phone always appeared to be a very lavour intensive and time suck option.  As I understood it, you would need to enter all the information on a touch tone phone--line # then amount and so on.  

My folks still have a rotary phone. Imagine the planning involved. Imagine if you made a mistake.

probably not possible with a rotary phone.  it would be set for the tones, not for pulses

chemgal - in the past forms were mailed out to people who filed by filling in the form and mailing it.  To get your name on the mailing list you would pick up a form at a government office and use it - the next year you would receive a form in the mail and every year thereafter as long as you kept filing by mail.  This must be what they are discontinuing. 

Short form - long form.  The short form was simple - for people who have little or no income, and that income from one or two sources (ie - a T4 for wages for seasonal employment, and a slip for EI).  If you were reporting investment income, capital gains, tuition, student loan repayments, and/or claiming anything other than standard credits you would need the longer form.   I don't wonder that a person receiving only Old Age Security and Guaranteed Income Supplement, and having no deductions other than the standard ones, would complain about having to file a long form.

A few years ago Seelerman and I started taking our information to a volunteer at our church (for elderly and low income people).  They file it for us, free of charge, electronically.  We no longer get the forms.

My daughter always phoned hers in. Its quick, easy and you get a fast refund. I started once and blooped...lol...but you get 2 more chances to start over re an error  You just supply your  figures according to the numbers on the pages, its all automated...skip what you don't need or use. I presume the problem re that service being discontinued is that  T4 slips, receipts of any kind, or proof of income etc. was never required. There would be no way for the gov't  to determine if what you are saying is true. I really used to wonder about that aspect!  In hindsight its not required filing  via the net either...?

I don't suggest sending it via the net unless you have very good security on your home computer. My computer is old with  security problems so I never post  personal info., credit card numbers etc. on the net. Of course all of the tax returns will be/are on the  gov't  websites.

The  reason they are discontinuing the forms would be because so many people are getting their returns compiled for them by accountants etc. using the net. Also, it sure saves storage space and money re paper returns if I'm correct in that paper returns are no longer being accepted if you file on the net? Our T4's etc. will also not be required I assume as in phoning which I mentioned above. I must google the gov't website to clear up some points not included in the letter I received.

www.cra.gc.ca/getready

You can print your own forms off the net but there's too much to print!

I went to the gov't website in the link.

This is the info. I was wondering about. If the gov't requires your receipts for any purpose or an audit they will notify you.

Again, it sure saves  them storage space. Imagine all the paper returns  that had to be stored over the years and of course some still will be stored.

I have anti-virus, anti-malware, a secure router, password protection, encrypted browser and encrypted hard drive, and still I got a virus. I called it "The Immaculate Infection".

You left out an important line of defense - blessing by a priest or pastor of your choice.

I do NetFile my returns and have since the original NetFile pilot years ago. I figure if I'm doing my banking online (which I do), doing my taxes that way isn't really any more insecure.

Mendalla

chansen

I did better .........I've always had Norton antivirus and internet. Would you believe.......Norton got a virus in my computer? It went totally squirrley. I freaked out but it was funny! They had to refund my money, no questions asked. They sure screwed up my register 'tho. At one time I had loads of security and I had more problems with it than without...spybot, adware etc. I have a Dell almost 9 years old (running fine) incompatible with SP2 so I'm way back there, can't get browsers.....:). I did manage to get an older  firefox version not running 100% properly and IE 6 which is a write-off.

Chansen, I'm not even sure if the rotary phones work here anymore!  I recall hearing something a while ago, I don't remember the details.  It may have just been an issue with certain providers.

Thanks for the explanation Seeler!

Stardust, the forms are still available, they just aren't be automatically mailed.  They have to be requested if someone wants one mailed to them.

When you file by internet, you don't have to supply the proof.  The government does request it though, I've been asked for specific things on more than one return.  Soon they might just ask for the electronic copies, that's how I get most of my information now anyway.  I think some of it is stupid, I've been asked for copies of my tuition more than once.  Doesn't the government already have information like that?

Using the computer doesn't mean you have to send it electronically.  I don't know if it's true of all of the programs, but some allow you to print them off and you can mail them in.

Don't worry about the government not having slips to check if you phone or use the computer.  When your employer prepares your T4, or T3 or T5, they send a copy to the tax department.  In this day of computerized information it would be a simple matter for the taxman to call up your SIN and have a record of your incomee and deductions. 

It seems that unless your return is chosen for an audit they don't require all your receipts for medical expenses or charitable donations.  They take your word for it.  Nevertheless you should keeep your receipts for seven years just in case you are asked to produce them.

seeler

Right......I forgot about that .  I used to prepare/type    those slips for the staff and the gov't   when I did a company payroll.

Seeler, that's what I thought!  Why do they decide to ask me for one every few years?  It's not like it's a full audit, they just want one or two T-slips that I figured they already had the info to.

I don' know Chem.  I"ve never worked on the government side of things.  And I've never beeen asked for my slips.   Chance, would be my guess.  Perhaps they pull out random returns and check certain things.  Just by chance yours might be pulled while mine is ignored. 

Hi GordW,

Once upon a time it used to be so simple with a rotary phone.

Instead of pressing buttons endlessly you stayed on the line and a real person talked to you.

Real people being in short supply we have had to produce more phones with buttons.

And as a result our Western world has lost the ability to talk to real live people.  We excel at pushing their buttons though.

Progress isn't always forward.

Grace and peace to you.

John

Norton has been a bloated disaster for as long as I can remember. I read somewhere that the latest versions aren't as bad, but I wouldn't let it near my boxes. I run Kaspersky IS now, but I've run Eset with good results in the past as well. Avast is a good free option.

chansen

I had Avast once. I need SP2 for it  meaning I need a new puter since I can't run SP2 on this one.

Mc Afee Security owner/founder  is in the News. It seems his neighbor was murdered

and Mc Afee left town. I forget the story. I googled and I can't bother to read it........:)

It sounds kind of funny, weird,cheesy.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=8ms-cE7yQTY

This is too long....!!
http://www.examiner.com/article/millionaire-john-mcafee-accused-of-shoot...

He's making a second movie?

http://news.cnet.com/8301-17852_3-57563927-71/second-mcafee-movie-announ...

Supersimplified Canadian Tax Return:

"Did you make any money this last year?  Yes/No"