New tax-filing research on people with low incomes: Barriers and attitudes

26 March 2019

Achieving financial stability while living on low income can often feel unattainable for many Canadian families. Barriers to tax filing and accessing income benefits continues to prove to be an on-going challenge.

Over the past two years, Prosper Canada with the support of Intuit Financial Freedom Foundation, has conducted important research to better understand the barriers to tax filing for people living on low incomes and their attitudes and motivations associated with their tax-filing experiences.

Income tax filing and benefits take-up: Challenges and opportunities for Canadians living on low incomes, is aimed at better understanding the barriers to tax filing for Canadians on low incomes. The report also explores opportunities to help people with low incomes file taxes and access income-boosting social benefits.

Tax time insights: Experiences of people living on low income in Canada, is a synthesis of the tax filing experiences of 53 people living on low incomes from across Canada. The primary audience for this report are federal policy makers, researchers, and community practitioners working to improve tax-filing rates and access to benefits among people with low incomes.

To access tax filing reports and/or resources, visit the Prosper Canada Learning Hub at Learninghub.prospercanada.org.