- Optimize your potential tax savings by knowing the key contribution deadlines for RRSPs, TFSAs, RESPs and FHSAs.
- Take note of the key tax filing deadlines to avoid the risk of costly interest and penalties.
- Unless you’re self-employed, the deadline to file your tax return for the 2025 tax year is April 30, 2026.
Important Canadian tax deadlines to remember in 2025-2026
At a glance
Another tax season is just around the corner. Whether you’re planning on making a final contribution to an investment account or just want to stay on top of your finances, here are some key deadlines to circle on your calendar.
Registered accounts
When is the RRSP contribution deadline for the 2025 tax year?
Short answer: it depends. For most Canadians, the last day to contribute to your Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP) for the 2025 tax year is March 2, 2026. RRSP contributions are tax-deductible, meaning any contributions you make before this date reduces your taxable income for 2025. Any unused contribution room carries forward and can be applied to a future tax return.
If you turned 71 in 2025, however, you have until December 31, 2025, to make your final RRSP contribution. After this, your RRSP must be converted into a retirement income option, such as a Registered Retirement Income Fund (RRIF).
When is the FHSA contribution deadline for the 2025 tax year?
December 31, 2025, is the last day to make a contribution to your First Home Savings Account (FHSA) if you want it to apply against your 2025 tax return. As with RRSPs, contributions to an FHSA reduce your taxable income, which can help reduce your taxes. Unused contribution room carries forward; unlike an RRSP, however, only $8,000 carries forward in any one year. Also, contribution room doesn’t begin to accumulate until you open the account.
When is the RESP contribution deadline for the 2025 tax year?
The final day to contribute to your Registered Education Savings Plan (RESP) for the 2025 tax year is also December 31, 2025. While RESPs do not reduce your taxable income, the deadline is important if you want to capitalize on the Canada Education Savings Grant (CESG). The CESG is a government program that matches 20% of contributions, up to $500 per year, per child, to a lifetime maximum of $7,200. The maximum CESG the government will pay in a given year is $1,000. Please note that if no CESG has been contributed to the account by December 31 of the year the child turns 15, they will be ineligible to receive grants for the ages of 16 and 17.
When is the TFSA contribution deadline for the 2025 tax year?
The last day to make a contribution to your Tax-Free Savings Account (TFSA) for the 2025 tax year is December 31, 2025, however, contribution room carries forward indefinitely. The better question to ask is when can you reclaim your TFSA contribution room if you made a withdrawal this year? While you can withdraw money from your TFSA at any point, December 31, 2025 is also the deadline to make a TFSA withdrawal in time to get the contribution room back on January 1, 2026.
Filing deadlines
When is the first day I can file my 2025 tax return?
Eager filers can file their taxes for 2025 when NETFILE opens in mid-to-late February. If you file by paper, this is also the date when you can request your income tax package.
When are the deadlines for filing my 2025 return?
If you owe money to the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA), you have to file your tax return and make payments by April 30, 2026. Otherwise, you can expect a late-filing fee of 5% of the amount you owe, plus 1% of what you owe every month (up to a maximum of 12 months).
If you or your spouse or common-law partner is self-employed, you have until June 15, 2026, to file your tax returns. But if you owe money, you’ll still have to pay by April 30, 2026. Late payments will be charged with a 5% filing fee of the amount you owe, plus 1% of what you owe every month (up to a maximum of 12 months).
What other tax dates are important?
March 31, 2026: This is the deadline for filing a T3 return for a trust with a calendar year-end, as well as paying any balance owing. For non-residents of Canada who receive income earned in Canada, March 31, 2026, is also the deadline for Canadian payers and tax-withholding agents to give them an NR4 Statement of Amounts Paid or Credited to Non-Residents of Canada and file their NR4 information return with the CRA.
