How to Download and Install StudioTax Software to Calculate and File your 2012 Canadian Income Taxes Online for Free

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How to File Your 2012 Taxes by April 30, 2013 Using StudioTax Software: Part 1: Getting the Software

The Canada Revenue Agency is sending clear signals that it wants us all to file our taxes electronically. For instance this year they are not sending the paper tax forms out by mail, you have to telephone (1-800-959-2221 M-F 8:15-5:00) to order them, visit a post office to pick them up, or order them online. So I decided to check what software I can use for FREE to file my taxes online. This article is about one of the two approved FREE programs. The article describes how to download and install the software.

In the next article I will describe what happened when I used this software to calculate my husband’s taxes.

Here are some limitations of the StudioTax 2012 software as listed on their website:

  • StudioTax software only runs on Microsoft Windows operating systems. It is compatible with most Windows versions including Windows 7 and Windows 8.
  • If you are not running Win 7, 8 or Vista, StudioTax will attempt to download and install the required .Net 2.0 SP2 if it’s not already installed on your computer.
  • The following form is not handled by StudioTax
  • Form T1273 STATEMENT A – Harmonized CAIS Program Information and Statement of Farming Activities for Individuals

To Get the StudioTax Software to Calculate Your Canadian 2012 Income Taxes

  1. Go to http://www.studiotax.com/
  2. Click on English or French as applicable. Read the information about StudioTax.
  3. Click on the Download link.
  4. If you want the file installed in a specific directory, you may want to make the New Folder before downloading.
    The program can be downloaded in two formats.
    If you want to download the file using the least bandwidth download the Zip file. The ZIP file is about 23 MB.
    If you don’t want to have to unzip the file, download the Exe file. The Exe file is about 25 MB.
  5. To download, click on the EXE or ZIP link in the Latest 2012 row.
  6. If you click on EXE:
    1. Click on the Save File button.
    2. Select the directory within which you want the file saved and click the Save button.
  7. If you click on ZIP:
    1. Select the radio button beside Save File.
    2. Click on the OK button.
    3. Select the directory within which you want the file saved and click the Save button.
    4. Unzip the file. For example: Navigate to the StudioTax2012Install.zip file. From the File menu, select Extract All.

To Install StudioTax Software on your PC

  1. Complete instructions are given on the StudioTax website at: http://www.studiotax.com/en/?page=2 .
  2. Navigate to the folder where you stored the EXE file.
  3. Double click on the EXE file called StudioTax2012Install.exe.
  4. If you receive a message asking if you want to run this file, click on the Run button.
  5. If you receive a message that says Please select a language:
    from the drop-down list select English or French and click the OK button.
  6. The Welcome to StudioTax 2012 Setup wizard will open.
    Click on the Next button.
  7. It will suggest storing the program in C:\Program Files\BHOK IT Consulting\StudioTax 2012\
    You can browse to select a different location, if desired.
    When the correct folder is listed, click on the Next button.
  8. Review the license agreement and Click to set the radio button to I accept the terms in the License Agreement or I do not accept the terms in the License Agreement.
  9. Then click the Next button.
  10. To install the program, click on the Install button. Wait.
  11. After the program installs, if you want to open StudioTax 2012 immediately, click to check the box beside Launch StudioTax 2012.
  12. Click on the Finish button to exit the Setup Wizard.

The Welcome to StudioTax 2012 window will open.

You have now downloaded and installed StudioTax 2012 the free program to calculate your 2012 Canadian Income taxes before the April 30, 2013 deadline. You can use this program to file your taxes online, also for free.

Please consider making a donation to Bhok It Software if you like the product so that they can keep offering this product.

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Are you using StudioTax for your return this year? Did it work the way you expected? Have you ever used any other programs? How did they compare? Please share your experiences with a comment.

2 thoughts on “How to Download and Install StudioTax Software to Calculate and File your 2012 Canadian Income Taxes Online for Free”

  1. Two comments: after completing my wife’s & my return and saving it I can not find it. Hopefully I can solve that problem – surely there is a way of making it easy to find such as by name!
    Buy-back of previous pensionable service – if I just enter the amount from my T4A slip it is not correct because the maximum amount for my previous service is $3500 and my T4A slip shows more than that. This is a problem with every tax calc program but should be easy to fix by either putting a note or making the correction. Otherwise the program works well.

    • Thanks for the comments, I’m sure they will be of use to other readers.
      It sounds like they might also be good suggestions for improving the program. Have you considered letting StudioTax know of your concerns?
      (I’m sure you know I’m not connected in any way with StudioTax, I just tried their software to see if I could file my taxes online for free.)

      When I saved my returns, the file’s name was: BetCrooks.12t
      The program did tell me where it was going to save the file and let me have the option of changing that location if I wished. I’m not sure what happened when you were using it.

      You can’t read the file directly as it is encrypted. You can re-open the file anytime by starting StudioTax and selecting your name from the list of recent returns. Or by clicking on the Open button at the top of the screen and choosing the name there.

      I hope it works for you. If it continues to have problems, you could try contacting StudioTax as they might have some suggestions.

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