Most, if not all of us, have received a call from someone claiming to be from CRA. They may threaten arrest or other such actions if a tax bill is not immediately paid via iTunes or Bitcoin, for example. While some of these calls have become easier to identify as fraudulent, scamming techniques and systems… Read more »
RRSP designations A May 10, 2021 CBC article demonstrated the importance of reviewing RRSP beneficiary designations. The article discussed the unfortunate cascade of events where, in 2018, a 50-year-old individual went to the hospital for stomach pain and was diagnosed with cancer. He passed away three weeks later, leaving a spouse and a child. It… Read more »
CRA recently sent out processing review letters in error to some taxpayers rather than their authorized representative. If you received a letter from CRA that appears unusual, please contact us. A Court recently denied an individual’s travel expenses as no log was maintained in respect of the travel. The Court did not accept an estimate… Read more »
Individuals who contribute excess amounts into their TFSA are subject to a penalty tax of 1%/month on the excess amount for each month that the TFSA is overcontributed. However, CRA has the discretion to waive this penalty tax if the excess amount resulted from reasonable error and the excess contribution, plus any income or capital… Read more »
Self-employed individuals whose net self-employment income was less than $5,000 will not be required to repay CERB, as long as their gross self-employment income was at least $5,000 (in 2019 or the previous 12 months preceding the application) and they met all other eligibility criteria. On May 12, 2021, a remission order that would allow… Read more »
Medical expenses eligible for a personal tax credit are limited to those specifically provided for by the Income Tax Act. While an expense may clearly relate to an individual’s health, it may still not be an eligible medical expense. CRA recently provided comments on a number of medical expenses related to COVID-19. Face masks In a February 25,… Read more »
In a March 5, 2021 French Technical Interpretation, CRA commented on whether a travel allowance paid to employees on a per kilometre basis, but only up to a limited number of kilometres, could be a non-taxable allowance. For the allowance to be non-taxable, it must be a reasonable allowance for the use of a motor… Read more »
As some businesses struggle with cash flow, they may be motivated to prioritize suppliers and other creditors ahead of CRA. A recent court case demonstrates CRA’s power to collect tax arrears and the impact of CRA exercising this power on a business. In a June 11, 2021 Court of Queen’s Bench of Alberta case, the… Read more »
CERS provides support to businesses by covering a portion of rent and property ownership costs of qualifying property. The government has recently extended access to this program until October 23, 2021. The CERS program has the following two components: – the base CERS which subsidizes eligible expenses based on the applicant’s revenue decline compared to… Read more »
Access to the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS), Canada Emergency Rent Subsidy (CERS) and Canada Recovery Benefits has been extended to October 23, 2021. A recent poll of millennials (aged 25 to 40) found that the top reasons for creating an estate plan were: having a child (38%), the pandemic (17%), general life planning (13%), buying a home (6%), death in… Read more »