Start with complete tax records, current earnings information, account statements and records of property, debts and business interests. Label each with the person, asset or account and the period it covers. The issues, requests and orders in your matter determine the precise records and dates required.
Three tax records, three different jobs
A tax return is the information you file with the Canada Revenue Agency. A notice of assessment is the CRA’s summary after it processes that return. A notice of reassessment records a later assessment following changes. One does not substitute for the others.
Justice Canada lists complete returns and notices of assessment and reassessment for the three most recent tax years in its Federal Child Support Guidelines disclosure guidance. Other income records may also be required. Which guidelines apply depends on the circumstances.
Further detail: Canada Revenue Agency: After sending us your tax return · Justice Canada: Income Disclosure for Child Support Purposes
What to gather, and what each record tells you
Use this as an organiser. The examples below are not an exhaustive disclosure list. “Current” and “at separation” can be different questions; record the date requested rather than assuming the latest document is enough.
| Document | What it helps explain | Relevant date or period | Common omissions to check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Complete income tax return | Income reported and the schedules supporting it. | The tax years requested; federal child-support guidance identifies the three most recent. | Only a summary page, or missing schedules. |
| Notice of assessment | The CRA’s assessment of the filed return. | Each relevant tax year. | A return supplied without its assessment. |
| Notice of reassessment, if issued | Changes following an earlier assessment. | The same tax year and the date of the later notice. | Only the original assessment supplied. |
| Pay statements or employer letter | Current earnings, deductions and employment information. | Recent pay period and year-to-date figures where shown. | No period, missing year-to-date detail, or a changed job not explained. |
| Benefits, pension or other income records | Income from sources beyond employment. | The payment period and relevant annual records. | One payment screenshot with no source or period. |
| Bank and investment statements | Balances and transactions in the identified accounts. | The exact months or valuation dates requested. | Wrong month, missing pages or an unidentified account. |
| Property and mortgage records | Ownership, available valuation information and secured debt. | The date relevant to the property question. | Treating the mortgage balance as the property’s value. |
| Credit cards, loans and other debt statements | Who owes the debt and the balance shown. | The requested statement or balance date. | Missing account holder, balance date or supporting pages. |
| Business and self-employment records | Income and the financial position of the business. | Relevant financial years and any requested current period. | Bank statements supplied without available financial statements or supporting records. |
Further detail: Justice Canada: Income Disclosure for Child Support Purposes · Canada Revenue Agency: After sending us your tax return
List what you have and what is missing
Give each requested item its own line. Record the document, relevant person or account, period requested, file received and what still needs attention. Keep an original copy and use the firm’s secure delivery method. If you cannot obtain an item, explain why and what you have tried.
Fictional example: you have your 2025 tax return and its original assessment, but the CRA later issued a reassessment after a correction. Send all three available records and flag the change. Sending only the first assessment could leave your lawyer working from an earlier picture.
A received document may still leave a question open
A pay statement from a previous employer does not explain a new job’s current pay. A mortgage statement might show the loan balance but not the property’s value. A business bank balance is not the same thing as business income.
Identify the unanswered question alongside the document instead of silently replacing one with the other. Your lawyer can then decide what further record, explanation or advice is needed.
Questions you might have
Is a screenshot enough?
It may omit the period, account holder or surrounding information. Ask which format is needed and preserve the complete original record where you have it.
What if I am self-employed?
Flag this early. Business income can require different supporting records; ask your lawyer for a list tailored to the business and the issues in your matter.
Take something useful with you
Financial document organiser
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This page stores no checklist answers. A reload clears your selections. The download is a blank preparation aid, not a court form.
Sources & further help
- Justice Canada: Income Disclosure for Child Support Purposes
- Canada Revenue Agency: After sending us your tax return
- Government of Alberta: Family Justice Strategy
General information only. The applicable rules, court directions and circumstances of your matter determine the next step.