Wildfires: Apply for Taxpayer Relief Provisions

It may not be the first concern, but Canadians affected by wildfires may worry at some point about the tax consequences of lost records or missed filing deadlines – the next one on June 16 for those filing T1 returns with proprietorship income. Fortunately, the CRA offers Taxpayer Relief Provisions when there are circumstances beyond a taxpayer’s control, including natural disasters, serious illness or death in the family, or errors made by the CRA, which may trigger penalties and interest due to late or incomplete tax filings. Here’s what you need to know.

Several provinces have already introduced their 2021 provincial budgets, and today we're providing a round-up of what has been announced so far. Notably, the British Columbia budget will be released until April 20; and Newfoundland has not yet announced its budget date. More details on the April 6 Saskatchewan Budget and the April 7 Manitoba Budget appear below:

As the April 30 tax filing deadline rapidly approaches, we’ve been hearing from the tax filing community about long, long waits for urgently needed CRA answers to client issues. More are having success obtaining information through the CRA Represent a Client Portal. However, it seems their phone service is proving to be a challenge for both taxpayers and tax pros alike. Greg Clark of Greg Clark Accounting and Tax Inc. in Winnipeg shares his experience:

The Manitoba Budget was released on April 7 and contains a highlight for teachers in 2021: a 15% refundable tax credit for eligible educators who spend their own money (up to $1,000) on supplies for students.  This claim mirrors the federal credit, which is claimed on Lines 46800 and 46900.  Who is an eligible educator?  Here are the details.

Do you have clients that purchased zero-emission vehicles (such as electric cars)? There are some newer rules to get up to speed on as the government has continued to offer a $5,000 rebate for light-duty, zero-emission vehicle purchases along with the 100% write-off for zero-emission autos purchased by those who can write off the purchase of a vehicle. Here’s what you need to know.

April 30 is an important deadline for more than one reason: late elections for pension income splitting for 2017 expire April 30, 2021 as taxpayers can optimize pension income splitting, but only for up to three years.  Taxpayers who elect to split pension income with a spouse must claim an offsetting deduction on Line 21000 for the elected amount of income that will be reported by the pensioner's spouse. Form T1032 Joint Election to Split Pension Income is used to determine the election. What should professional tax and financial advisors know?

The difference between good and bad debt often lies in its tax deductibility. Those who leverage their assets as part of their strategic plan to build wealth will often do so more successfully by earning more income and increasing their net worth. However, should you borrow to invest? Claiming tax-deductible interest is often the only consolation for the eroding effect that the costs of debt can have on personal wealth. Here’s what you need to know this tax season: