5 min
How to choose the right tax category in Quebec: employment, self-employed, or rental income
Quebec guide to choosing employment, self-employed, or rental income tax categories to declare correctly to Revenu Québec and the CRA.
Montreal tax preparation
Choose the right path for your Montreal file: an individual return, self-employment, rental property or unfiled years. The local references below distinguish municipal and school accounts from income-tax documents.
TaxCove’s listed address is in Pointe-Claire; Montreal files can also use the private intake path. For an individual return, use the dedicated Montreal personal-return service.
Know which return you need? Start online. Not sure yet? Contact us first, no documents needed.
- Human review before submission
- Secure intake for tax documents
- English and French
Montreal records: city, school and tax-return files
For a Montreal purchase or rental property, keep each issuer’s documents separate. The city hub also points newcomers to independent local resources.
City of Montréal transfer duties in 2026
- The marginal rates are 0.5% to $62,900; 1% to $315,000; 1.5% to $552,300; 2% to $1,104,700; 2.5% to $2,136,500; 3.5% to $3,113,000; then 4%. These apply to successive portions of the tax base, not the full value at one rate.
- The 2026 comparative factor is 1.00. The base uses the highest applicable consideration or adjusted roll value; it is not necessarily the sale price.
Official sources
Two annual property accounts
- Montreal’s ordinary 2026 municipal instalment dates were March 2 and June 1. Keep the account and proof of payment with the building’s ledger.
- The CGTSIM separately issues school-tax accounts for taxable properties on Montréal Island after July 1. Its bill is not the city’s municipal account or an income-tax assessment.
Newcomer orientation and government questions
- The City’s newcomer resource page points to community help with housing, work, schooling and French-language learning. These are independent services, not TaxCove partners or endorsements.
- Use Revenu Québec’s topic-based contact directory for an income-tax or credit question; a municipal tax payment inquiry belongs to the City.
Independent public resources
Sources accessed September 27, 2026 (2026-09-27). Municipal schedules identify their year; income-tax information concerns 2025 where specified. Check the actual account and rules for your situation.
Who we help in Montreal
Montreal-area clients can use these situations to choose the right tax service before opening an online intake.
Employees with T4 and RL-1 slips, credits, medical claims, moving-year questions, or more than one job in the year.
Self-employed workers and freelancers who need income, expenses, home-office records, and GST/QST questions organized before filing.
Rental property owners with Montreal or Quebec rental income, repairs, capital work, or owner bookkeeping that needs to be tax-ready.
People catching up on missed or prior-year returns who need the filing order and first document set clarified before work begins.
Montreal and Quebec tax support in scope
The work is framed around service availability, Quebec filing context, and the documents that define the file.
Personal return preparation
Personal return preparation covers employees, students, retirees, families, credits, childcare, investments, and Quebec filing-season questions.
Self-employed and GST/QST files
Business income, expenses, mileage, home office, invoices, and GST/QST thresholds are organized so the filing scope is clear.
Rental and landlord tax support
Rental income, property expenses, bookkeeping summaries, repairs, and capital-vs-current questions are connected to the right tax path.
Late or prior-year returns
Older years, notices, missing slips, and catch-up filing priorities are handled with a practical order before the file is treated as ready.
How the Montreal tax process works
The goal is to define the file before sensitive records are submitted.
Step 1
Choose the closest file type
Start from employee, self-employed, rental, GST/QST, or catch-up tax support so the intake asks for the right context.
Step 2
Open the online form
Use Start when you are ready, or Contact first if the file crosses several categories or needs a fit check.
Step 3
Share the first document set
Upload slips, notices, receipts, rental summaries, or bookkeeping records that define the filing scope.
Step 4
Resolve missing pieces
Follow-up happens before the file is finalized so Quebec and federal details are not guessed from incomplete records.
Documents to prepare before starting
The exact list depends on the file, but these groups cover the most common Montreal and Quebec situations.
Personal slips
- T4, RL-1, T4A, RL-2, RRSP, tuition, medical, childcare, and donation records.
- CRA and Revenu Québec notices of assessment from the most recent filed year.
- Information about spouse, dependants, address changes, and direct deposit changes.
Business or rental records
- Income summaries, invoices, platform statements, mileage logs, and expense categories.
- Rental income, mortgage interest, municipal tax, insurance, repairs, and condo-fee records.
- GST/QST registration details, collected tax, input tax credits, and filing-period records when relevant.
Catch-up context
- CRA or Revenu Québec letters, missing-year list, and any notices about instalments or balances.
- Available slips or account transcripts for older years that were never filed.
- A short timeline explaining what changed and why the filing order is unclear.
Pricing guidance before you open a file
Local context does not change the pricing model. Use these notes to decide whether pricing, Start, or Contact is the better next step.
Simple employee files usually start from the personal return pricing table.
Self-employed, rental, GST/QST, and late-year files can require extra scope based on records and missing years.
If the file is mixed or uncertain, contact first so the next step is framed before documents are uploaded.
Trust and security for Montreal-area clients
Clients see secure document handling, bilingual guidance, and realistic Quebec filing expectations before they start.
Secure intake instead of scattered attachments
Sensitive tax documents should move through the existing secure process whenever the file is ready to begin.
Bilingual communication
TaxCove supports English and French so clients can explain Quebec tax details in the language that fits the file.
Service-area clarity
Montreal clients can start online, with tax preparation support also available across Quebec.
Montreal tax preparation FAQ
Do you only help clients inside Montreal?
No. We also support clients elsewhere in Quebec through the online intake.
Can one Montreal file include employment, self-employment, and rental income?
Yes. Mixed files should be explained early so the right service option and first document list are clear.
Should I start online or contact first?
Start online when the file type is clear. Contact first if there are missed years, notices, or several income categories.
Do I need to travel to start my tax file?
You can start online and share documents through the secure intake. Contact us first if you need to confirm how your file will be handled.
Ready to choose the right Montreal tax path?
Start your return online, contact TaxCove first if the file needs explaining, or compare the service pages.
Related Montreal tax services
Use these service pages to move from the local hub into the tax path that matches the actual file.
Montreal tax resources to read next
These articles help with Quebec filing categories, document planning, and decisions that often come up before intake.
3 min
Quebec tax checklist for filing your 2025 return in 2026
2026 filing checklist for Quebec employees, self-employed workers, and rental property owners preparing their 2025 income tax returns.
3 min
How your Quebec marginal tax rate can affect RRSP tax savings (with examples)
Illustrative examples of how marginal rates can affect RRSP tax savings in Quebec, why a deduction may not produce money back, and what to verify.