The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) has been given a mandate to move towards a “digital by default” process over the next couple of years. This will be through their online portals: My Account (for individuals), My Business Account (for businesses), and Represent a Client (for representatives, like Clearline).
Starting in 2023, the CRA will start pushing their correspondence out to businesses using their My Business Account services, starting with the corporate Notices of Assessment. It is anticipated they will then commence with other CRA correspondence.
What is a My Business Account?
A My Business Account gives directors, officers, and partners access to their corporate taxes, GST, and payroll accounts online. Internal accountants and employees (that are not officers) should instead use the Represent a Client system.
How Does This Affect You?
In anticipation of these changes, we recommend all business owners sign up for a My Business Account. And, we will require all new clients to have a My Business Account. The CRA will no longer grant us authorization to
your business accounts online unless you first give us approval to access your My Business Account.
How to Set Up a My Business Account?
If you already have a CRA My Account (for personal access), you should be able to sign in to your My Business
Account using the same user ID and password.
If not, you will be required to register for an account by setting up a CRA User ID and password, which you can do on this page under Option 2 – Using a CRA User ID and Password. (We recommended using Option 2 to create your account and log in instead of Option 1 – Using One of Our Sign-In Partners.)
If not working, you have to call CRA at 1-800-959-5525
And right now, the only way to represent online is you have your business account with CRA. Authorizing a representative online gives them immediate access to your CRA account. You must already be registered with My Business Account.
Mailing a form will only authorize your representative for access to your tax information over the phone, by mail, by fax, or in person. You must fill in and sign a separate authorization form for each representative. By signing an authorization form, you’re authorizing the representative to have access to information regarding your accounts by phone, by mail, by fax, and in person. Note that this does not provide online access.
