The April 30 deadline for the 2024 tax year might feel far away with February just starting, but make no mistake, it comes up quickly. If you aren’t prepared, you might be scrambling to file your taxes last minute.

Jennifer Dunn, tax partner at BDO Canada, recommends Canadians “start early, because rushing will lead to mistakes.” Here’s how she, and H&R Block tax expert Yannick Lemay, think early tax-birds can get the worm using these seven tips.

Watch out for commonly missed deductions

According to Lemay, it’s not too early to think about your taxes and make sure you don’t miss out on any deductions.

“[There are] more than 400 credits and deductions that are available for us Canadians, and often, those that tend to be forgotten are those for which we don't receive a tax slip in the mail,” he said in an interview with Yahoo Finance Canada.

To make sure you don’t miss out on commonly forgotten benefits, Lemay first suggests Canadians go back through their emails throughout the 2024 year and find any receipts that may have been sent by a charitable organization. He also advises clients to review and organize receipts for medical expenses and interest on student loans for example, as they likely won’t receive an official receipt for tax purposes.

This will help lessen the chances these deductions or credits are missed.

Use a checklist

Both Dunn and Lemay recommend using a checklist to ensure you are looking for the right documents and to double-check you have everything before filing.

Dunn recommends using a checklist, such as this one from the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA), as a helpful reference point to make sure Canadians aren’t missing income slips, deductions or credits. Lemay suggests Canadians make use of H&R Block’s Canadian tax checklist, which is available for free online.

“We don’t expect our clients to think of everything,” he said.

“But if you just take a look at the checklist, that will give you an idea of where to start looking.”

Once you have your documents in place, and if you’re using a tax professional to file your return, Dunn notes that sending in your tax return package sooner is usually better. “The earlier you provide your documents, the more time your tax advisor has to optimize your return,” she said.

Don’t wait until you have all your documents

Dunn says the best strategies are about more than just making sure documents are filed correctly.

“They involve tax planning throughout the year, maximizing our [Registered Retirement Savings Plans] or spreading out capital gains or shifting income to a lower-income spouse can all be done ahead of time,” Dunn said.