CRA's New RC681 Form - Request to (Re) Activate Paper Mail

Tax Topics
1

For any of your old timers like me who have clients not registered for a My Business Account and who still want to receive some of their business mail (source deductions, HST returns, corporate tax payments), the RC681 became live yesterday.

It’s not a terribly complicated form to complete, but must be signed by a business owner, or by a representative who has “delegated authority”, so not a level 2 authorized rep.

I suppose it’s too early to ask, but I am wondering (hoping?) the form can be faxed instead of mailed to the client’s tax centre… especially with another looming Canada Post strike looming.

I’m sure the CRA will want to do anything they can to avoid processing these RC681’s.

rc681-fill-24e.pdf (213.7 KB)
rc681-24e.pdf (41.0 KB)

https://www.cpacanada.ca/news/accounting/tax/digital-mail

2

And I’m sure if there’s a mail strike, the boxes at the local CRA office will disappear, too.

1 Like
3

One day a similar form for “My Account”?

4

According to CRA’s posted statement on the RC681, this form applies to all the following businesses:

  • New business number and CRA program account registrations
  • Existing businesses already registered for My Business Account
  • Businesses who have given online access to a representative to view and/or modify information on their behalf via Represent a Client

I have a client who does not have online access to his business account, nor has he given me online access to his business account as his representative because he files his GST returns by himself so I’ve never asked for it. I do have online access on his personal account, just not the business portion.

Since neither of us have online access to the business portion of their accounts, I don’t think the RC681 needs to be completed. Would you agree?

5

Yes, I would agree. My understanding is that if the client does not have a My Business Account AND he doesn’t have an authorized representative with online RAC access they will still send the correspondence by mail.

I was reading that CPA article which cautioned that if a business client authorized a previous accountant with RAC access in the past, and that access has not been cancelled, the client will likely be migrated over to online mail even if you don’t have RAC access for the client, and the client doesn’t have a CRA My Business Account.

2 Likes