This project focused on improving the TFSA-related pages in the CRA My Account dashboard to allow taxpayers to access their TFSA information and to calculate their current contribution room intuitively and clearly.
Context
The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) offers My Account, a digital platform where taxpayers can manage their tax-related information. However, the TFSA (Tax-Free Savings Account) section within this dashboard has long been a source of confusion for users. Many struggle to locate and understand key information such as their current contribution room, past transactions, and annual limits. This confusion is reflected in the high volume of calls to CRA’s support lines - several thousand each year specifically related to TFSA inquiries - with an annual increase of approximately 30,000 calls, indicating a growing usability issue.
Challenges
Unclear Information
Information on the TFSA pages was often unclear, misleading, or buried in dense text, making it difficult for users to find what they needed.
Unintuitive Layout & Jargon
The layout and terminology were not intuitive, particularly for users unfamiliar with financial or tax-related language
Missing Instructions
The contribution room calculation and the accompanying calculator lacked visual clarity and contextual explanations, leaving users uncertain about how their room was determined or how to use the tool effectively.
Original pages screenshots
Primary Goal
To improve the usability and clarity of the TFSA-related pages in CRA’s My Account, enabling taxpayers to easily access and understand their TFSA information - especially their current contribution room.
Secondary Objectives
Redesign the layout to make key information more visible and accessible.
Provide clear, contextual explanations for how contribution room is calculated.
Simplify language and terminology to accommodate users with varying levels of financial literacy.
Enhance the calculator tool with visual aids and step-by-step guidance.
My Role
UX Designer & Researcher
As a UX Designer and Researcher on this project, I was responsible for both the research and design aspects of the TFSA page improvements.
Key Responsibilities
Designing new versions of the TFSA-related pages within My Account.
Moderating usability testing sessions and taking detailed notes.
Collaborating on the creation of user tasks and questions for usability testing.
Analyzing qualitative and quantitative data from testing sessions to identify usability issues and opportunities.
Designing and co-presenting the final presentation to the client, including slide creation and insights delivery.
This project was a collaborative effort. I worked closely with another UX researcher and designer. We also maintained regular communication with the client to ensure alignment throughout the process. Additionally, we coordinated with two other CRA UX teams responsible for external TFSA-related pages to ensure consistency in terminology and information across all TFSA touchpoints.
Target Audience
The primary users of the redesigned Tax-Free Savings Account (TFSA) pages were Canadian taxpayers who actively contribute to or manage a TFSA. This group includes a wide range of individuals, from young adults opening their first TFSA to older users managing multiple accounts.
Key Characteristics
Varied Financial Literacy
From first-time investors to experienced savers, many users lacked a deep understanding of TFSA rules and terminology.
Diverse Digital Proficiency
Users ranged from tech-savvy individuals to those less comfortable navigating online government services.
High Need For Clarity
Users often sought quick, accurate answers about their contribution room and past activity, especially during tax season or before making new contributions.
The redesign aimed to support this broad audience by simplifying language, improving visual hierarchy, and ensuring consistency across related CRA services.
Discovery & Research
To understand the challenges users faced with the TFSA pages in My Account, we began with a comprehensive discovery phase that included both qualitative and quantitative research methods.
Stakeholder Discussions
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We met with CRA stakeholders to understand business goals, known pain points, and recurring themes in user feedback.
Analytics Review
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We analyzed usage data and call center statistics, which revealed a high - and steadily increasing - volume of TFSA-related inquiries, indicating widespread confusion and unmet user needs.
Heuristic Evaluation
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Our team conducted a usability audit of the existing TFSA pages, identifying issues such as poor information hierarchy, unclear terminology, and a lack of visual support for complex data.
Live portal wireframes showing navigation flows and interactions
User Research
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We collaborated on the development of usability testing tasks and questions, and moderated sessions with real users to observe how they interacted with the current interface.
Benchmark test analysis screenshots
Key Insights
0%
of participants accurately identified their current TFSA contribution room. They instead relied on the displayed outdated amount.
30%
of participants successfully used the contribution room calculator to determine their current contribution room.
80%
of participants found the calculator when prompted, but only 20% did so without trial and error.
Users were unsure how their contribution room was calculated, yet often trusted the number shown - even when it was inaccurate.
Financial jargon and inconsistent terminology created confusion, particularly for users with lower financial literacy.
Critical information, such as when contribution room updates for the year, was buried in dense text or scattered across multiple pages.
Users expected a more guided, visual experience - especially when interacting with the calculator tool.
Ideation
Building on the insights gathered during the research phase, we began generating ideas to address the key usability issues identified in the TFSA pages. Our goal was to create a more intuitive, informative, and user-friendly experience.
Approach
Collaborative Brainstorming
Our team held ideation sessions to explore ways to simplify the layout, clarify terminology, and improve the visibility of key information.
Content Strategy Alignment
We worked closely with content designers and other CRA UX teams to ensure consistency in language and tone across all TFSA-related content.
Sketching & Low-Fidelity Wireframes
We quickly sketched multiple layout concepts to visualize how information could be better organized and prioritized.
Design Principles
We focused on clarity, accessibility, and trust. Every design decision was guided by the need to reduce cognitive load and help users feel confident in the information presented.
Key Ideas Explored
A simplified summary card showing current contribution room, last update date, and key actions.
A redesigned calculator tool with contextual help and a more guided input flow.
Tooltips to explain financial terms without overwhelming the interface
Design iteration screenshots
Prototyping
With a clear direction from the ideation phase, we transitioned into designing medium- and high-fidelity prototypes that addressed the key usability issues identified earlier.
We used Miro to create wireframes and medium-fidelity prototypes, which allowed for quick iteration and collaborative feedback. Once the designs were finalized, we built high-fidelity prototypes in Axure to simulate realistic interactions and prepare for usability testing.
Redesigned pages screenshots
Design Highlights
Information Hierarchy
We restructured the layout to prioritize the most critical information - such as accessing the contribution room calculator - by linking to it in intuitive locations across multiple pages.
Visual Clarity
Visual groupings and whitespace were introduced to reduce cognitive load and make scanning easier.
Calculator Redesign
The calculator was reimagined with a step-by-step input flow, contextual help, and inline explanations to guide users through the process.
Terminology Support
Tooltips and plain-language definitions were added to clarify financial terms without overwhelming the interface.
Throughout the design process, we regularly reviewed our work with the client and other CRA UX teams to ensure alignment with broader content and accessibility standards.
Testing
To validate our design decisions and ensure the new TFSA pages met user needs, we conducted multiple rounds of usability testing using high-fidelity prototypes built in Axure.
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Moderated usability sessions: We conducted live sessions with participants representing a range of financial literacy and digital comfort levels.
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Task-based testing: Participants were asked to complete realistic tasks, such as checking their contribution room or using the calculator to estimate future contributions.
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Note-taking and analysis: I took detailed notes during each session and collaborated with the team to analyze patterns and identify usability issues.
Key Findings
90%
increase in participants correctly identifying their start of year contribution room.
20%
increase in successfully locating the calculator.
80%
increase in directness of navigation.
30%
increase in participants correctly using the calculator to determine their mid year contribution room.
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Users appreciated the simplified layout and clearer language, which made it easier to locate and understand key information.
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The step-by-step calculator flow significantly reduced confusion, especially when paired with contextual help.
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Some users were initially hesitant about the accuracy of their contribution room number. However, once they viewed the breakdown of how the number was calculated, their confidence increased significantly.
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Users clearly noticed when they had over-contributed and understood the implications. They also knew what steps to take next, thanks to the improved guidance and messaging.
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Tooltips were well-received and functioned as intended, providing helpful definitions without overwhelming the interface.
Outcomes
The redesigned TFSA pages significantly improved the clarity and usability of key information for taxpayers.
Usability testing showed that users were able to:
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Understand their current contribution room and how it was calculated.
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Navigate to the calculator more easily and use it with greater confidence.
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Recognize when they had over-contributed and understand what steps to take next.
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Interpret financial terminology with the help of tooltips and plain-language explanations.
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The project also contributed to broader consistency across CRA’s digital services by aligning terminology and content strategy with other TFSA-related tools and pages.
Reflections
This project reinforced the importance of:
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Cross-team collaboration: Working closely with other UX teams and stakeholders ensured a unified experience across platforms.
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Clarity in complexity: Even highly technical content can be made accessible through thoughtful design and plain language.
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User trust: Providing transparency - like showing how contribution room is calculated - can significantly increase user confidence in government services.