Red Ink on the Prairies

A day after Quebec’s Finance Minister Eric Girard brought down a Budget featuring a $6.3 Billion deficit, Saskatchewan’s Finance Minister Jim Reiter tabled his government’s budget on March 19. Next up was Finance Minister Adrian Salas, who tabled the Manitoba Budget on March 24. The common thread: there’s lots of red ink on the Prairies. But that’s where the budget documents differ between Manitoba and Saskatchewan. Here’s the latest tax news and why it matters to the advice you give your clients.

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

Tax season may be over but you may have forgotten to claim a lucrative tax deduction or credit, like medical expenses, moving expenses or the disability amount.  First tip:  don’t file a new return; simply adjust your prior filed return.  But, what’s the deadline for making adjustments?

Canadian taxfilers are saving the planet! Of the total returns received to April 25 for the 2015 tax filing year, 87% were filed electronically, according to CRA’s tax filing statistics. The average refund so far is slightly lower than last year: $1653.

Tax filing season is officially over and that means it’s officially tax audit season. And that can be very expensive. For example, you may have heard the story of the $250,000 owing in back taxes by a campground in Ontario.

The tax filing deadline of midnight May 2 has come and gone. Now what? It’s important to file as soon as possible if you owe money to CRA. That’s true even if you’re a proprietor and qualify to file by midnight June 15.

Boomers are moving towards retirement, but many are not getting the planning services they need to manage their retirement income on a tax-efficient basis.