If you didn’t have any income in 2017 or if all your income was tax exempt, it is still in your best interest to file a tax return to access certain tax credits and benefits that you wouldn’t be able to get otherwise such as the GST/HST credit or the Canada child benefit.
If either of these situations applies to you, you’ll need to confirm that you didn’t have any income or that all your income was tax exempt to successfully NETFILE your return. To do this:
- On the FILE tab, click the NETFILE Now button.
- Confirm that you didn’t have any income in 2017 or that it was tax exempt by selecting the checkbox in the dialog window that appears:
- Click the I Agree with the Terms and Conditions button to submit your return to the CRA.
About tax exempt income
The income you earned during the year might be tax exempt if you’re an Indian (as described under the Indian Act) and your income was:
- earned on a reserve or
- from goods bought on or delivered to a reserve
Refer to the Canada Revenue Agency’s (CRA) website for more information relating to tax exemption and various income sources.
Where can I learn more?
- Do you have to file a return? (CRA website)
- I have Indian Status (H&R Block Online help centre)
