yatoolbox.ca/guideThe YaToolbox guide
Getting your invoices ready for tax filing
Friendly reminders for Quebec freelancers and small businesses.
Nobody remembers everything. Here are the things that often slip through the cracks, so you can gather them before your accountant has to ask.
Last reviewed October 17, 2026
Easy to forget
Start with a quick sweep of your inboxes, files and payment accounts.
Your NEQ fee and annual update
Registered businesses should check their annual update and registration-fee obligations, even when nothing has changed. Payment and filing deadlines differ; the rules depend on the legal form and eligibility for joint filing.
Official guidanceReceipts in the wrong inbox
The subscription billed to an old email address, the receipt in your personal Gmail, the photo still on your phone. Check each place once and gather everything together.
The invoice behind the card statement
A card statement shows a payment, but may not contain the information needed to support GST/QST claims. Keep the supplier’s invoice and check the required details, including the business name where applicable.
Official guidanceInvoices that are still unpaid
List what your clients still owe at year-end, and any supplier bills you have not paid. Your accountant can determine how they should be treated.
Stripe, PayPal and platform fees
Keep the transaction reports as well as bank deposits. Show the gross customer payments and the fees separately, so your accountant can reconcile the amounts.
Small subscriptions
Software, hosting, domains and ads add up. Keep foreign suppliers’ invoices too, including those without GST/QST.
Equipment you bought
A laptop, monitor or office chair may be treated differently from an everyday expense. Flag these purchases and keep the purchase date and invoice.
Instalments already paid
Note the dates and amounts paid to both the CRA and Revenu Québec. Include the payment confirmations.
Tax slips and assessment notices
Compare any T4A, RL-1 or other slips you receive with your records. Include last year’s notices of assessment and mention anything that does not match.
Cash, e-transfers and side jobs
Include these in the income records you give your accountant, along with income received through platforms.
The $30,000 threshold
Keep an eye on taxable sales, including zero-rated sales. Small-supplier rules consider a single calendar quarter as well as four consecutive quarters, and may include associated businesses. If you are approaching $30,000, check GST/QST registration timing with your accountant.
Official guidance
Worth noting down now
Details are easy to remember today and much harder to reconstruct a few years later.
Meals, gifts and client outings
Keep itemized bills and note who was there and the business purpose. Keep these expenses separate: meals and entertainment are generally subject to deduction limits, with exceptions.
Official guidanceBusiness trips in your car
Log the date, destination, business purpose and kilometres as you go. Keep annual odometer readings and vehicle-expense receipts. Ask your accountant which trips qualify as business travel.
Official guidanceHome office, phone and internet
If you claim a business share, keep the bills and record the percentage and calculation you propose. Your accountant can confirm what is eligible.
Paper receipts and unclear purchases
Photograph fading thermal receipts while they are readable. When the business purpose is not obvious, add a short note. Check that each scan is complete and legible.
Dates worth putting on your calendar
These are general recurring dates, not a personalized filing calendar. Check the current-year deadline and your business’s situation.
March 15 · June 15 · September 15 · December 15
Usual personal income-tax instalment dates, if you are required to pay instalments. Special rules apply in some situations.
Official guidanceApril 30: balance owing
Self-employed individuals generally pay their income-tax balance by April 30, even when their filing deadline is later.
Official guidanceJune 15: self-employed return
The usual income-tax filing deadline for an individual carrying on a business. This extension does not normally extend the April 30 payment deadline.
Official guidanceNEQ: check your legal form and filing method
Under eligible joint filing, sole proprietors generally pay the annual registration fee by April 30 and file the annual update by June 15. Eligible corporations generally pay within two months of fiscal year-end and file the update within six months. Other filing arrangements can differ.
Official guidanceLast day of February: employee slips
If you have employees, T4 and RL-1 filing and distribution are generally due by the last day of February following the year concerned. Consult the official guidance for exceptions and adjusted deadlines.
Official guidance
Generally, keep records for at least six years
Keep supporting invoices, not only a spreadsheet summary. The general retention period runs from the end of the last tax year the records relate to. Some situations require longer retention. Keep electronic records complete, readable and accessible, with backups; check the requirements before destroying paper originals.
CRA · Keeping recordsWhere YaToolbox helps
Connect Gmail or Outlook with read-only email access, or upload PDFs and photos. Use your extraction templates to collect dates, amounts and taxes. Send client invoices with customizable reminders, then prepare Excel reports and original invoices in a ZIP for your accountant.