Self-employed tax filing in the GTA
Stop leaving deductions on the table — expert T2125 tax filing
Sole proprietors, freelancers and independent contractors miss an average of $5,000 to $15,000 in annual tax deductions. We uncover them all — including business use of home, comprehensive motor vehicle logs, equipment depreciation (CCA), and operating supplies. Get an audit-ready, CRA-compliant return.
Who this is for
Sole proprietor & freelancer
Independent contractors providing professional services, receiving T4A slips or invoicing directly, who need to claim operational expenses.
Gig economy & rideshare
Uber, Lyft, DoorDash and tech platforms. You use your personal vehicle heavily for income and need a bulletproof mileage log breakdown for tax savings.
Home-based business
Online shops and consultants. You operate directly out of your residential property and want to safely maximise your housing write-offs.
What I do for you
Bulletproof automotive claims
We break down your fixed and operating costs — fuel, insurance, repairs, leasing and interest — against your business mileage log to maximise your legal vehicle deduction.
Strategic home office allocations
We calculate your exact workspace square-footage percentage to legally deduct rent, mortgage interest, utilities and home insurance.
Capital Cost Allowance (CCA) depreciation
Bought a laptop, phone or new vehicle? We track and claim the correct asset classes — Class 10, Class 50, Class 54 — to defer your tax liabilities across multiple years.
Comprehensive business expenses
We audit your bookkeeping to ensure full deductions on advertising, software subscriptions and legal fees, including the 50% limit on business meals and entertainment.
HST & bookkeeping reconciliation
We cross-reference your gross business income with your HST filings so the numbers balance perfectly, avoiding red flags.
CRA communication
Should the CRA ask for receipts, logbooks or breakdowns of your T2125, we represent you and manage the communication directly.
What you need to bring
Have these ready and the return moves quickly. Missing something? Send what you have and we'll work out the rest together.
Revenue & income
- Gross income summary: total sales invoices, plus digital platform statements (Stripe, PayPal, Shopify, Uber and so on).
- Tax slips: T4A slips (Box 020 or 048 for commissions and fees), or T5018 slips if you're a construction sub-contractor.
Motor vehicle log & receipts
- Total kilometres driven in the calendar year and the exact kilometres driven specifically for business.
- Receipts for fuel, repairs and maintenance, auto insurance, and licence/registration.
- If leased: the monthly lease agreement and statements.
- If financed: the vehicle purchase invoice and year-end auto loan interest statement.
Business-use-of-home expenses
- Total square footage of your home versus the square footage of your dedicated workspace.
- Yearly totals for rent paid or mortgage interest (principal payments are not deductible).
- Home utilities (electricity, gas, water), home internet, property taxes, and home insurance.
Capital assets & general expenses
- Receipts for equipment purchased — laptops, smartphones, office furniture, tools.
- Summary of operating costs: software subscriptions, advertising, business bank fees, professional insurance, office supplies.
How much does it cost?
Self-employed return
From $99
For organised sole proprietors with revenue and expense categories already summarised and ready for schedule input.
Full-service return
Quoted in your consultation
Includes complete calculation of vehicle logs, home office deductions, asset depreciation schedules (CCA), and multi-income optimisation.
Corporate or custom work is quoted individually — see the pricing page or ask during your free consultation. You'll always have the figure before any work begins.
Trusted T2125 tax preparation across the Greater Toronto Area
Navigating the Canadian tax code as an independent sole proprietor, tech contractor or gig worker comes with its own regulatory challenges. Missing a critical deduction on your T2125, or failing to record your business mileage log accurately, can result in unexpected CRA reviews and costly audit adjustments.
At Common Accounting we work to optimise your business return while protecting your hard-earned income — from calculating vehicle depreciation to structuring complex home workspace claims. Clients across Richmond Hill, Thornhill, Markham, Vaughan, North York, Scarborough and the wider GTA get their bookkeeping reconciliation and tax compliance handled precisely, so their attention stays on growing the business.
Self-employed & freelance FAQ
When do I have to register for HST?
Generally once your revenue passes $30,000 over four consecutive calendar quarters. There are timing details worth getting right, and voluntary registration is sometimes advantageous.
How much should I set aside for tax?
It depends on your net income and other earnings — the self-employed estimator on the tools page gives you a realistic number in under a minute.
Can I claim my home office?
Yes, if you use the space regularly for business. The claim is based on the proportion of your home used and must be reasonable — that reasonableness is exactly what gets reviewed.
When is my self-employed return actually due?
The return itself is due June 15, but any balance owing is due April 30. That split catches people out every year: file in June and the CRA still charges compound daily interest from May 1 on anything unpaid. The practical approach is to estimate and pay in April, then file by June.
Do I have to pay tax in instalments?
If your net tax owing was over $3,000 in the current year and in either of the two previous years, the CRA expects quarterly instalments on March 15, June 15, September 15 and December 15. We'll tell you whether you're in instalment territory and what each payment should be.
How long do I need to keep receipts?
Six years from the end of the tax year they relate to. The CRA can ask you to support any amount you claimed during that window, and a deduction you can't document is a deduction you effectively didn't have.
Let's sort this out properly
Book a free consultation and I'll tell you exactly what your situation needs.