Fuel Excise Tax on Hold But Inflation is Not

The U.S.-Israel war on Iran has thrown global oil prices into turmoil and there is plenty of fallout for consumers. Travelling to Europe this summer? That’s in jeopardy, as jet fuel may run out.  Looking for relief at the pumps instead? The recently announced suspended federal excise tax on gasoline, unleaded aviation gasoline, diesel fuel and aviation fuel here in Canada will soften the blow, but only temporarily: it will be zero from April 20 to September 7, 2026. Here’s what you need to know:

A new Statistics Canada Report, the “2019 Survey of Financial Security” was released on December 22 and provides some important insights to what Canadians need to do to build financial security, especially when recovering from these uncertain times. What secrets were revealed? Here’s a hint: it relates to the holding of specific assets that drive wealth accumulation.

A new study on the savings habits of Canadians in their Tax Free Savings Account (TFSA) conducted by the Bank of Montreal, sheds light on many missed opportunities. But it’s not too late for investors to catch up and thrive with this completely tax-free opportunity.

There are some important deadlines to remember before this tax year comes to a close. Of course, there are the usual suspects, including the cut-off to make year-end donations and receive a donation receipt; the instalment payment deadline for farmers and fishers; and a new one this year for CERB repayment. It’s an issue that has already caused many Canadians stress and confusion. Here’s a summary of salient tax deadlines remaining for 2020:

Tax and financial advisor,  now is the time to help your clients set their new year goals: and here’s a 2021 tax filing and investment planning milestones checklist to help with the process.

Now is the right time to plan your professional development opportunities and earn CE credits in 2021. Explore your options with our new interactive Calendar of Educational Events 2021 and reserve your time to get your world class financial education in place.

There are many definitions of income on the tax return and understanding them makes a big difference in your relationship with the CRA, as many CERB recipients have recently found out.  Over 440,000 “education letters” have been sent to recipients warning of repayment requirements before the end of the year. It continues to beg the question:  what exactly is the definition of “income”?