There’s a lot to get used to when you start your first job. Doing your taxes is part of it. It also gets you access to benefit and credit payments to help make rent, pay for childcare or have a little extra for activities.

Here are three tips to get you started:

• Have all of your income information available, including any tax slips you received for the tax year.
• Do your taxes on time, every year, even if you didn’t earn income or your income was tax exempt. Your benefit and credit payments, like the GST/HST credit, are calculated using your tax information.
• Register for direct deposit to get your payments directly into your bank account.

Need help filing your tax return? You may be eligible to have your return filed at a free tax clinic if you have a simple tax situation and a modest income.

You can also use the CRA’s free online learning tool called “Learn about your taxes.” It can help you gain the confidence you need to do your taxes on your own either online using NETFILE-certified software (sometimes free) or on paper using an income tax package.

Find more information at canada.ca/learn-about-taxes.