2026 Tax Season in France: Key Dates and Checklist

In short. The 2026 tax season in Quebec concerns your 2025 income and revolves around three key dates: March 2, 2026, the last day to contribute to your RRSP; April 30, 2026, the deadline to file your returns and pay your balance; and June 15, 2026, the filing deadline for self-employed individuals (their balance is still due on April 30). A unique feature of Quebec is that you file two returns: the T1 to the Canada Revenue Agency. Canada (CRA) and TP1 to Revenu Québec. A delay costs 5% of the outstanding balance plus 1% per full month, at each level of government. All amounts are in Canadian dollars.

Dated reference page: last updated July 9, 2026. We revise this page as soon as the IRS announces a change in deadline or rule, so you're always planning on the right numbers.

Every spring, it's the same story: tax forms pile up on the corner of the desk, accounting firms are fully booked, and a good portion of Quebec files its taxes in the last two weeks of April. Yet, the 2026 tax season is anything but unpredictable: the deadlines are known in advance, as are the documents to gather. This page brings both together, in the most useful order: first, the complete calendar (employees, self-employed individuals, corporations), then the checklist of documents to prepare for each profile, and finally, the reverse timeline for finding an accountant while there are still openings.

Key dates for the 2026 tax season

The calendar below covers the 2025 tax year, the one you file in spring 2026. As a general rule for both tax authorities, when a deadline falls on a weekend or holiday, it is postponed to the next business day. This explains March 2nd: the sixtieth day after the end of 2025 falls on a Sunday, so the RRSP deadline is moved to Monday.

Two points of clarification for businesses. For corporations, tax returns are filed within six months of the fiscal year-end, but the tax balance is paid earlier, generally two or three months after the fiscal year-end, depending on your situation: a corporation whose fiscal year ends on December 31, 2025, must therefore file its T2 and CO-17 returns by June 30, 2026. Regarding taxes, your VAT (5%) and VAT (9.975%) returns have their own filing frequency (monthly, quarterly, or annually) and are not aligned with the tax season. Our guide on the cost of a business tax return in Quebec details what filing T2 and CO-17 returns entails in practice.

Two declarations, two governments: CRA and Revenu Québec

Quebec is the only province where individuals file two complete income tax returns: the T1 federal return and the TP1 provincial return. Same income, but two calculations, two notices of assessment, and sometimes two different balances. Here's what this means for your tax preparation:

• You need two sets of slips. Each source of income produces a federal slip and its Quebec equivalent: T4 and RL-1 for employment, T5 and RL-3 for investments. You need both sets.
• These are tax credits specific to Quebec. The Solidarity Tax Credit (claimed on form TP1, with slip 31 if you are a tenant) and childcare expenses (slip 24) are only available through Revenu Québec. Forgetting them means leaving money on the table.
• Two balances to pay, two recipients. A payment sent to the wrong tier will not settle the other: check each contribution notice.
• For employers, there are payroll deductions (DAS) on both sides. Payments to the CRA and the tax authorities follow their own schedules throughout the year.

The document checklist, profile by profile

The easiest way to miss a deadline is to chase up a missing document in the last week of April. Gather everything into a single folder (paper or digital) as soon as you receive the forms at the end of February, and check them off as you go.

Employee or individual

• Income slips: T4 and Relevé 1 (employment), T4A (pensions, occasional fees), T5 and Relevé 3 (investments), T4E (unemployment insurance), T5008 (securities sales).
• 2024 Notice of Assessment: Federal and Quebec, for your RRSP rights and deferred amounts.
• Deduction receipts: RRSP contributions (including those paid in the first 60 days of 2026), medical expenses, charitable donations, union or professional dues.
• French credits: statement 31 if you are a tenant (solidarity tax credit), statement 24 and receipts for childcare expenses, tuition fees (T2202 and statement 8).
• Life changes in 2025: birth, separation, alimony, purchase of a first property: everyone opens or closes credit lines.

Self-employed

• Summary of income and expenses: invoices issued, revenues collected, expenses by category (software, subcontracting, supplies, telecommunications, training).
• Home office: surface area used for work, rent or mortgage interest, electricity, home insurance.
• Vehicle: mileage log separating business and personal use, fuel, maintenance, registration, insurance.
• Taxes: VAT registers if you are registered (registration becomes mandatory beyond €30,000 of taxable sales).
• Instalment payments: payments already made to the CRA and the Canada Revenue Agency in 2025, to avoid paying twice.

Company incorporated;

• Annual accounts and financial year reports: balance sheet and profit and loss statement, T2 basis and CO-17.
• Payroll records: source deductions (DAS) paid, T4 summaries and statement 1 produced for your employees by the end of February at the latest.
• Taxes: VAT returns for the financial year and reconciliation with recorded sales.
• Manager's remuneration: salary paid or dividends declared (T5 and statement 3): your accountant needs this to optimize everything.
• Company advance payments: tax payments already made during the fiscal year.

Late payments, penalties and interest: what it really costs

Filing late with an outstanding balance triggers a penalty of 5% of the balance due, plus 1% for each full month of delay, up to a maximum of 12 months. And since Quebec has two tax authorities, the bill can arrive twice: once to the CRA (Canada Revenue Agency), and once to Revenu Québec (Quebec Revenue Agency). Interest on the outstanding balance is also charged, compounded daily at a prescribed rate that is revised quarterly. For repeat offenses, the penalties increase further. On a balance of a few thousand euros, a few months of delay quickly adds up to hundreds of euros that could easily be avoided.

Reverse planning: finding your accountant before the deadline

In March and April, many Quebec accounting firms simply stop accepting new files: their teams are operating at full capacity. The best approach, therefore, is not to look for an accountant when the deadline arrives, but to start from the deadline and work backward. At Bankeo, matching with an audited accountant from the network is often done within 48 hours (this is a common timeframe observed in our requests, not a promise), which makes for a simple reverse timeline:

On the budget front, there's no mystery: comprehensive accounting support for a business costs around $2,000 per year on average, with most engagements ranging from $500 to $6,000 depending on the client's profile and the services provided. Based on the actual fees of 1,248 engagements completed through Bankeo (2024-2026), out of more than 15,000 requests received, the Bankeo Barometer details these price ranges service by service. A personal tax return alone obviously costs less than an annual engagement: our guides on the cost of an accountant for self-employed individuals and on accountant fees in France in 2026 provide benchmarks for each situation.

Frequently asked questions

What is the deadline for filing your 2025 income tax return in Quebec?

April 30, 2026, for the vast majority of individuals, is the filing deadline for both T1 (CRA) and TP1 (Revenu Québec) returns and the payment of the balance. If you or your spouse are self-employed, you have until June 15, 2026, to file, but your tax balance will still be due on April 30, 2026.

What is the deadline to contribute to an RRSP for the year 2025?

March 2, 2026. The rule is 60 days after the end of the year; since this sixtieth day falls on a Sunday in 2026, the date shifts to Monday. Contributions paid up to this date can be deducted from your 2025 income, up to your entitlement limit: 18% of your 2024 earnings, a maximum of $32,490, plus any unused entitlement from previous years. The PEA (French Equity Savings Plan), however, has no expiration date.

Why is it necessary to file two tax returns in Quebec?

Because Quebec administers its own income tax, unlike the other provinces. Therefore, you file the T1 slip with the tax authorities; Canada and the TP1 to Revenu Québec, with duplicate slips (T4 and Relevé 1, T5 and Relevé 3) and Quebec-specific credits such as the solidarity tax credit. An accountant prepares both returns together, using the same file.

What happens if I file my tax return late?

With an outstanding balance, the penalty is 5% of the balance due plus 1% per full month of delay, up to 12 months, and can be applied to both the CRA and Revenu Québec. Daily compound interest is added, at a rate revised quarterly. With no outstanding balance, there is no penalty, but your payments and credits may be delayed. The winning strategy: file on time, even if payment is delayed.

When should I start looking for an accountant for the 2026 season?

Ideally, this should be done before the end of March. Bankeo account linking is often completed within 48 hours, a common timeframe we've observed in our inquiries, but your accountant will then need 2 to 3 weeks to gather your documents and prepare your two tax returns without rushing. In April, many firms stop accepting new applications: the earlier you start, the more options you'll have.

How much does an accountant cost for tax season?

For comprehensive business support, the median cost is approximately $2,000 per year, with most mandates ranging from $500 to $6,000. This is based on the actual fees of 1,248 mandates completed through Bankeo (2024-2026), out of more than 15,000 requests received. Filing a tax return for an individual or self-employed individual is less expensive; the Bankeo Barometer provides detailed price ranges for each service.

Sources

1. Revenu Québec, Individual Income Tax Return
2. Revenue Agency of the | Canada official portal
3. Revenu Québec, Self-employed workers;
4. Quebec CPA Order
5. Educaloi, legal information made accessible