Recently I discovered that I have made a small reporting error on my T2125s for the last 10 years. It’s a factual typographical error, not an error in my taxes, thank goodness. Still, I want to get it corrected. I knew I could submit a bunch of T1-ADJ forms by mail but I thought it might be cheaper to do it online. To submit the changes to my tax returns online, though, I need to use my CRA My Account which I don’t have access to yet. This is how I got started; if you need to adjust your taxes or want to check your TFSA contribution and withdrawal history etc, you might want to apply for access to your CRA My Account files too.
The Two Levels of Access to a CRA My Account File
You can get almost immediate access to the first level of your CRA My Account file. You’ll need to know some basic information about yourself and about your last assessed tax return.
To get full access, though, you’ll have to wait for the CRA to mail you a CRA Security Code. It takes 3-5 Canada Post delivery days for the code to arrive in your mailbox.
Setting up Your CRA My Account Id and Password
To get any access at all, you need to perform the following steps.
- Go to the Canada Revenue Agency My Account for Individuals page at http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/esrvc-srvce/tx/ndvdls/myccnt/menu-eng.html
- Click on the CRA Register button.
- Type your Social Insurance Number in the text box.
- Click on the Continue button.
The Validate Your Identity Screen
- From the drop-down lists, select your Date of Birth.
- In the text field, type your Postal Code.
- In the Tax information field, type the amount requested from the line specified from your last assessed income tax return. For example, they may ask you to type in the amount you reported on Line 120.
- Click on the Continue button.
The Postal Code/ZIP Code Verification Screen
- If your postal code is correct, click on the Yes button.
- The CRA will then mail you your CRA Security Code.
The Create Your CRA User ID and Password Screen
- In the User ID field, type the id you want to use when accessing your CRA My Account.
It has to be 8-16 characters long, with no spaces and no more than 7 numbers. - In the Password field, enter the password you want to use with the id.
- In the Confirm Password field, re-type the new password.
- Click on the Continue button.
The Create Your Security Questions and Answers Screen
- From the drop-down list, select Question 1.
- Type the answer in the Answer 1 text field.
- From the drop-down list, select Question 2.
- Type the answer in the Answer 2 text field.
- From the drop-down list, select Question 3.
- Type the answer in the Answer 3 text field.
- From the drop-down list, select Question 4.
- Type the answer in the Answer 4 text field.
- From the drop-down list, select Question 5.
- Type the answer in the Answer 5 text field.
- Keep selected the option: Ask me a security question each time I login (recommended). It’s safer to use the site with this option.
- Click on the Continue button.
The Review My Security Questions and Answers screen
If everything looks fine, click on the Continue button.
The Terms and Conditions of Use Screen
- In the Password field, type in your new password.
- Click on the “I agree” button.
The CRA Security Code Notification screen
Click on the Quick Access button.
The Terms and Conditions of Use Screen
Read the terms and if you can accept them, click on the I Agree link.
What Information is Available Before I Get My CRA Security Code in the Mail?
While waiting for your CRA Security Code letter to arrive in the mail, you can use the CRA My Account website to see a bit of information. This includes:
- For which year your last return was assessed, and, if applicable, when a refund was deposited into your bank account.
- How much you can contribute to your RRSP for the current year
- How much you could contribute to your TFSA on January 1 of the current year. This information is not always accurate. I urge you to keep your own up-to-date records as the CRA records are only updated once a year.
- The benefit payment status for your CCTB, GST/HST credit, UCCB
You can also use a link to request the CRA mail you out a remittance form for payments you wish to make on your taxes.
- Click on the Logout button.
- Click on the Exit button.
- Close your browser session.
Waiting for your CRA Security Code
It took about 3 mailing days for my code to arrive.
How to Get Access to your CRA My Account Tax Information Online Using Your CRA Security Code
Once you get your CRA security code in the mail:
- Open your web browser and go to: www.cra.gc.ca/loginservices
- Click on the My Account button.
- Click on the link called CRA Login.
- In the User ID: field type the id you created earlier.
- In the Password field, type the password you created earlier.
- Click on the Login button.
- Answer your Additional Security Feature question.
- Click on the Continue button.
- Check that the date and time of the last CRA login is correct for the last time you accessed your account; if it is click on the Continue button.
- Read the CRA Security Code Entry information. Then, in the CRA Security Code field, type the code from your letter.
- Then click on the Continue button.
- Read the My Account Terms and Conditions of Use. If you are willing to accept them, click on the I agree link.
On the Welcome screen are links to your latest Notice of Assessment and possibly a link to view your T4 and other tax slip information.
I’m now ready to file a bunch of T1-ADJs to fix that annoying mistake!
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Did you apply for access to your CRA My Account website? Did you get your security code in the mail in a reasonable amount of time? Please share your views with a comment.
Thanks for all this info, I have been trying to get through on the phone for hours, just to get my RSP contribution room because I lost my assessment and couldn’t remember my CRA log in. I re-registered and voila, I can see what I need to see for now. Saved me a ton of time!
Glad it worked well for you!
Thank you for this post! I needed to remember my user ID and learned from your post that I would have picked it myself. As soon as I knew that I picked it, I knew what it would have been.
Glad it helped to jog your memory!
Hi I have created my CRA account .
should I call CRA to receive the CRA security code or I receive it automatically in my mail box ?
what is CRA security code notification?
Thanks
Yes, you should get it in the mail automatically within a week or so. The CRA Security Code Notification is a title at the top of one of the web pages.
I hope it works well for you! It was a bit slow but it did work for me.
Many Thanks for your kind support
but in the CRA Security Code Notification page , is written to call CRA to activated the security code !!
Thanks
Unfortunately since my account is already fully set up, I can’t seem to get to the page you’re describing. The CRA site http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/esrvc-srvce/tx/psssrvcs/gtnln/nfgrphctxt-eng.html doesn’t say you need to phone, but it might be outdated. http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/esrvc-srvce/tx/psssrvcs/gtnln/nfgrphc1-eng.html also doesn’t mention phoning.
I guess what I would do was if I didn’t receive my code in the mail within 10 business days, I would phone. And if I had my code and still couldn’t get into the system, I’d phone. Otherwise, it may not be necessary to phone.
Sorry this sounds confusing. Once you’ve set up your account, though, you don’t get shown the same screens, so I can’t get in there to the same step you’re at. I hope it works soon for you, though!
Hi, I can’t find CRA security code. I have either misplaced or never received it. Spent hours going through all my government mail and nothing. What can I do to retrieve it to use my my online account.. I have a an email stating I have online mail. As I waiting to receive my Rc62.
Thanks
I’m sorry but I don’t work for the government so I can’t offer any shortcut advice. You’ll have to phone Service Canada or write to them to request a new security code.
If you bank with one of the companies listed on the My Account page, you may also be able to sign in using your banking information. I’m not sure if that will give you access to your email inbox or not as I do not use the email option for our CRA account.
I cannot find where to register the security code you have just sent me.
Just to be clear, I don’t work for the government or have any connection to them, I just write about my daily finances and what I personally do to file my taxes etc.
That said, the CRA provides online instructions that say:
“Step 2 – Enter the CRA security code
To access your account, return to My Account for Individuals, select “CRA login,” and enter your CRA user ID and password. When prompted, enter your CRA security code.”
Further details are at http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/esrvc-srvce/tx/psssrvcs/pss_fq/cnd-eng.html#hlp1a
I hope this helps a bit.
They sure make it difficult for us!
Ok I have tried 10 x to “enter the amount listed on line 207”. I cant enter the numbers after the decimal….cant change the zeros that are there to numbers I need. HELP!!!
When I did this, I just used the numbers to the left of the decimal and ignored the 00 on the screen and it worked. I don’t know if that is still what they want you to do or not, sorry!
I have requested to receive my CRA security code sent by email. what is the time frame to sent it by email? within 24 hours?
I’m sorry but I don’t know. Since it comes in the mail fairly quickly, they must generate the numbers almost as soon as the request is received, so perhaps you’ll get it in 24-48 hours? Please let us know what happens!
i have requested for the CRA code to be sent by email. Yet i could not find it in my mail. so i would like to change it to be sent by mail.Is there any way that i can change it ?
I don’t work for them so I’m not sure but I think you could just start over again with a new application. Sorry I can’t be more help!