I opened my notice of assessment, found the refund amount and almost closed it. That was the number I had been waiting for.
A second look showed an explanation farther down the page. I put the filed return beside the notice instead of treating the deposit as the whole result.
Compare the same year and line numbers
A notice of assessment summarizes CRA's calculation after processing a return. A notice of reassessment records a later change. Check the tax year, issue date, income, deductions, credits and result against the return you actually submitted. Read the explanation of changes before deciding that a difference is an error. CRA's guide to assessment notices.
I made a short list of the lines that differed, with the supporting slip or receipt beside each. That was easier to discuss than saying my refund "looked wrong."
A payment made after the notice was prepared may not appear on the notice. I checked the current account activity before assuming a displayed balance needed to be paid again.
Save the planning information too
Depending on the situation, the notice can include an RRSP statement and Home Buyers' Plan or Lifelong Learning Plan repayment information. I saved the whole document, not just a screenshot of the refund.
An RRSP deduction limit and available contribution room are not interchangeable when unused contributions already exist. Recent contributions also need to be reconciled with the statement before making a new deposit.
If something still needs correction, I will use the appropriate adjustment or dispute process and check its deadlines. An assessment is not a reason to discard supporting records; a later review is still possible.
My filing folder now contains the submitted return, acceptance confirmation, notice and any follow-up. I can see what I filed, what was assessed and what happened afterward without relying on memory.
Checked October 20, 2026. See requesting a T1 adjustment.