I earned side income - do I need to report it?

Most people guess wrong here and only find out 2-3 years later.

Is this you?

I earned money from tutoring, freelancing, delivery apps, or side work
I was paid by e-transfer, cash, PayPal, or a platform
I didn't receive a T4 or official slip for this income
I didn't track every payment consistently

"It's under $3,500, so it doesn't need to be reported."

The $3,500 number only applies to CPP. For income tax, the reporting threshold is effectively $0 - if you earned profit, you have a reporting decision to make.

Why guessing is risky

The CRA typically reviews side income 2-3 years after the fact, when interest has already accumulated
Automated matching increasingly flags deposits that resemble business payments
Late corrections often involve penalties plus retroactive paperwork

Safe to ignore if

I sold personal items for less than I paid (no profit intent)
I was reimbursed for shared costs, not paid for a service

Stop and check if

I provided a service or sold a product for money, even once
I earned money repeatedly from a hobby or side activity
Payments came through platforms or e-transfers without clean records

Resolve the doubt

Check my side-income risk (2 minutes)

We'll tell you if this needs reporting and what to do next.

"Most people find a way to report this that lowers audit risk while keeping more of their cash."