I’m assuming that e-filing of a charitable return continues to not be available via Tax Cycle? The Transmit option doesn’t seem to be available for a completed return and curiously the file can only be saved as a 2019 file.
I recall from last year that, notwithstanding the encouraging language from CRA and pursuant to comments from other practitioners, paper filing remained the simplest & least time consumptive filing choice. Likely (and perhaps understandably) not high on anyone’s priority list.
As the CRA doesn’t provide a method for us to submit T3010 returns electronically, yes paper filing is the only option via TaxCycle for now.
~ Rob
Thanks for your prompt response, Rob.
You can login into the Rep a client site and file via web forms. Basically you are copying and pasting everything from TaxCycle. The last one I did that way took me 1.5 hours to complete online. If you can charge the client then fine, otherwise, print and courier it in.
I looked at the T3010 process last year and immediately decided against the CRA version. WAY too much work for data that’s already happily carried over in TC. When they implement REAL Efile, that will be different.
The CRA online filing is brutal. Especially all the qualified donations and board members - they way you have to enter each one, and there is no carry forward. Tried it for 2 years… forget it. With tax cycle it takes a lot less time.
It would be great if CRA offered an upload of the PDF, or of the datafile… but alas not.
With the online method, can you bypass the birthdate field for board members? I have one to do for the month-end and a lot of people are shy about giving up their age. On the paper returns, I just leave it blank. Have never had any queries. And, yes, it would be nice to be able to upload a pdf of the T3010 and financial statements.
my understanding is it is mandatory, I always fill them all in. I think you can leave it blank and just tick of the review, but saying that is ok with CRA/Charities directorate. They recommend if it really it an issue to have this provided by the director in a sealed envelope attached to the return.
I’ve never filed birthdates and have never been queried.
CRA has absolutely no need for this kind of invasive information gathering IMO. It serves no purpose and is non-public, so why do they need it? They have a name and an address for official communications.