Every spring, the same scene: the box of receipts, the scattered statements, the accountant asking the same ten questions. Yet a self-employed tax return is not complicated when everything is ready. Here is the complete 2026 checklist to prepare your T2125 (federal) and TP-80 (Quebec) forms — whether you file yourself or hand everything to a professional.
Dates to put on the calendar
| Deadline | What |
|---|---|
| April 30 | Deadline to pay any balance owing (federal and Quebec) — yes, even for the self-employed |
| June 15 | Deadline to file the return for self-employed workers and their spouse |
| March / June / Sept. / Dec. 15 | Tax instalments, if applicable (see our tax instalments guide) |
Classic trap: filing on June 15 does not stop interest from running on an unpaid balance starting May 1. If you expect to owe, pay an estimate before April 30.
Checklist — your income
- ☐ Complete list of invoices issued during the year (paid or not: accrual accounting is the general rule);
- ☐ Income without invoices: tips, rebates, barter and service exchanges (yes, they are taxable);
- ☐ Platform statements if you sell through marketplaces or apps (they now report information to tax authorities);
- ☐ Other income: T4A slips received, grants, interest on the business account.
Checklist — your expenses
Sorted by T2125/TP-80 category, with supporting documents (full details in our guide to deductible expenses):
- ☐ Supplies, software and subscriptions;
- ☐ Advertising and marketing;
- ☐ Professional fees (accountant, lawyer);
- ☐ Business insurance;
- ☐ Bank and payment platform fees;
- ☐ Meals and entertainment (50%, with the business context noted on the back of the receipt);
- ☐ Subcontractors (with invoices);
- ☐ Training and development;
- ☐ Phone and Internet (business portion).
Checklist — home office
- ☐ Office area and total home area (the ratio sets the deductible portion);
- ☐ Rent or mortgage interest + municipal and school taxes;
- ☐ Electricity, heating, home insurance;
- ☐ Maintenance and repairs for the year.
Checklist — vehicle
- ☐ Mileage log: business km and total km for the year (the key document in an audit);
- ☐ Gas or charging, maintenance, insurance, registration;
- ☐ Lease contract or loan interest statement;
- ☐ Vehicle purchase date and cost (for depreciation).
Checklist — capital assets and depreciation
- ☐ Equipment purchased during the year (computer, furniture, tools) with invoices;
- ☐ Prior years’ CCA schedule (undepreciated balances by class);
- ☐ Dispositions: equipment sold or scrapped.
Checklist — sales taxes, instalments and plans
- ☐ GST/QST returns filed during the year and amounts remitted (our GST/QST guide if needed);
- ☐ Tax instalments paid to the CRA and Revenu Québec (amounts and dates);
- ☐ RRSP/TFSA contributions for the year (RRSP receipts: direct deduction);
- ☐ Private health insurance premiums, if applicable.
The secret: don’t do this in April
This checklist takes hours when you fill it once a year — and minutes when the data accumulates as you go. With InnoBooks:
- ✅ every invoice you issue is already booked — complete income, nothing forgotten;
- ✅ every expense is captured with a receipt photo and category — the April sorting marathon disappears;
- ✅ the GST/QST on every transaction is already broken out;
- ✅ a year-end report by category comes out in one click, in T2125 and TP-80 order — exactly what your accountant expects.
Frequently asked questions about self-employed returns
Cash or accrual accounting?
The general rule for businesses is accrual accounting: income exists when it is earned (invoiced), not when it is collected. An unpaid December invoice is part of this year’s income — and a truly uncollectible one can later be deducted as a bad debt.
What if I can’t pay my balance on April 30?
File your return anyway: late-filing penalties stack on top of interest and cost far more. Both administrations accept payment arrangements — call them before they call you.
My spouse is an employee. Does the June 15 deadline apply to them too?
The spouse of a self-employed worker gets the same June 15 filing deadline. But as for you, any balance owing accrues interest from May 1.
How long should I keep my supporting documents?
Six years after the end of the taxation year. Digital photos of receipts are accepted — make sure they are legible and backed up.
Bottom line
A successful self-employed return is played out between January and December, not in April. Keep your income and expenses up to date, maintain your mileage log, keep every receipt — and when the time comes, your T2125 and TP-80 will be a formality.
Want a panic-free April? Try InnoBooks for free and walk into your accountant’s office with flawless reports.