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The Financial Empowerment Initiative is proud to offer a free in-person tax clinic in Calgary to support individuals and families with modest incomes. Our clinics are designed to help community members file simple tax returns and access important government benefits and credits. The Calgary clinic will run from March 3 to April 30, 2026. Clinic…

The Financial Empowerment Initiative is pleased to offer our annual free tax clinic to support individuals and families with modest incomes. Our goal is simple: to make sure members of our community can file their taxes on time and access the benefits and credits they are entitled to. Our tax clinic runs from March 5…

Tax season comes around every year, yet many people still feel unprepared when it arrives. At the Financial Empowerment Initiative, we meet people every year who delay filing simply because they feel overwhelmed or unsure about what they need. The truth is, filing your taxes can be much easier when you know what to expect….

One of the most common things we hear is: “I didn’t work much last year, so I didn’t bother filing.” Unfortunately, this decision can actually cost people money. Filing your taxes is not just about paying the government. For many people, it is actually how the government determines what support you qualify for. When you…

Credit can feel confusing, especially if nobody ever explained how it works. Some people are told to avoid credit completely, while others fall into trouble because they were never taught how to manage it properly. Credit is simply your financial reputation. It shows lenders how reliable you are when borrowing money. Here are some simple…

Many people today are doing their best but still feel like their money disappears too quickly. Rising costs have made budgeting more important than ever. Here are a few simple habits that can help: Know where your money goes Start by tracking expenses for one month. Many people are surprised by what they discover. Start…

Every year, we meet people who qualify for benefits they never knew existed. Sometimes this happens because they did not file taxes. Other times, they simply were never told what they qualify for. Some commonly missed supports include: GST credits Canada Workers Benefit Disability tax credits Child benefits Provincial income supports Many of these benefits…

Every tax season at theFEI, we meet people from all walks of life. Some come prepared with folders neatly organized. Others come feeling nervous because they have not filed for years. Some simply come because they were told, “You should really file your taxes.” After helping hundreds of people, one thing is clear: taxes are…

Working in community financial literacy gives you a front-row seat to the same challenges many people face. At theFEI, we often see patterns — not because people are careless, but because financial education is not always accessible. Here are some common mistakes we see: Not filing taxes for several years Many people delay because they…

Moving to a new country comes with many adjustments. Financial systems can be one of the biggest surprises. At theFEI, we often support newcomers who are learning how things work here for the first time. Here are a few things we often share: Filing taxes is very important, even with low income This helps you…