How long it takes to get your tax refund in Canada—and how to spend your refund – MoneySense

10 ways to use your tax refund

How you choose to spend your tax refund will often boil down to your tax bracket and debt profile, Forward explains, and working with a certified financial planner (CFP) can help you cut through the noise and allocate it wisely. Here are 10 savvy ways to spend your tax refund. 

1. Pay down credit card debt

“If you’re carrying credit card balances, you might want to go in that direction to get rid of any of those balances so that you’re not paying interest that you don’t need to pay,” says Forward. Eliminating or significantly reducing credit card debt with your tax refund can save you money in the long run and improve your overall financial health and creditworthiness.

2. Start an emergency fund

Building an emergency fund with your tax refund can provide a financial safety net for unexpected expenses and prevent you from going into debt during emergencies. Consider a high-interest savings account (HISA) for your emergency fund to earn interest on your savings and interest on the interest, which is called compound interest. (Check out MoneySense’s compound interest calculator).

3. Start a first home savings account (FHSA)

If home ownership is a future goal for you, setting up a first home savings account (FHSA) with your tax refund can kickstart your journey to becoming a homeowner. You’re limited to $8,000 a year and a maximum of $40,000, but it’s a solid first step to owning your first property that only first-timers can take advantage of. 

4. Open a TFSA

If you haven’t created any financial goals yet but still want to be intentional with your tax refund, opening a tax-free savings account (TFSA) with your tax refund can help you grow your savings tax-free and provide flexibility for future financial goals.

5. Make an RRSP contribution

Contributing to an RRSP with your tax refund can help you save for retirement and reduce your taxable income. Still, Forward explains that this option may be less important if you need the money sooner or already have a pension. “A younger person might not be thinking about RRSPs because they’ve just started their career,” says Forward. “RRSPs make more sense when you’re in your highest tax bracket, and you can get the most bang for your buck.”

6. Make a prepayment on your mortgage

If you have a mortgage with a prepayment privilege, you may use your CRA tax refund to make a prepayment on your mortgage. It goes directly toward your principal owing, so you can reduce the overall interest you pay and shorten your mortgage term. Most lenders limit how many times you can pre-pay each year, but maxing out allowable prepayments can save you a lot of interest in the long run.

7. Pay down your student loan

If you’ve got any lingering student debt, using your tax refund to pay down student loans can help you reduce your debt burden and save on interest payments over time. For more tips, check out “Student Money: “How to pay for school and have a life—a guide for students and parents.”