Get Your Documents Ready — Before You Call a Broker
Written by Shawn Selanders | RECA-Licensed Mortgage Broker | 25+ Years Experience | Updated April 2026
The single biggest cause of mortgage delays is missing paperwork. Clients call me ready to go, excited about a property, and then we lose 2-3 weeks waiting for tax documents from the government.
This page shows you exactly what to set up, what to download, and what to have ready — so when you call me, we hit the ground running. Pre-approval can take 15 minutes when you come prepared. Without documents, it takes weeks.
Do this today — even if you are months away from buying. Setting up your government accounts now means everything is one click away when you need it.
Step 1: Set Up Your CRA My Account
CRA My Account is your free online portal to every tax document your lender will ever ask for. Notices of Assessment, T4 slips, RRSP room, FHSA contributions, tax balances — all accessible 24/7.
How to register:
Option A — Fastest (same day): Go to canada.ca/my-cra-account and sign in using your online banking credentials. Your bank verifies your identity instantly. You get full access immediately.
Option B — Alberta provincial partner: If you bank with ATB or a credit union that participates, you can use the Alberta provincial sign-in option.
Option C — CRA user ID: Create a CRA-specific username and password. CRA mails you a security code — allow 5-10 business days. This is the slowest option.
Step 2: Download Your Key Documents
Once you are logged in, download these documents as PDFs. Your broker and lender will need them.
Notice of Assessment (NOA) — Last 2 Years
Tax Returns → Notice of Assessment → Select year → Print/Save PDF. This is the single most important document. Lenders use it to confirm your income and check for taxes owing.
Option C Proof of Income — Last 2 Years
Related Services (right sidebar) → Proof of Income Statement (Option C) → Select year → Print/Save PDF. Many lenders prefer this over a photocopy of your T4 because it comes directly from CRA.
Statement of Account
Check your Account Balance on the overview page. If it shows $0.00, you are good. If it shows an amount owing, download the Statement of Account showing the balance. Lenders flag unpaid tax debt.
RRSP Deduction Limit
Visible on your NOA and in the RRSP/TFSA section. Matters if you are using the RRSP Home Buyers Plan ($60,000 max) or contributing to an FHSA ($40,000 lifetime max).
Step 3: Set Up My Service Canada Account (If Applicable)
My Service Canada Account (MSCA) is separate from CRA. It handles Employment Insurance, CPP, OAS, and your employment history. Not everyone needs this — but if you are retired, approaching retirement, recently changed jobs, or need to verify employment history, set it up.
What you can access:
Record of Employment (ROE) — Your work history from every employer who filed electronically. Useful if you changed jobs recently.
CPP Statement of Contributions — Shows your estimated monthly CPP benefit at age 60, 65, and 70. Lenders accept CPP as qualifying income.
OAS Benefit Amount — Your Old Age Security payment amount. Combined with CPP, this forms the income base for retirement-age mortgage qualification.
Register at canada.ca/my-service-canada-account. You can use the same banking sign-in as CRA My Account.
Document Checklists by Income Type
What you need depends on how you earn your income. Find your category below.
✅ Salaried Employee
• Recent pay stub (within 30 days)
• Letter of employment (name, title, start date, salary, full-time/part-time, permanent/probation)
• T4 or Option C Proof of Income — last 2 years (from CRA My Account)
• Notice of Assessment — last 2 years (from CRA My Account)
• If you want to include bonuses, overtime, or commissions: T1 General + 2 years of consistent history
✅ Self-Employed / Business Owner
• T1 General (full tax return) — last 2 years
• Notice of Assessment — last 2 years
• T2125 Statement of Business Activities (sole proprietor) or T2 Corporate Return (incorporated)
• Financial statements prepared by your accountant (if incorporated)
• Articles of Incorporation (if applicable)
• CRA Statement of Account — confirm no taxes owing
• Business licence (if required by your municipality)
✅ Retired / Pension Income
• CPP benefit statement (from My Service Canada Account)
• OAS benefit statement (from My Service Canada Account)
• Employer pension statements / T4A slips
• RRIF withdrawal statements / T4RIF slips
• Notice of Assessment — last 2 years
• Investment account statements (if using net worth lending)
✅ First-Time Buyer — Extra Items
• Everything from your income category above, plus:
• FHSA account statement (if contributing — check contribution room in CRA My Account)
• RRSP balance confirmation (if using Home Buyers Plan — $60,000 max withdrawal)
• Gift letter + donor bank statement (if family is gifting down payment)
• 90-day bank statement showing down payment funds
✅ Renewal / Refinance
• Current mortgage statement (showing balance, rate, maturity date)
• Property tax notice (most recent)
• Your renewal offer letter from your current lender (do NOT sign it yet)
• Everything from your income category above
• If refinancing: call your lender and ask for a payout statement including penalty amount
Common Questions
How long does it take to get my documents from CRA?
If you already have CRA My Account, about 10 minutes. If you need to register for the first time with bank sign-in, same day. Without bank sign-in, allow 5-10 business days for the security code by mail.
What if I owe taxes?
Most lenders require proof that taxes owing are paid or on an approved payment plan. Check your Statement of Account in CRA My Account. If you owe, get it sorted before applying — or tell your broker upfront so they can find a lender who works with your situation.
What if I have not filed my taxes?
File them. No lender will approve a mortgage without current NOAs. Talk to your accountant and get caught up before starting the mortgage process.
What is the Express NOA — can I use that?
No. The Express NOA you get right after filing through NETFILE is a confirmation, not the official document. Lenders require the full NOA — the PDF with the Government of Canada coat of arms. It becomes available in CRA My Account 2-4 business days after your return is processed.
Do I need a credit check too?
Your broker pulls your credit report during the pre-approval process — you do not need to do this yourself. However, if you want to see what your lender will see, you can check for free at Check Your Credit.
Bonus: Check Your Property Title
If you already own a home and you are refinancing, renewing, or taking out a HELOC, there is one more thing to check: your land title.
Your land title is the official Government of Alberta record of everything registered against your property — who owns it, every mortgage, every lien, every caveat, every easement. When your new lender pulls the title search during the mortgage process, surprises on your title can delay or kill the deal.
Things That Surprise Homeowners on Their Title
• Old mortgages never discharged — You paid it off years ago, but your lawyer never removed it from title. It still shows as a registered mortgage.
• Builder liens — A contractor who worked on your home filed a lien because they had a payment dispute with your builder. You may not even know about it.
• CRA liens — If you owe taxes, CRA can register a lien against your property without telling you first.
• Condo corporation caveats — Unpaid condo fees can result in a caveat on your title.
• Judgments — Court judgments or family law orders registered against the property.
• Utility easements — Registered rights-of-way for power lines, pipelines, or municipal services that could affect property value or future development.
How to Check Your Title — SPIN2
The Government of Alberta operates SPIN2 (Spatial Information System) — the official online portal for searching land titles. Anyone can use it.
Step 1: Go to SPIN2 and create a free account (or use the guest login).
Step 2: Search by your property address or legal description (found on your property tax notice).
Step 3: Order a current Certificate of Title — costs about $10-20.
Step 4: Review it. You should see your name as the registered owner, your current mortgage (if you have one), and any other registered interests.
Step 5: If anything looks wrong — an old mortgage that should have been discharged, a lien you did not know about, or a name that is incorrect — deal with it now, before you start the mortgage process.
SPIN2 hours: Mon-Fri 7am-9pm, Sat 7am-11pm, Sun 12pm-11pm. Alberta also offers ARLO (Alberta Registry for Land Online) for title searches by Plan/Block/Lot.
Shawn pulls the title on every refinance and renewal file before submitting to the lender. But checking it yourself first means no surprises — and if something needs fixing, you have time to handle it before it delays your mortgage.
Got Your Documents? Let's Go.
Pre-approval takes about 15 minutes when you come prepared. One call with Shawn — real numbers from 20+ lenders.
Free. No obligation. Serving Calgary, Okotoks, High River and Southern Alberta.
More questions about mortgage documents? See the full Tax Documents & Government Accounts FAQ — 18 questions with step-by-step answers.