Free Calgary tax clinic reopens to help seniors facing rising costs

Unison for Generations 50+ helping seniors file taxes again this year. The clinic's aim is to help low-income seniors get more money back in their pockets.

As inflation continues to squeeze household budgets, a local non-profit is stepping in to ensure Calgary seniors aren’t leaving money on the table.

Unison for Generations 50+ reopened its free annual tax clinic Wednesday, aiming to build on a successful 2025 season that saw nearly $4 million returned to the pockets of older Calgarians.

For many living on fixed incomes, the clinic represents more than just a filing service — it’s a critical financial lifeline as the rising cost of groceries and medication leaves many seniors in precarious financial positions.

Unison’s clinic specializes in navigating the complexities of tax refunds, the Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped (AISH) program and various federal and provincial pensions.

“This is a free service, but for the seniors we serve, it’s priceless,” said Larry Mathieson, president and CEO of Unison for Generations 50+.

“In today’s economy, making sure every senior gets every dollar they’re entitled to isn’t just good service, it’s essential.”

The program served more than 5,000 seniors last year.

“Right now, because of the way the economy is, because of the cost of goods, the cost of groceries, we’re seeing really a lot more demand. This year may be a record year again for us,” Mathieson said.

Organizers are encouraging Calgarians aged 55 and older to utilize the service, even if they are missing key documents like T4 slips.

Volunteers at the clinic are trained to help eligible clients track down necessary information and identify benefit programs they may not realize they qualify for.

Clinic details

• When: Feb. 25 to May 1, 2026.
• Hours: Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Location: Unison at Kerby Centre, 1133-7 Avenue SW, Calgary AB, T2P 1B2.
• Eligibility: AISH recipients. People 55 years and over with a gross income less than $40,000 for a single person, or less than $55,000 for a couple.
• Appointments: Call 403-705-3246.

Key tax dates

As you prepare your 2025 filings, keep these Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) deadlines in mind:

• Feb. 23, 2026: The CRA began accepting electronically filed returns.
• March 2, 2026: The deadline for RRSP contributions to be applied to your 2025 tax return. This is also the deadline for employers to issue T4 slips.
• April 30, 2026: The general filing deadline for most individuals. This is also the deadline to pay any balance owing to avoid interest charges.
• June 15, 2026: The filing deadline for self-employed individuals and their spouses. Note: even if you file by this date, any taxes owed must still be paid by April 30.

Tax relief

For the 2025 tax year, the Alberta government introduced a shift to help with affordability, most notably a new eight per cent tax bracket.

Previously, the lowest provincial rate was 10 per cent.

This change is designed to save individual Albertans up to $750 per year.

Also, Alberta’s Basic Personal Amount, the income you can earn before paying provincial tax, has been indexed for inflation to $22,323 for 2025.

The federal government has also reduced it’s first tax bracket from 15 to 14 per cent.

“Because this change came during the year the CRA decided to apply a 14.5 tax rate for the full tax year. You’ll see a saving there,” said Yannick Lemay, H&R Block tax specialist.