So you've received one of those depressing brown envelopes
from the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA). It's your Notice of
Assessment. If they say you owe more taxes, go ahead and curse or
stamp your feet or whatever you need to do to get it out of your
system in the privacy of your own home. Once you've calmed
down, bear in mind that this isn't the end of the story. If you
disagree with the CRA's Notice, take heart! There are a number
of things you can do to object to the CRA's demand for more
tax.
Why, why, why?
The first thing you must do is find out why the CRA has
disallowed a claim or otherwise increased your taxes. If
there's a difference between your figures and theirs, it's
quite possible that no one has even looked at your return beyond a
data entry clerk. You have a legal right to appeal your case and,
more importantly, if you do this properly, you stand a very good
chance of winning.
