Skip to content

Your Tax Questions Answered

April 28, 2021

Launching April 28: CERB Hotline

Reminder: Taxes are due April 30!

We know that CERB has caused a lot of anxiety for folks with the upcoming tax deadline, and many may be hesitant to file their taxes this year.

e4c has launched a free, no obligation CERB hotline for you to ask any burning questions you may have!

Give our CERB Hotline a call: 780-424-7543 ext. 625. Your call will be directed to a virtual tax filer, who can provide support for CERB or tax questions.

By contacting our CERB Hotline, you are not obligated to file your taxes.

Should you wish to make a free tax appointment, call our Booking hotline at 780-722-9409!

Below are some FAQs that our team gets asked – and might help you make a tax decision!

Talk to your AISH worker directly. According to the AISH office, the rules and regulations around AISH have changed so much that they can’t give any general rules, and all cases need to be looked at individually.

You can call them at: (780) 415-6300 

Please call Alberta Works and speak to your worker directly. There are many rules and regulations surrounding Alberta Works.

When the federal government issued CERB, they wanted to make sure people had emergency funds in their bank accounts as soon as possible.

Unfortunately, this means they didn’t deduct income tax, which is why you may owe money now. 

Income tax is deducted based on your entire yearly income. I you were receiving other benefits or income at this time, the CERB will increase your annual income, meaning your taxes owed will also increase.

If you earned less than $75,000 this year and got any COVID-19 benefit (including CERB), you do not need to pay anything until April 30, 2022.

During this year, you will not accrue interest or earn any tax penalties if you don’t pay your income taxes for 2020.

Contact the CRA as soon as possible and ask them about a payment plan or tax debt forgiveness. There are programs available for people who are unable to pay but you must call them to become eligible. 

The government has contacted many people who collected CERB without being eligible.

Most people received a paper letter, but you may also have a notice on your MyCRA account.

These will differ from person to person. You’ll only know how much you owe when you complete your taxes. You will also be eligible for other benefits that may cancel out what you owe.

For example, almost all Albertans are receiving $490 this year from the federal government as a climate action rebate (to reimburse citizens for extra money they paid due to the carbon tax).

Additionally, most people will be eligible for quarterly GST payments which could equal a total of $450 a year.

No, but if you owe around the same amount of GST that you are going to get back, after April 30th 2022, you will not receive your GST rebate. 

Those funds will be applied towards the amount that you owe.

No, your Canada Child Benefit will not be impacted.

If you owe funds and you do not do your taxes, there can be penalties and interest added on earlier than if you were to do your taxes.

Once you complete your taxes, you will know how much you owe or are getting back as a refund.

One of the other benefits will be your own peace of mind. By doing your taxes, you will at least know if you owe or not!