Lesley-Anne Scorgie has five ways to help you deal with your tax bill

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After receiving COVID relief benefits in 2020, many Canadians received a tax bill instead of a refund this year.

According to the CRA, the average balance owing is $5,062. While some taxpayers set aside the funds to cover that, plenty others may have overlooked the fact they would need to pay tax on their benefits or they needed all the funds at the time to cover living costs.

A March survey from H&R Block Canada revealed that 22 per cent of Canadians said they don’t have the means to pay a tax bill this season, with 36 per cent reporting they’d saved less than $500 to cover tax surprises and 23 per cent saying they had no savings set aside for a tax bill.

But paying your taxes doesn’t have to be an overwhelming task. We asked Lesley-Anne Scorgie, personal finance consultant, author and founder of MeVest, for some tips on how to tackle your tax bill.

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