Tax Hub

Process Changes with the Launch of SmythePort for Personal Taxes

Smythe has officially retired CCH iFirm and launched SmythePort—our secure client portal designed to make collaboration with your Smythe team simple and efficient. 

Through SmythePort, you can upload and access documents, complete information requests, and track engagement progress in one centralized, secure environment. 

This transition was made with our clients in mind to provide a more seamless and protected experience. As with any new platform, there may be a short adjustment period. Here’s what’s changing: 

• CCH iFirm is no longer in use 
• The personal income tax checklist previously used by some clients is being phased out. It remains available during the transition to SmythePort
• All information will now be submitted through SmythePort 
• The SmythePort Centre includes video tutorials and FAQs to guide you 
• Documents requiring signature will be sent to your email via Adobe Sign
• Unless there are exceptional circumstances, you will not receive password-protected documents by email and will no longer need to use your four-digit client password.
• A copy of your finalized tax return will be available in the portal once complete, which you will be able to access at any time.

What hasn’t changed is our commitment to service. You’ll continue working directly with your Smythe team; SmythePort simply streamlines how information is shared so we can complete your return efficiently. 

SmythePort is new, and we appreciate your patience as we continue refining the experience. 

Personal tax clients – If you have not received login credentials for SmythePort from portaladmin@smythecpa.com, please contact your Smythe Advisor directly. 

Signature Pages and Final Packages via Adobe Sign

Final packages and signature pages will be sent to your email directly from Adobe Sign (with a copy of your final package also available in SmythePort, as mentioned above). Emails will come from the following addresses and are safe to open:

• Smythe Signatures (drawn signatures) – sign@smythecpa.com
• Smythe E-Signatures (e-signatures when CRA permits) – esign@smythecpa.com

Please watch for these messages and complete signature requests promptly to avoid delays.

FAQs

I already have a SmythePort login from a corporate engagement (such as compilation engagement). Can I use those login credentials to access SmythePort? 

• Yes, SmythePort is a unified platform for both corporate and personal information and the same login details can be used for both.   

Can I still use the PDF income tax return checklist? 

• The personal income tax checklist previously used by some clients is being phased out. It remains available during the transition to SmythePort for the time being. Complete checklists may be uploaded directly into SmythePort.  

Can I use my CCH iFirm login to access SmythePort? 

• No, you will be issued a unique login to access SmythePort.  

Can I still use CCH iFirm to submit my information? I’ve already started uploading. 

• No, CCH iFirm will soon be deactivated. If you require something from CCH iFirm after your account has been deactivated, please reach out to your Smythe advisor or a member of your engagement team.

Digital Services

This tax season we continue our efforts to digitize as many of our processes as possible, to reduce our dependency on paper and to boost efficiencies for our clients and staff. Please submit all your documentation through our client portal SmythePort. We also urge you to register with CRA My Account (the online portal for the CRA) as soon as possible, if you haven’t already. Like Smythe, the CRA is moving towards hosting all its processes online, including allowing you to access your Notice of Assessment and apply for new benefits and credits.  

Real Estate

Real estate regulations have become increasingly complex. If you own property that has been sold, transferred, deemed disposed of for tax purposes like changing its use (e.g., from rental to personal or vice versa, or from long-term to short-term use), or undergone any change, please inform your Smythe advisor as soon as possible. These changes may have different tax implications, expense limitations, or require specific elections to be filed. Additionally, all such transactions—including those involving your principal residence—must be reported on your tax return. For more general information on real estate click here. Some key topics include:  

1.Short-Term Rentals 

A short-term rental is a residential property that is rented or offered for rent for a period of less than 90 consecutive days.  As of January 1, 2024, individuals are no longer able to deduct expenses related to non-compliant (with all applicable provincial or municipal registration, licensing and permit requirements) short- term rentals.  For more information, please visit click here. Some key topics include:

2.Property Flipping  

Property flipping is when a taxpayer buys and resells a property in a short period of time for a profit.  Any gain from the disposition of a housing unit (including a rental property) located in Canada, or a right to acquire a housing unit located in Canada, that you owned or held for less than 365 consecutive days before its disposition may be deemed to be business income and not a capital gain. 

The BC home flipping tax return is separate and distinct from the personal tax income tax filings. It applies to a property sold in BC (including presale contracts) owned for less than 730 days.  

It is important that you notify us if your residential property is a short-term rental or is subject to the flipping rules.      

Organ and Tissue Donor Registry

Personal tax returns now include a section on Consent to share contact information for the Organ and Tissue Donor Registry.

Unless you specifically instruct us otherwise, we will assume your answer is “No”. If you wish to indicate “Yes” for any of these questions, please let us know explicitly. 

The tax return will ask the following questions:

CRA My Account

Please ensure you create a Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) online account (My Account) to easily and securely manage your tax information. This account allows you to access your Notice of Assessment (NOA), track refunds, view benefit payments, check RRSP and TFSA contribution limits, updated and amended slips, and update personal information in real time. Additionally, it will ensure that you receive all correspondence from the CRA in a timely manner.

“Auto-Fill My Return”

We rely on the “Auto-fill my return” secure service provided by the CRA to download various information on your file. If you have any questions or concerns regarding this, you can refer to the information provided on the CRA website here.