Better"I earned almost nothing this year. There is no point doing my taxes."
It is the opposite. When income is low, the return is not a score to settle with the state: it is the form that triggers the money coming to you. Without it, several payments simply do not go out.
The solidarity tax credit, the GST credit, the Family Allowance and the Canada Child Benefit all depend on a return being filed, even on zero income. Three things to remember: claim your RL-31 slip from your landlord before the end of February, complete Schedule D, and register for direct deposit, without which the solidarity credit is not paid.
The starting pointWhat you lose by not filing
Filing a return is not always mandatory when you have no taxable income. But several programs rely on it to know whether you qualify and how much to pay you. No return, no calculation, and therefore no payment.
Those that depend on it:
- the solidarity tax credit (Revenu Québec), paid from July to June;
- the GST credit (Canada Revenue Agency);
- the Family Allowance (Retraite Québec) and the Canada Child Benefit, if you have children;
- several other credits and programs that use your declared income as their starting point.
That is why a zero-income return is often the most profitable thing you will do all year.
TenantsThe RL-31 slip, to claim before the end of February
The RL-31 slip certifies that you occupied a dwelling on 31 December. It is that paper which opens the housing component of the solidarity credit.
Your landlord is obliged to produce it for every dwelling leased on 31 December, and to give it to you by 28 February at the latest. The number in box A must then appear in your return.
Have you not received it by the end of February? Claim it. Without that number, the housing component of the credit cannot be claimed, and for a tenant it is the one that weighs most.
The credit that countsSolidarity: three conditions, not two
The solidarity tax credit is a refundable credit, meaning it comes to you even if you pay no tax. It is paid from July to June, based on your situation as at 31 December of the previous year.
To receive it, three things are needed, and one is often missing:
The amounts depend on your situation and are reviewed every year: Revenu Québec publishes the values in force, and a tool lets you estimate what you might be entitled to.
Take actionGetting help, free of charge
You do not have to fill this in alone. The Income Tax Assistance - Volunteer Program, run jointly by Revenu Québec and the Canada Revenue Agency, completes your return free of charge if your income is modest and your tax situation is simple.
Community organisations hold sessions across Quebec, mainly between March and April. Revenu Québec publishes the official list of participating organisations.
About the income thresholds. Revenu Québec publishes suggested thresholds, but each organisation may adjust them according to its local context, the population it serves and its resources. In other words: if you are slightly above, it is still worth calling before giving up.
End of Februaryyou should have received your RL-31 slip. March and April, free preparation sessions are in full swing. 30 April, deadline to file your return. Julystart of the solidarity credit payment period.
And if you have not filed returns for past years, that can be caught up: it is even one of the first things a volunteer or a support worker will look at with you. Ask Revenu Québec which years are still recoverable in your situation.
Frequently askedYour questions
Do I have to file a return if I earned nothing?
You are not always obliged to, but it is almost always to your advantage. Several payments are triggered only if a return has been filed: the solidarity tax credit, the GST credit, the Family Allowance and the Canada Child Benefit. Without a return, those amounts do not go out, even if you are entitled to them.
What is the solidarity tax credit?
It is a refundable credit from Revenu Québec for low- and middle-income households. It has three components, one of them tied to housing. It is paid from July to June, based on your situation as at 31 December of the previous year. To get it, you must file your return, complete Schedule D and be registered for direct deposit.
Why is registering for direct deposit mandatory?
Because Revenu Québec does not pay the solidarity tax credit any other way. Until direct deposit registration is done, the claim is considered incomplete, even if Schedule D has been completed correctly.
What is the RL-31 slip and why does it matter?
It is the paper certifying that you occupied a dwelling on 31 December. Your landlord must give it to you by 28 February at the latest. The number in box A must appear in your return in order to claim the housing component of the solidarity credit. If you have not received it by the end of February, that is the moment to claim it.
Where can I have my return filled in free of charge?
The Income Tax Assistance - Volunteer Program, run jointly by Revenu Québec and the Canada Revenue Agency, offers this service free of charge to people with modest incomes whose tax situation is simple. Community organisations hold sessions across Quebec. The suggested income thresholds may be adjusted by each organisation according to its local context: the official list of participating organisations is published by Revenu Québec.
Read nextRelated articles
Official sources
- Solidarity tax credit, Revenu Québec (in French)
- Housing component, Revenu Québec (in French)
- Obligations relating to the RL-31 slip, Revenu Québec (in French)
- Deadline for filing your return, Revenu Québec (in French)
- Income Tax Assistance - Volunteer Program, Revenu Québec (in French)
- Are you eligible for tax assistance?, Revenu Québec (in French)
- Direct deposit, Revenu Québec (in French)
About this article. General and educational information, accurate as of the date shown. It does not replace tax advice tailored to your situation. Amounts, thresholds and conditions are reviewed every year: check those for the current year with Revenu Québec or the Canada Revenue Agency before starting a process. BetterWorld is not affiliated with the Government of Quebec.
Spotted an error or an out-of-date figure? Write to us: we will correct it and re-date the article. Our texts are written with the help of artificial intelligence and checked against official sources before publication, but an amount or a rule can change without us catching it. If anything here does not match what an official body tells you, they are right.