Published by Easy Tax Canada | Serving clients across Canada, with offices in Mississauga and Brampton, Ontario
Canada’s tax system includes hundreds of credits and deductions — but the CRA doesn’t call you up to remind you which ones apply. Many go unclaimed simply because taxpayers don’t realize they qualify, or because there’s no tax slip to jog their memory. Here are the credits and deductions our team sees Canadians leave on the table most often, along with what to watch for on your 2025 return, due April 30, 2026 (or June 15, 2026 if you or your spouse are self-employed).
1. The Medical Expense Tax Credit
This is consistently the most under-claimed credit in Canada, largely because the list of eligible expenses is far broader than most people realize. Beyond prescriptions and dental work, eligible expenses can include prescription eyewear, therapy and mental health services, gluten-free products for those with celiac disease, and travel costs when you must go at least 40 km for medical care not available locally. You can claim expenses for yourself, your spouse, and dependants, and you’re allowed to choose any 12-month period ending in the tax year — not just the calendar year — to maximize your claim.
2. The Disability Tax Credit (DTC)
This credit is frequently missed because people assume it only applies to visible or severe disabilities. In reality, the CRA evaluates how a condition affects your daily functioning — not the diagnosis itself — which means Canadians living with ADHD, diabetes, chronic pain, or mental health conditions may qualify. Approval requires a signed CRA Form T2201 from a medical practitioner, but once approved, the credit can often be claimed retroactively for up to 10 years, and any unused portion can be transferred to a supporting family member.
3. Home Office Expenses
The temporary flat-rate ($2/day) method from the pandemic years is no longer available. Employees who work from home now need the detailed method, which requires a signed Form T2200 from your employer and receipts for the actual costs — a portion of rent, utilities, and home internet based on the space used for work. Self-employed Canadians follow a similar but separate set of rules under business-use-of-home expenses.
4. The Canada Caregiver Credit
If you support a spouse, common-law partner, or dependant with a physical or mental impairment, you may be able to claim this non-refundable credit. It’s often missed because caregiving costs don’t come with a dedicated tax slip, so there’s nothing prompting taxpayers to look into it.
5. Moving Expenses
If you moved at least 40 km closer to a new job, business, or full-time studies, a wide range of moving costs can be deducted — including transportation, temporary living expenses, and costs to sell your old home. This deduction is frequently missed by Canadians who don’t realize a job-related move qualifies even if their employer didn’t cover the cost.
6. The First-Time Home Buyers’ Tax Credit
If you purchased your first home in 2025, you may be eligible for a federal tax credit that helps offset closing costs, worth up to $1,500. It can be split between spouses or common-law partners purchasing together, and Canadians who qualify for the disability amount can claim it even if it isn’t their first home, provided the property better suits their accessibility needs.
7. The Canada Workers Benefit (CWB)
This refundable credit tops up the income of low- and modest-income workers, and it’s estimated that a significant share of eligible Canadians never claim it — often because they assume tax software will catch it automatically. It won’t, unless your return is completed correctly and in full.
Don’t Forget: You Can Go Back 10 Years
If you realize after filing that you missed a credit — this year or in a past year — the CRA allows adjustment requests for up to 10 previous calendar years. If you suspect you’ve been leaving money on the table, a review of your last several returns can sometimes recover thousands of dollars in credits you were always entitled to.
Work With a Team That Knows Where to Look
Tax software can prompt you with generic questions, but it can’t replace a professional who knows how CRA eligibility rules actually work in practice. Easy Tax Canada combines over 15 years of hands-on CRA audit and collections experience with a team of CPAs, so we know exactly which credits get missed — and how to substantiate them if the CRA ever asks questions.
We prepare personal tax returns for clients across Canada, with in-person appointments available at our Mississauga and Brampton offices and remote filing support nationwide.Think you might be missing credits on a past return?Contact Easy Tax Canada for a return review, or learn more about our Personal Tax Services.