T1 General CRA Form: How to Download and Use It

The T1 General form is the primary Income Tax and Benefit Return used by individuals in Canada to file their annual personal income tax. 

It reports all sources of income, deductions, credits and determines whether you owe taxes or will receive a refund. 

Knowing how to download, fill out, and submit the T1 properly is essential for every Canadian taxpayer.

Where to download the T1 General form from CRA

You can obtain the T1 General form and related tax packages directly from the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) website. 

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Use the “Forms and publications” section to locate the correct tax year package.

To do so:

1. Visit “All personal income tax packages” on Canada.ca, and select your province or territory for the relevant year.
2. The tax package includes the T1 General return, federal schedules, provincial schedules, and guides.
3. You may download a fillable PDF version if you want to fill it out on your computer before printing or submitting.

Also, once you file your return, if you used online tax software, you can often download a PDF copy of your filed return. 

For example, H&R Block lets you save the return PDF after filing.

Understanding the structure of the T1 General form

The T1 General is organized into several key parts:

1. Identification and personal information (name, address, Social Insurance Number, province of residence)
2. Income section listing all sources: employment, self-employment, interest, dividends, capital gains, rental income, foreign income, etc.
3. Deductions and adjustments: for example, RRSP contributions, child care, moving expenses, etc.
4. Taxable income & tax calculation: applying federal and provincial tax rates, and then subtracting credits
5. Refund or balance owing: final section where you determine if you owe CRA money or will get a refund
6. Schedules and provincial forms: many provinces have extra forms (e.g. Form ON428 for Ontario) that you must attach if you reside there.

The return also includes worksheets and supporting schedules (for credits, transfers, capital gains, etc.) as part of the package.

How to complete and file the T1 General

Here’s how to use the T1 General:

1. Gather your slips and documents
   Collect T4 slips from employers, T5s, RRSP receipts, medical receipts, charitable donation receipts, etc.
2. Fill in sections step by step
   Enter identification info, report all income sources, claim eligible deductions, compute taxable income, apply credits, and complete refund/balance section.
3. Attach schedules and provincial forms
   If you’re in a province with a separate tax form (e.g., ON428 in Ontario), include that with your federal return.
4. Choose how to submit
   • Online: Use NETFILE-certified software to submit your T1 electronically. Many tax software tools let you auto-fill parts of the return using CRA data.
   • By mail: Print and mail the return to the CRA office for your province.
   • In person/drop-off: Some local tax offices or service centres accept paper returns.
5. Pay any owing tax by the deadline
   Even if your filing deadline is extended (e.g. for self-employed taxpayers), any taxes owed are due by April 30 (for most individuals).