Frequently Asked Questions

No. TaxMater is a document management and accountant collaboration platform. We help you organize, store, and share tax documents with your accountant. We do not prepare, calculate, or file tax returns with the CRA or IRS. For filing, use CRA-certified software or have your accountant file on your behalf.

TaxMater does not replace your accountant — it makes working with one much easier. You upload and organize your documents, your accountant reviews and validates them through their portal. If you don’t have an accountant yet, our free Tax Quiz helps you identify exactly which documents you’ll need, so you’re fully prepared when you do connect with one.

Yes, 100% free — no trial, no hidden fees, no credit card required. You get unlimited document uploads (1 GB storage), invoice creation with CRA tax rates, income and expense tracking, financial dashboard, and full accountant collaboration. We only charge accountants who need the Pro plan for unlimited clients.

Absolutely. TaxMater is designed with newcomers to Canada in mind. Our free Tax Quiz includes specific questions for international students and work permit holders, generating a personalized document checklist (T2202 tuition certificates, T4 slips, scholarship reporting, etc.) plus tax-saving tips like activating your GST/HST credit — even with zero income.

Our free Tax Quiz helps you discover exactly which documents you need for tax season. Select your profile (student, employee, self-employed, newcomer, etc.), choose your province, and answer a few simple questions — each with educational hints along the way. At the end, you’ll receive a personalized document checklist, tax-saving tips for your situation, and credits you might be missing. No account needed to start.

The Canada Revenue Agency requires you to keep all supporting documents for at least 6 years from the end of the tax year they relate to. TaxMater helps you comply by providing secure, organized, long-term document storage with SHA-256 integrity verification — so your records are safe, searchable, and tamper-evident for as long as you need them.

TaxMater does not integrate directly with CRA’s Auto-Fill My Return service. AFR is available through NETFILE-certified tax preparation software. However, TaxMater complements AFR by helping you organize the documents that AFR doesn’t cover — receipts for medical expenses, charitable donations, childcare, business expenses, and self-employment records.

No. TaxMater is not NETFILE or EFILE certified and does not file tax returns with the CRA. We are a document management platform — think of us as the preparation step before filing. Your accountant handles the actual CRA submission.

TaxMater supports most Canadian provinces and territories with their correct tax rates for invoicing and tax tips. Quebec is not currently supported due to its separate provincial tax system (QST/Revenu Québec). We plan to add Quebec support in the future.

TaxMater supports US-based users with multi-currency tracking (CAD/USD) and expense categories aligned with common IRS schedules. You can upload US tax documents, track income and expenses in USD, and share with your US accountant. However, our built-in quizzes and tax tips are currently focused on Canadian tax (CRA). We are not IRS NETFILE certified and do not file US tax returns.

Your data is stored on secure servers in Virginia, United States, operated by our hosting provider. All data handling complies with PIPEDA requirements for cross-border transfers. Documents are stored in encrypted directories outside the public web root, with SHA-256 hashing for tamper detection and a complete audit trail of all access.

Yes. Go to Settings → Delete My Account. The process requires typing DELETE-ME and confirming via email for your protection. Your account is immediately deactivated, all accountant connections are revoked, and after a 30-day grace period, all data is permanently and irreversibly deleted — documents, invoices, personal information, everything. You can also download all your data first using the “Download My Data” feature.

Yes. TaxMater adheres to all 10 PIPEDA fair information principles including meaningful consent, data minimization, breach notification, and your right to access, correct, and delete your personal information at any time. We have a designated Privacy Officer reachable at [email protected]. Full details are available in our Legal page.

Your accountant can only see what you’ve explicitly shared. When you accept an accountant’s invite, they gain access to your documents, checklists, quizzes, and invoices through their portal. You can revoke access at any time — disconnection is immediate. Your accountant cannot see documents from other clients, and TaxMater administrators cannot access individual user documents.

The free accountant plan includes the full TaxMater experience — client management dashboard, custom checklists and quizzes, document validation, invoice generation, financial tracking, and client sharing. You can start using all features immediately with no credit card required.

Yes. We offer upgraded plans for accountants who need more capacity and advanced features. Visit our pricing page for current plans, pricing, and what’s included in each tier. No long-term contracts — you can change your plan at any time.

Nothing is deleted. Your documents, invoices, transactions, checklists, and all records remain fully intact. The only change is that your client limit reverts to 10 and storage to 2 GB. If you’re over those limits, you won’t be able to add new clients or upload new documents until you’re within the free tier limits — but existing data is never removed. You can upgrade back to Pro at any time to restore full access.

Yes. We’re actively building new tools to make tax season even easier — from smarter document processing to professional directories and digital signing capabilities. New features may be available across all plans or exclusive to specific tiers. Check our platform regularly to see what’s new.