Refund or owing? Find out.

Refund or balance owing — what decides it

Your employer deducts tax from every paycheque based on what you told them on your TD1 forms. If too much came off, you get a refund; too little, and you owe. Self-employment and investment income usually have no tax withheld at all — which is why freelancers are often surprised in April.

The fix isn't a bigger refund — it's an accurate one. A big refund means you lent the government money interest-free; a big balance can mean instalment reminders next year.