When to Apply for CPP Benefits
The amount of CPP benefits that you are eligible to receive depends on how long you earned employment income, and how much you earned in those years. You can visit the My Service Canada website to see how much you have paid in to CPP over your working years. This information is used to calculate […]
Registered Education Savings Plan (RESP)
An RESP is an education savings account that is registered with the Government of Canada that helps you save for a child’s or grandchild’s post-secondary education. With an RESP, you may be able to receive other saving incentives, such as the: Canada Learning Bond Basic and Additional Canada Education Savings Grant There are two […]
Statute Barred Period
In general, CRA can reassess tax returns for individuals, trusts and Canadian Controlled Private Corporations (CCPC’s) within 3 years from the original Notice of Assessment date. After that, the returns enter a statute barred period. The typical statute barred period starts 3 years after the Notice of Assessment is issued A Notice of Assessment is the […]
Gross Negligence Penalty
As Canadians get busy filing their taxes, the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) reminds everyone to be cautious of fraudulent tax filing. The CRA will audit, reassess and can apply a gross negligence penalty equal to 50% of the additional tax payable if it can show that a taxpayer knowingly, or under circumstances amounting to gross […]
Canada Child Benefit
Beginning July 2016, the Liberal government combined the Canada Child Tax Benefit, National Child Benefit Supplement and the Universal Child Care Benefit into the Canada Child Benefit. Under the new Canada Child Benefit, families with children under the age of 18 will be eligible for a maximum annual benefit of $6,400 ($533 per month) per child […]
Employment Insurance For Related People
Employers are required by law to deduct Employment Insurance (EI) premiums from all insurable earnings paid to their employees who are engaged in insurable employment. If an employer who has passed the standard dbs check is unsure whether or not an employee is engaged in insurable employment, the employer can request a ruling from the CRA. A […]
Graduated Rate Estates – New Rules for 2016
Starting for 2016 taxation years, inter vivos trusts, trusts created by will and certain estates will be subject to the top taxation rate. There are two exceptions to this change: graduated rate estates and qualified disability trusts. Graduated tax rates will still apply to these types of estates and trusts. Income earned and retained in […]
Tax Myths
Here are some common myths about our personal tax system: Myth: The CRA completely agrees with the information you submitted in your return if it sends you back a Notice of Assessment that agrees to what you filed. A Notice of Assessment is just the result of a quick assessment that will have fixed any […]
CRA Requirements for Keeping Financial Information
You are required by law to keep records if one or more of the following situations apply: You operate a business in Canada You have to file an income tax return (i.e. corporate or personal) You have to file a GST return You filed for a GST rebate You have a trust Note: The […]
Companies with Internet Based Sales
Do you sell any products or services online? If your answer is yes, the CRA has introduced a new form that needs to be filed with your corporate tax return. Schedule 88 on Internet Business Activities is required if your business earns income from any websites, or is involved in any of the following: The […]