What's the difference between an annual return and a corporate tax return?
Annual returns
Annual returns are annual filings with the province done through a registry office. It's a similar idea to paying vehicle registration, but for your corporation. Your corporation is at risk of being dissolved if these filings are not kept up to date. It is also a chance to update corporate information such as your address and directors. It's definitely something not to forget about.
This is what your Alberta annual return will look like:
It will be mailed to you every year, and you need to take it to a local registry to renew your corporate registration.
T2 corporate tax return
Don't confuse this with the annual return. This is the actual separate tax filing prepared and filed for your corporation.
Personally, you have to file a personal tax return. For a corporation, you have to file a corporate tax return.
This is an example of the first page of a T2 return for corporations:
