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Information for discounters

For information about electronic filing, please see our EFILE for electronic filers Web page. You may also wish to visit the System for the Electronic Notification of Debt (SEND) Web page. The Hours of Operation Web page provides the dates and times when EFILE Online, EFILE Online Plus and SEND are available.

What's New?

Please read the latest information on mandatory electronic filing.

Change of Address
  • We would like to remind you that, as a discounter, if your mailing address has changed since last year or if it changes during the program, the Company/Corporation owner must notify Discounter Services. There are now two options to change your address. You can now call Discounter Services to make this change by answering a few security questions. You can also complete and send a new RC76 form, Application and Agreement to Obtain a Discounter Code / Discounter Direct Deposit Enrolment, by indicating a change at the top of the form. Send this form to Discounter Services at the address indicated at the bottom of the RC76. It is very important that we have the accurate address on file as it ensures the notices of assessment continue to be sent to the correct address without delay.

Confidentiality of taxpayer information
  • You must ensure the protection and confidentiality of taxpayer information at all times including without limitation during transmission, transportation, access, storage, processing, handling, use and destruction.

  • Taxpayer information that you obtained from the CRA for discounting purposes may be used by you for the sole purpose of administering the Tax Rebate Discounting Act. Any other use of taxpayer information obtained from the CRA is prohibited.

  • Any loss, suspected loss, or unauthorized disclosure of, or access to, taxpayer information that was obtained from the CRA for discounting purposes must be immediately reported by you to the CRA by contacting Discounter Services.
British Columbia Referendum
  • The province of British Columbia held a referendum in July 2011 and decided to eliminate the harmonized sales tax (HST) and restore the provincial sales tax (PST) and the goods and services tax (GST). The rate of tax on discounting transactions in British Columbia will therefore change on April 1, 2013.

Important dates

Reminders

  • Charging fees

    Any discounter who charges fees in addition to the allowed discount fee (15% - 5%) violates subsection 3(1) of the Tax Rebate Discounting Act. Extra fees cannot be charged for the service of preparing a client's income tax and benefit return or any other service directly related to the discounting transaction.

    Discounters must pay the full minimum consideration (85% - 95%) by cash or cheque at the time of the discounting transaction.

    Administratively, we accept that the amount the discounter pays to the client can be reduced by other unrelated fees. This is permitted provided that the client authorizes the deduction in writing and that they are for one of the two reasons below.

    The only two deductions that the CRA will accept from the minimum consideration payment are:

    • the collection of an amount owed by the client to the discounter because of a shortage from a prior year discounted return; and

    • a fee for the preparation of a prior year T1 return or adjustment for the client or a family member's current or prior year T1 return that is filed at the same time and that is not discounted.
      Note: For Quebec residents, this includes the fee for the preparation of the Quebec income tax return.

    No other fees or deductions are permitted

    A client must authorize this deduction from the minimum consideration. As proof of authorization, we will accept a fully typewritten receipt or a second cheque made out to the client, which the client endorses and returns to the discounter. If a receipt is provided, the reason for the fee and the amount must be clearly shown on a fully typewritten receipt that is signed and dated by the client. If a second cheque is provided, the explanation of the fee must be typewritten on the cheque.

    In addition to the proof of authorization, you must have the following documentation in the client's file available for review by the CRA should we request it.

    • If you are deducting an amount for a prior year return shortage, make sure you keep the prior year RC71, proof of payment of the minimum consideration, and the RC72.

    • If you are deducting a fee for a family member's T1 return, make sure you keep the social insurance number of the family member and details about his or her relationship to the client.
  • Interest added to clients' debts owed to CRA

    When you acquire a right to a client's refund, and you are aware of a client's debt to the CRA, you must enter in box A, on Form RC71, Statement of Discounting Transaction, the estimated refund from line 484, minus the amount owing. Administratively, we accept that interest may be added to the debt to allow for the period between the time the outstanding balance is provided to you, and the time the tax return is assessed. In such cases, the interest must be calculated using an interest rate not higher than the CRA prescribed interest rates for a period no longer than our published EFILE processing standard of two weeks (or our paper-processing standard, if you are filing paper returns). Our rates and standards are available on our Web site at www.cra-arc.gc.ca. Documentation on your clients' files must show the amount of the debt, the interest added, to whom it was owed, and the source of this information.

    Note: Debts such as, CCTB, GSTC, and other similar provincial credits are non-interest bearing debt, therefore, no interest can be added to the debt amount.
  • Partial Discounting

    Subsection 4(1) of the Act requires that a client be paid the full minimum consideration at or before the time a discounter acquires the right to the client's refund. You cannot acquire a right to a client's refund of tax and only discount part of it. For example, in a situation where you are aware of a tuition, education and textbook carry forward amount, you must account for this amount in the calculation of the estimated refund at the time of the discounting transaction. Make sure that you discount on the total estimated refund.

  • Notices of Assessment

    As a discounter you will receive your client's original notice of assessment. Upon receipt, you have to send to your client the original notice of assessment along with Form RC72, Notice of the Actual Amount of the Refund of Tax.

  • Form RC72, Notice of the Actual Amount of the Refund of Tax

    You have to inform the client, using Form RC72, of the actual amount of the refund you received from the CRA as soon as you receive a notice of assessment, a refund cheque, or a payment from the CRA. You must send Form RC72 to the clients regardless of whether there is an excess, a loss, or a nil balance. It is an offence under the Act to not send Form RC72 and the notice of assessment to your clients immediately.

    Note: Box 10 of the RC72 form should be the date you or your representative signed the form, paid any applicable excess amount to the client, and when it was sent to the client with the original notice of assessment.

  • Excess amounts

    Paragraph 3(3)(b) of the Tax Rebate Discounting Act requires that if the actual refund of tax, excluding refund interest, you receive for a client exceeds the estimated amount of the refund of tax by $10 or more, the discounter must pay, or make every reasonable effort to pay, the full amount of the excess to the client. Please note that an excess cheque is not considered paid until it is cashed. If the excess is not paid within 30 days, the discounter must immediately remit the excess, together with a copy of Form RC72 to the Receiver General for Canada to credit the client's account. Send this information to the client's tax centre. Refer to the Guide for Discounters for more information.

    Note: Another option would be to complete the form T7DR(A) and make the payment to CRA through a financial institution. Ensure you verify the social insurance number, name, and amount.

  • Electronic and paper versions of Form RC71

    If you use EFILE to file discounted returns, the electronic version of the Form RC71 transmitted to the CRA must be an exact copy of the paper version of the Form RC71 which has been signed and dated by the discounter and the client.

    You may have to manually override and lock the RC71 fields in your software before electronically transmitting the form to us to ensure the EFILE version matches the paper version.

    Any changes made after it has been printed must be initialed by the client as authorization. Box 14 of the RC71 must be the date the transaction took place. If the client must come back to your office on a different date to complete the transaction before you file the return, you must reprint the RC71 with the correct date and have it signed by your client to reflect the actual date of the transaction.
  • Credits and benefits that cannot be discounted

    The goods and services tax/harmonized sales tax (GST/HST) credit, Canada Child Tax Benefit (CCTB), and similar benefits are credits and benefits that cannot be discounted.

    The Ontario Trillium Benefit (OTB) and its components are benefits that cannot be discounted. The OTB is the integration of the payment issuance for three existing programs: the Ontario Sales Tax Credit (OSTC); the Ontario Energy and Property Tax Credit (OEPTC); and the Northern Ontario Energy Credit (NOEC).




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Tax Rebate Discounting Act

The Tax Rebate Discounting Act regulates the practice of tax discounting. Its purpose is to protect the rights and interests of individuals who use discounting services to get their income tax refunds.

Guide for Discounters

This publication is only available on our Web site.

The T4163 Guide for Discounters outlines important information and procedures relating to the Tax Rebate Discounting Act, which regulates tax discounting. When you applied for your discounter code, you certified that you will comply with all the provisions of the Tax Rebate Discounting Act, the Canada Revenue Agency procedures and policies contained in the Guide for Discounters, and the information for discounters Web page. Therefore, you must read this information at least on a quarterly basis.


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Forms for discounters

You can find most of our forms and publications, including the discounter forms on our Web site. Most forms and publications can also be ordered by calling 1-800-959-2221.

Direct deposit for discounters

We can deposit your discounted refunds directly into your account at any financial institution in Canada. Send us a completed Form RC76, Application and Agreement to Obtain a Discounter Code / Discounter Direct Deposit Enrolment, and include a "VOID" personalized cheque or deposit slip to either:

  • start participating in the direct deposit program; or
  • change your direct deposit information that we have on file.

If you already use direct deposit and your banking information has not changed, you do not need to complete this form.


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Convictions

The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) conducts compliance programs to ensure that consumers are protected under the Tax Rebate Discounting Act (TRDA) and that tax discounters adhere to their responsibilities under the law.

The CRA seeks publicity on convictions in the case of tax discounters who commit an offence under the TRDA. This is to maintain confidence in the integrity of the discounting system and to increase compliance with the law through the deterrent effect of such publicity.

The CRA advises the media of cases of discounters convicted in the courts for failing to comply with the provisions of the TRDA. The information released to the media is available to the public since it is derived strictly from court records and not from confidential information held by the CRA.

If you have information about a suspected violation of the TRDA or any tax law, please contact the CRA enforcement division nearest you.

Date Modified: 2012-12-20

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Important Notices