It finally arrived. Witness the important part of my most recent Statement of Account from Canada Revenue:

This will be my last until tax time. Further, the next will be a surplus!

Wait, this one shows a surplus, doesn’t it. Funny story, that.

As the middle of July approached, I knew the balance of $888.75 would grow slightly larger because interest is applied on the 15th of every month. Despite being paid that same day, I wouldn’t escape it. I’d pay it on the same day, but because it takes a day or two for a bill payment to be prepared by my bank and delivered to the payee, I’d still be on the hook for the $5.45 of interest. When my pay came in, I logged into the Canada Revenue site, copied the exact amount I owed and paid it.

I was not at all upset about the interest. Instead I concentrated on the fact that I was done. Done!

Little did I know that I wasn’t entirely done. Not yet. Four days later I logged in to the Canada Revenue site again to see my glorious balance of $0, only to find that the interest charge had disappeared. Since I’d paid the interest, I had a credit of $5.45! I know every other payee considers payment received when they, you know, receive the payment. It seems Revenue Canada back-dates the payment once it is received. At least they did for me, this time.

So what about the credit? It’s not like I could withdraw it. I wasn’t terribly concerned. I figured they’d just add it to my refund in April.

I seemed to enjoy seeing that I no longer owed the government any money because I logged in to the Canada Revenue site again a few days later, and was surprised to see my balance was $0. The credit was gone. For a split second, I was upset. They just pocketed my $5.45! My eye glided upwards and I saw that a refund had been issued. Yes, they were sending me a cheque for $5.45.

I received the refund last week and have since cashed it. Yesterday my final statement arrived. It’s the best one I’ve seen in many years!