Federal · Canada-wide / Taxes & CRA

Arrange a CRA payment plan

Prepared by Active K Digital · Sources checked 2026-11-03

What can I do if I cannot pay my CRA tax bill?

If you cannot pay a CRA debt at once, work out an affordable payment proposal and use the CRA account or phone route for that debt. If a collections officer has written to you, contact that officer promptly.

Where to begin

Review the notice, identify the debt type and prepare a monthly income-and-expense budget.
Check whether the debt can be scheduled online in the appropriate CRA account; otherwise use the linked phone route.
Set up and confirm the arrangement, then make the first payment or verify the first scheduled debit.
Keep meeting the agreed dates and future filing obligations. Contact CRA before a payment you cannot make.

Before you open the official service

The notice and debt type, kept privately for the official account or call.
A realistic income-and-expense budget and proposed payment schedule.

Keep your actual documents and account details off this website. Use the official service’s current checklist before applying.

What to check for your situation

An arrangement does not erase the debt or prevent CRA from applying some credits and benefits against it. Debt relief is a separate process.

Fees, processing times and document rules can change. This page helps you navigate; it does not confirm eligibility or replace the government’s instructions.

Official sources

canada.ca · Official websiteCRA — Arrange to pay debt over timeCRA provides online and phone payment-arrangement routes; the available channel depends on debt and account type. Prepare an income-and-expense budget and keep agreed payments and future returns current. Contact a named collections officer when instructed; CRA may still apply certain benefits and credits to debt.Checked Nov 3, 2026

Prepared by Active K Digital from the linked public guidance. Read our source approach.