If your spouse doesn't file his/her tax return(s), it could cause you problems both now and in the long term. You have to ask your spouse why they are not filing their taxes, and if you don't get a good answer you need to take steps.

I have seen this problem often this year. Self-employed people who end up with a much larger tax owing than they expected. They looked at their previous year's tax return and based on that, they thought it would be just a little more, but they were wrong.

RRSP season is over and it's tax time again. Get yourselves ready to file your taxes for this year, and if possible file early.

Updated with 2009 rates! This applies to you if you have a regular job with a salary over about $40,000 per year. We all have to pay CPP and EI, these are deducted at source by your payroll. Both CPP and EI have a maximum annual amount, and that payroll does not spread out the amount throughout the year. The net effect is your take home pay is less at the start of the year, until you reach your maximums.