Back to School Tax Breaks

Like tax season, back-to-school season rolls around annually with certainty. But in today’s inflationary environment, the start-up costs for getting the family organizing for the school year may seem daunting. The good news is that tax and financial advisors can help clients understand their tax planning options and manage all the receipts that can lead to tax breaks later in the spring during tax filing time. Here’s a primer of topics you may wish to discuss:

Michelle Smith, achieving success with the DFA - Bookkeeping Services Specialist™ designation

“Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.”  Thomas A. Edison

Post-tax season blues? Not sure if you claimed all the deductions and credits you were entitled to? You’re probably not alone. Many people miss lucrative provisions when filing, but you can request an adjustment to your filed return. One of the most frequently missed deductions for families is the child care expense claim.

Since February, the provincial governments across the country have been releasing their 2017 budgets. Most recently in the last week of April, Ontario, Nova Scotia and the Yukon released theirs. Over the next three Knowledge Bureau Reports, we will be presenting a brief summary of each provinces’ tax provisions, starting with the most recent:

Congratulations to our April Financial Trivia winner: Glen Pangle, who correctly answered this question in April: When was the first record of taxation in Canada? Read on for the answer and a new opportunity to answer this month’s financial trivia question. You too could enter to win a free registration to the Distinguished Advisor Conference (DAC) in the spectacular wine country of BC. 

It’s safe to say that the professional financial community doesn’t agree with the 2017 federal budget proposal to wipe out the Work in Progress rules: 76% to 24% in fact.