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Personal tax

How to get your tax refund faster: what you control

A refund is money the CRA owes you after it assesses your return, and how long it takes depends largely on how you file and whether the return is straightforward. You cannot control the CRA’s workload, but you do control the filing method, whether direct deposit is set up before you file, how complete your return is and whether another debt can claim the money. This article covers those levers for Ontario individuals and owner-managed business owners, and where speed is not the right goal.

Sora Accounting & Tax · General information · Editorial policy
Updated · 5 min read

From filing to refund in your account

A flow showing slips gathered, a return filed online, direct deposit already set up and the refund arriving in a bank account.

Visual labels: Slips gathered; File online; Direct deposit; Refund received.

See the sourced 2026 Ontario tax guide: rates, limits and deadlines →

What to take away

  • Filing online with direct deposit already set up is the fastest route the CRA describes; paper and cheques are slower.
  • A return selected for review, or one where the CRA asks for more documents, takes longer, so organize your slips and receipts first.
  • The CRA can keep a refund to cover other debts, including GST/HST or payroll amounts from a sole proprietorship.

What the CRA says to expect

The CRA’s published processing times depend on the filing method. For returns that arrive on or before the filing due date, it lists within two weeks for electronic filing. For paper returns, its filing lesson lists eight weeks, and its spring 2026 filing reminder put paper at about 12 weeks to receive a notice of assessment and any refund, compared with about two weeks online.

Those are processing targets, not guarantees. The CRA states that they apply only to returns received by the due date, and that some returns take longer. Treat the figures as the best case for a straightforward return, and plan any spending that depends on a refund with some room.

File online, and do it early in the season

Filing through certified tax software using NETFILE, or having a tax professional file for you electronically, is the method the CRA ties to quicker confirmation, faster refunds and fewer errors. If you are registered for a CRA account, the Auto-fill My Return service can pull in slip information the CRA already holds, which reduces keying mistakes and helps your numbers match its records.

Filing early helps only if your documents are complete. A return sent before a late slip arrives will need a change request afterwards, so it is usually simpler to wait for the missing slip. Employer T4 slips for 2026 are due by March 1, 2027 under the CRA’s next-business-day rule, so check that all of them, including investment slips and tuition and RRSP receipts, are in hand before you submit.

Set up direct deposit before you file

The CRA describes direct deposit as the fastest way to receive a refund. Its filing reminder says that with online filing and direct deposit you may receive a refund in as little as eight business days. If direct deposit is not in place when you file, the refund is sent by cheque to the address the CRA has on file.

You can enrol through your CRA account, through many financial institutions’ online banking, or by mail. If you change banks, do not close the old account until the first payment arrives in the new one. Also update your address with the CRA if you have moved, because a cheque that is returned holds up the payment until the address is corrected.

Report everything and keep support ready

A return that matches the CRA’s information is easier to assess. Report all slips, including those for interest, dividends, self-employment and other income, and claim only amounts you can support. The CRA may select a return for a more detailed review, and it may ask for documents, and either of those can extend processing well past the normal timeline.

If you claim items that need proof, such as medical expenses, child care, donations or employment expenses, keep the receipts together and reply to any CRA letter by its date. Our guide on what to bring to a personal tax return lists the documents most people need.

Why a refund can be smaller or redirected

The CRA can keep some or all of a refund for amounts you owe. These include a balance on an income tax or benefit account, certain other government debts such as student loan or employment insurance overpayments, and outstanding GST/HST or payroll returns, remittances or debts from a sole proprietorship or partnership. If you run a business as a sole proprietor, an unfiled GST/HST return can hold up your personal refund.

The CRA also does not generally refund a difference of $2 or less. If the amount differs from what you expected, read the explanation of changes on your notice of assessment before phoning; changes are not always unfavourable, since the CRA may add carryforward amounts you forgot to claim. Our notice of assessment article walks through the pages.

Checking status without chasing

Your CRA account shows the status of your return and the refund amount, and an automated phone line can confirm it if you have your SIN, full name, date of birth, address and a notice of assessment. The CRA points to checking the status once the processing time has passed without a payment.

The CRA says it will not send an email, text or instant message with a link to your refund, and it does not pay refunds by e-transfer. A message promising a refund through a link is a scam, so delete it and check your account directly.

A larger refund is not the same as a better result

A refund means you paid more tax during the year than you owed, which is an interest-free loan to the government. The CRA may pay interest on an overpayment, but only after a waiting period that starts from the later of several dates, including the 30th day after you filed. If your refund is large every year, ask whether your tax deductions at source are too high.

Employees with deductions or credits that are not on the TD1 form, such as RRSP contributions, child care or donations, can ask the CRA for a letter of authority using Form T1213 so that the employer withholds less. Review this with an accountant first, since reducing withholding too far can create a balance owing instead.

A short checklist and when to get help

Before you file, confirm that your direct deposit details are current, your address is correct, you have every slip and receipt, and you have no unfiled GST/HST or payroll return in a sole proprietorship. Then file online, keep the confirmation, and read the notice of assessment when it arrives.

If your return is complicated, you have several years to file, you are self-employed, or the CRA has asked for documents, an accountant can organize the filing so fewer follow-up requests occur. Bring your prior notice of assessment, your slips and any CRA correspondence. For the dates that apply to your return, see the tax deadlines guide.

Sources & editorial notes

Sources checked October 24, 2026. The examples are illustrative and provide general information. Discuss how the guidance applies to your circumstances with your accountant.

Rules and guidance can change. Use the current official source and confirm the treatment for your facts. To flag an error, contact Sora.