CloudTax Review

The free version of CloudTax provides most of the features that people want to see and covers the majority of situations. If you're a regular employee looking to file for the current tax year, you don't need to worry as you'll be covered under the free plan. Income slips, deductions, credits - all are easy to file for. 

CloudTax Pro is for those who have more unusual or more complicated situations. If you need audit protection or own a business or rental property, you are going to need to use the Pro software for up to 20 returns. 

Foreign income and business income are also included. You can upgrade to have an expert help you file for things like Corporation returns.

CloudTax is a company that prides itself on making tax returns simple and quick at reasonable prices - and all done from your home. Tax changes in Canada are frequent and hard to keep up with. That's why software programmes like CloudTax is so useful as you no longer have to keep up with the government changing the rules! 

As a Canadian company, they hold themselves to the Canadian Government's security standards. Additionally, you can always choose to use CloudTax to download a pdf and mail it in as a hardcopy, an option they provide in their free software. 

CloudTax Canada uses NETFILE certification to e-file your taxes. This is a special e-filing system offered by the Canada Revenue Agency. Your tax data will be encrypted and secure when you file and is only seen once shared with the CRA.

When a product is certified by the CRA/NETFILE, you can rest assured that your filing will be secure. In order to be certified, it needs to go through a careful approval process to gain approval. 

CloudTax itself is serious about security and has high privacy standards. All information is password protected in addition to encryption. The encryption will ensure that hackers cannot view or alter your data. 

In this day and age, most people have multiple devices. Some people may only have an iPad at this point as the need for a "regular" computer diminishes for most people. It's important for companies to recognize the need for mobile support for their software. And luckily CloudTax does! 

With both iPhone, iPad, and Android mobile applications you can rest assured you won't be limited by the devices you have. This is especially nice in a free system, and fairly unusual. If you primarily work from a phone and are constantly on the go without a computer, this is one of the best options for free filing! 

One of the nicest features that a tax software program can have is step-by-step guidance, and CloudTax provides it. It even has great aesthetics! With this system, you will be carefully guided through the process of filing your taxes. 

By answering the questions you can learn what forms you will need to file and what information you will need to do so. Some of your information can even be filled in automatically with the Auto-Fill My Return service from the Canada Revenue Agency. At the end

This is perhaps the biggest selling point of CloudTax - even over other free tax filing software options. You see, most free software isn't going to have live support because they need money to pay people to do so. Because CloudTax has a Pro version they can use that towards providing more robust customer service, even to their free customer base. 

By offering unlimited chat support, users of CloudTax can be secure in the knowledge that they can get instant answers to any of their questions. Taxes are confusing! And most other companies can take days to respond, so having this resource at your fingertips is invaluable in a free service.

CloudTax supports another two popular features at its free level. Express NOA helps you view the results of your tax return and complete account summary - or Notice of Assessment (NOA). Your refund, or balance owing, and other important statements and information about your filing can be viewed more quickly and easily through this system. 

ReFILE is for situations where you realize you need to make a change to your tax return even if you have already filed it. With the ReFILE tool, you can simply send your updated tax return to the CRA through the same original e-file process. 

The free version of CloudTax is, in some ways, more robust than most in that it offers ease of access. While it limits who can file more, it offers unlimited chat support which can be invaluable in last-minute filing situations and limit the frustration that comes with filing taxes. 

Being able to file on your iPhone or iPad also means you don't have to be sitting at home. Make your life quicker and easier by filing on the bus or during a lunch break with ease. Check out the average tax refund you can expect to receive in Canada! 

While CloudTax covers most common tax scenarios, you cannot file for free if you reside in one of the following areas: Yukon, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, or Quebec. Additionally, as previously mentioned, the Free version does not cover self-employed or rental income individuals. 

These restrictions are broader than many free filing services, and some of them are locked behind a paid service. While the paid service is a one-time fee that comes with other benefits, if you don't fall into the most common scenarios you may not be able to file for free with CloudTax.