Mark Your Calendar: Critical Deadlines for May and June
Tax season never truly ends, it seems, as there are many more upcoming tax filing, investment planning and education milestones to discuss with your clients over the next six months. Check out our handy checklist below and then test yourself – what are the conversation openers you’ll use and with which clients? It’s your opportunity to shine with every member of the household:Skepticism Brewing? CRA Explores New Technology
The CRA has been facing extensive scrutiny against their own service standards. Now, in a new initiative they are exploring ways for taxpayers to access their own accounts, protect their privacy, and verify their identity in government offices without the hassle of requiring them to bring multiple forms of identification. In addition, the initiative will make it easier for government agencies, banks and provincial licensing offices to share information with the CRA.
On the Brink: Many are $200 Away from Financial Collapse
Despite the Bank of Canada’s recent interest rate hold and decreasing mortgage rates, many families are on the brink of being unable to pay all of their bills. This, as new carbon taxes are about to emerge in some of the hardest hit provinces. Early tax filing may help.
Payroll News: 2019 Employment Insurance Rate Changes
One important change has been introduced that affects payroll processing in 2019: the rate applied to calculate the maximum Employment Insurance (EI) contribution amounts have been reduced, though benefit amounts remain the same.
High Standards: Take-Aways from the Advanced Tax Update
It’s been a complex year of significant tax change, and our six-city CE Summit Workshop tour gave many tax and financial advisors a comprehensive refresher to prepare for the upcoming tax season. If you missed it, the 355-page Knowledge Journal can still be purchased. Here’s what our delegates liked best about this sold out event:
Business Owners: Beware the Demographic Trap
Who will inherit the family business? What will it be worth when time for transition comes? Why is this issue so difficult to discuss? There are many reasons, but demographic change is bringing it to the forefront and for these reasons, planning needs to happen sooner rather than later, according to a new book by Jenifer Bartman and Evelyn Jacks, entitled Defusing the Family Business Time Bomb.
Getting the New Climate Action Incentive Rebate Right
Canada now has a nationwide standard for reducing carbon pollution, which means that starting in 2019, a federal “backstop” carbon pollution pricing system will apply to four provinces – Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario and New Brunswick – that have not implemented their own systems. For taxpayers in these provinces, a new refundable tax rebate will be claimed on the 2018 tax return. But, like most tax provisions, it has its wrinkles.
