It’s the last day of April, which means Canadian personal taxes are due today. If you haven’t already filed, and paid any taxes owing, you’ll need an extension. The good news is that even with all the confusion of working—or not working—during a pandemic, there are numerous videos available to help you navigate the tax deadline. At KWV, we already know videos are a great tool for explanation and information sharing, and today is the perfect opportunity to illustrate just how useful and video can be when you need help.
Canadian Revenue Agency Videos
Did you know that the CRA has a YouTube channel? It’s full of how-to videos such as How to Make a Home Office Expenses Claim—I think we’ll all be watching this one! Posted in late March, the video gives a detailed explanation of how to claim office expenses on your tax return. This includes eligibility criteria and where to find the calculator to determine your expenses. There’s also a whole slew of videos to help Canadians prepare for the tax deadline: How to Register for my account, My Account Digital Service, Change My Direct Deposit, and more. These are all animated, short, and contain tons of easy-to-understand, valuable information. It’s a great resource for anyone who gets quickly frustrated or confused when reading a bunch of tax information. After all, some of us are just visual learners.
Tax Filing Software
Many people file their taxes online and the CRA has instructions if you choose to go that route. Part of the instructions address using tax filing software. Filing your own taxes saves you the money of paying someone else to do it and there are also plenty of free options. Or you can choose to pay for tax software. Especially for simple returns, this is a quick and easy way to file. Having said that, it’s always nice to have a roadmap and video allows a viewer to follow along while learning. So look into the tax software that works for you and see if there’s a video providing instructions. A video such as this could come from the manufacturer or a fellow user. You can even watch a series of videos promoting and explaining tax software to make your choice. Using TurboTax Canada as an example, you can visit their YouTube page for a whole series of personal stories, tutorials, and tips.
Have Taxes Changed?
So how has the continuing global pandemic has affected 2020 taxes? It can be overwhelming to read through countless articles and comb through the CRA website to figure out the changes that affect you personally. Video is a good place to start looking for answers and narrowing down your search. Whether it’s information from a news report, a tax expert, or someone who’s asked the same question, watching a video can feel like an easy entry point for tax queries. You can try a general search for videos that talk about the tax season, or get more specific about your situation. After watching a few videos, you may have a better idea of the questions you need to research further, or you may find the answer you’ve been looking for and be able to move ahead with the filing process.
Video as a Helper
The usefulness of videos extends far beyond tax deadline filing tips. If you have a product or service that’s addressing any pain point, a video can help viewers find the solution. People who are looking for help will most often click on a video first. Whether it’s live-action or animation, a video is exactly what a consumer is looking for and seeing one that speaks to their problem will make them stop and click. Ready to tell people about your solution? Call us today for a free quote.
