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CRA adds a safer sign-in step for filing taxes in 2027

Published October 12, 2026 · 3 min read

Ilustración: CRA adds a safer sign-in step for filing taxes in 2027
Key pointsFrom Feb. 22, 2027, you can confirm your identity with your CRA account when you file online. It is optional, and it helps protect your refund from fraud.

📘 Related guide: Your first tax return in Canada: step by step

What happened

The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA), the federal tax office, is adding a new security step for filing taxes online. Starting February 22, 2027, when you file your 2026 return with NETFILE (the system your tax software uses to send your return), you can choose to confirm your identity by signing in to your CRA account first. The CRA says this step is optional this season. The goal is to stop people from filing fake returns in someone else's name.

The CRA also says it takes down "hundreds of phishing websites every year" and sends an email when something changes in your account. It asks people to add a backup multi-factor authentication (MFA) method. MFA simply means a second proof of identity, such as a code, on top of your password. These details come from CRA pages dated September 22 and October 1, 2026.

How this affects your wallet

Your tax return is where your refund and many income-tested benefits start. If a criminal files in your name, the money can end up in the wrong place, and fixing it takes time and stress.

Example (made-up numbers): Ana expects a $1,800 refund. Think of it as $150 a month for a year ($1,800 ÷ 12 = $150). If a scammer who stole her SIN and password files first, she could be waiting weeks or months for that money while the CRA sorts it out.

Scam calls are the other risk. Imagine someone phones, says they are from the CRA and demands $850 in gift cards "today." The CRA says it never demands immediate payment by e-transfer, cryptocurrency, prepaid cards or gift cards. Paying would mean losing the $850 for nothing.

What you can do

  • Register for a CRA account now if you do not have one, or sign in to check it works. If it is locked, use the CRA's self-service options to fix it before tax season.
  • Add a backup MFA method and keep your personal information up to date.
  • Use a strong password that you do not use anywhere else, and read the CRA emails about account changes.
  • If someone else prepares your return, authorize them in your CRA account before they file.
  • Check that a web address starts with canada.ca or ends with cra-arc.gc.ca, and type it yourself instead of clicking links in texts or emails.
  • If you suspect a scam, do not reply or click. Hang up, find an official number and call it yourself. Report it at reportcyberandfraud.canada.ca and to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.

What to keep in mind

The new step is optional for the 2026 tax season, so you can still file the usual way. First-time filers, including many newcomers, have no CRA account yet, so they cannot authenticate themselves. They can still file through NETFILE, and an authorized representative can file and authenticate for them.

The CRA says it never asks for personal or financial information in a voicemail or email, never uses WhatsApp or Facebook Messenger, and only sends texts for MFA if you chose the phone option. It may ask you to confirm your identity on a call you expected, for example with your date of birth.

This is general information, not personal advice. For your own situation, check your CRA account or contact the CRA through its official channels.

Sources

  1. Canada Revenue Agency: The CRA is enhancing security for online income tax and benefit return filing
  2. Canada Revenue Agency: Protecting taxpayer information: How the CRA prevents, detects, and addresses fraud
  3. Canada Revenue Agency: Recognize a scam - Scams and fraud

What did you think?

Anonymous: no account, nothing personal is stored.

Information checked against the sources listed above on October 12, 2026. Educational information, not financial, tax or legal advice.

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Your first tax return in Canada: step by stepHow to file your first Canadian tax return: who must file, key dates (April 30), documents to gather, free options, newcomer rules and late penalties.Canada financial calendar: key dates 2026–2027Key money dates in Canada from October 2026 to mid-2027: benefit payments, tax instalments, RRSP deadline and tax filing. Printable.50/30/20 budget: a simple monthly plan for CanadaHow to build a monthly budget with the 50/30/20 rule using Canadian examples: what counts as a need, a want or savings, and how to adjust it.
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