Finance Canada: No More Spring Budgets

Finance Canada announced on October 7 that Canada’s federal budgets will be brought down in the fall starting with the November 4, 2025 event; a significant departure from the spring schedule (February, March or April) that has been the cycle for several decades. This is going to affect many other events as we know them, and in the annual government spending approval cycle. There will also be a new budget process for capital vs. operational expenses. Here’s what you need to know:

With recent interest rate hikes in the news, taxpayers will have more questions about the deductibility of interest costs.  Exactly when is interest fully deductible as a carrying cost or a business deduction? When does it form part of the capital cost of the property? Finally, when do new legislative proposals recently released by Finance Canada begin to restrict interest cost deductibility and for whom?  Here’s what you need to know to have more confident conversations between advisors and taxpayers:

RRSP season ended on March 1, so any contributions to be deducted on the taxpayer’s 2021 return must have already been made. These contributions cannot exceed the maximum RRSP contribution for 2021 which appeared on the 2020 Notice of Assessment. So long as the contributions made are less than the maximum allowed, the taxpayer can deduct as much or as little of the contributions made on their 2021 return. Complications arise, though, when the amount contributed exceeds the maximum.

On March 3, 2022, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, announced that the Canada Digital Adoption Program (CDAP) is now fully active and ready for qualifying businesses to apply for funding. The purpose of the CDAP is to assist small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) “grow their online presence and upgrade or adopt digital technologies.” Here are the details:

Tax season is now in full swing, according to the most recent 2022 season filing statistics from the CRA. As of March 7 almost 2.5 million returns had been filed, with over 95% through electronic filing methods E=File and Netfile. As we approach the height of the season, does you team have the necessary resources to deal with the demands?

Did you know the federal government intends to double the Home Accessibility Tax Credit for tax year 2022?  This week’s tax tip is relevant to caregivers and those age 65 or older.  You may even be eligible to make a claim this year.  Here’s what you need to know:

When should I tap into the CPP?  Should we sell our principal residence?  Will my retirement portfolio withstand current market volatility?  Canadians who save for retirement are lucky to be assisted in doing so with four key sources of pension income.  But these pillars of private financial security, have been subject to tax tinkering recently, as well as valuation swings.  It is, as a result, high time to rethink retirement income planning.