Income tax is the tax that the federal and provincial governments put on your income. Under the Indian Act, personal property on reserve is tax free, and if you are a registered status Indian (a person who is registered with the federal government under the Indian Act), you may not have to pay tax on your other employment income. Whether or not you pay income tax has to do mainly with the location of your work, although other factors are considered. The resources below explain how Canada Revenue Agency decides whether or not your employment income is tax exempt (free from tax).

Good starting points include:

• Benefits, Services, and Resources for Aboriginal Peoples, from the Legal Services Society, explains the benefits, services, and resources that may be available to registered Indians who live on or off reserve, and provides information on how to apply for these benefits. Contact information for where to get help with your income tax is also provided. See the chapter, “Taxation Benefits”.
• Tax Information for Individuals, from the BC Ministry of Finance, provides personal and general tax information, including information for First Nations.

See our related common questions:

• See all common questions about Aboriginal
• See all common questions about taxes & finances

tags

Aboriginal rights, filing income tax returns, tax exemptions, tax break