By Kevin Brown | Bio
I was preparing my mother-in-law’s Canadian tax return this week for net-filing, a service I have provided for the past six years. For those of you who have used a software tax package, you will know that ‘net-filing’ a return is an online submission direct to the Canada Revenue Agency. Her return is very basic, really just accounting for her Old Age Security benefit and Canada Pension. Since she retired, she has never received a refund and never has had to make a payment. So this should have been relatively easy. Ah, but not so! This time, when I attempted to obtain the 4 digit access code that would allow me to file online, the online connection to the CRA would not grant me the access code.I had to call their 1-800 number.
Their response was that I could not have access to the code because I was not identified in their system as a guardian. I mentioned that my wife was also available, but, no, she also was not identified in their system. Only my mother could request the code. OK, so I asked my mother-in-law (who is 92 years young) to take the telephone.
So the call proceeded with the CRA representative asking my mother-in-law