Bill C-31: Royal Asset and New CRA Powers Could Come Soon

Changes are coming to the Income Tax Act and both you and your clients will all be affected with new tax risks including longer tax audits. Bill C-31, which passed second reading in the House of Commons on June 3 and is now at committee stage, contains elements of previous Federal Budgets that will expand the CRA’s compliance and enforcement powers. Here’s what you need to know and pass along to your clients:

Last month’s poll in Knowledge Bureau Report asked  “Do you think that seniors over the age of 75 should continue to get the 10% increase in their Old Age Security benefits which began in July of 2022?”  Overwhelmingly the answer was yes:  89% for it; 11% against.  The comments that accompanied the vote were eye-opening.

In the April 2022 Federal Budget, the government announced its intention to add an additional tax on “luxury items.”  This new tax was included in Bill C-19, which became law on June 23, 2022, and collection of the tax began on September 1.  Items sold prior to September 1 are not subject to the tax even if delivery takes place after September 1.

With the recent spike in inflation, planners need to re-evaluate their financial plans.  I’ve previously written about revisiting the long-term mortgage amortization projections with rising interest rates and the impact of rising costs to cash flow (With Mortgage Rates Rising, Revisit Financial Plans).

Nominate someone you know for the DAC New Advisor Award today! 

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