New: Personal Support Workers Tax Credit Coming Soon

Personal support workers will receive billions in increased wages from federal/provincial governments in B.C., Newfoundland and Labrador and the Northwest Territories.  Those workers in other provinces will now get a raise too, but they will have to wait until filing their 2026 returns in the spring of 2027 to cash in, according to an October 27 pre-budget announcement.  Here are the details:

Last month’s Knowledge Bureau Poll brought a surprising result from tax and financial professionals: 52% thought the extension of the Canada Emergency Response Benefit was a mistake. The 48% who agreed were more prolific in their comments, however. Here’s what you said:    

When someone in the family dies it is important to turn to the tax system to file any required tax returns  that may be outstanding and to claim specific tax benefits that can help to pay for end-of-life costs.   What are the rules for filing on time in this most unusual tax filing year?

As we reported in our last KBR, the new Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS) was extended to include 9 Periods, but this extension brings some mind-numbing complexity with it.  Businesses can apply for the subsidy starting on Monday, August 17 for Period 5, which began on July 5 and runs to August 1. CRA has also developed a CEWS calculator and spreadsheet to help make the claim.  Here are the highlights of how it works:

Payroll is a lot more complicated to calculate when employers offer perks to their employees.  But these taxable and tax-free benefits, which can include reimbursement of housing losses and interest-free loans or parking costs, can make it more attractive for employees to sign on and stay. For example, did you know…?

Did you know you can go back 3 years to optimize pension income splitting?  You have up to three years to elect to split pension income, or to amend an election.  With the effective due date for the 2019 return being September 30, 2020, one might think that the 2016 election could be amended up to the end of September 2020, but that’s not the case.  Changes to the 2016 election had to be made by May 2, 2020 (three years after the due date for the 2016 return).  However, changes to the election for 2017, 2018, and 2019 may still be made.

Delegates coming to Virtual DAC 2020 are in for an outstanding educational experience which includes pre-approved CE Credits and the promise to be the most unusual and memorable virtual conference you will ever attend. Check out the highlights: our incredible speakers, their cutting-edge topics, our pre-eminent sponsors and our delegates from coast-to-coast, who will participate in everything from wine tasting to cooking classes and goat yoga, after the educational events! Register by September 15.