Pre-Budget Consultations Now Underway!

Pre-budget consultations are now underway for this fall’s Federal Budget and Canadians are invited to share their views with Finance Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne through an online survey. Over the next several weeks, the Finance Minister and his team will meet with various stakeholder groups and review public submissions before finalizing the budget.

It’s time for a little summertime R & R, so here’s how our publishing schedule will shake out: There will be no issue of KBR on July 6, 27, August 3 or 31. Enjoy the sunshine, because . . . Christmas is less than six months away!

"Find out who you are and be that person. That's what your soul was put on this Earth to be. Find that truth, live that truth and everything else will come." Ellen DeGeneres

Did you incur legal fees in order to collect money owed to you for severance, pension benefits or a retiring allowance? You may claim those expenses as Other Deductions on the tax return. But there are a few catches.

This week, Canada’s finance ministers met in Vancouver and agreed in principle to the expansion of the Canada Pension Plan (CPP) over a seven-year phase-in period, starting January 1, 2019. Higher contributions by workers and their employers will result. But will the revamped CPP be enough to provide for the retirement security Canadians need?

The Underground Economy grew 3.8% between 2012 and 2013, but is considered “stable”  based on CRA’s June 20th revised estimate report for the period 1992-2013.  Still, it’s growing at the same rate as the GDP – 2.45% - and is estimated to be close to $46 Billion in size.  So who is skirting their tax obligations?

The month of June was a bad one for tax practitioners who have perpetrated fraud. Tax evasion can attract fines of up to 200% of the taxes avoided plus other administrative penalties, including gross negligence (50% of taxes owing) and late filing (up to 10% of unpaid amounts).