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:

Other than the recording and documentation of business expenses, the most common area that causes problems for proprietors is the claiming of mixed-use expenses.

With Fort McMurray residents slowly returning home to rebuild, Knowledge Bureau is pleased to make a donation of $11,250 on behalf of its students and staff.  In addition, CRA announced special taxpayer relief for victims.

Knowledge Bureau is pleased to announce that Brent Gleeson, a Navy SEAL combat veteran with multiple tours to Iraq and Africa, and writer for Inc.com and Forbes.com will speak at the Distinguished Advisor Conference, Nov. 6 to 9 in San Diego. Early registration is now open until June 30.

"Consult not your fears but your hopes and your dreams. Think not about your frustrations, but about your unfulfilled potential. Concern yourself not with what you tried and failed in, but with what it is still possible for you to do." Pope John XXIII

Losing a job—especially unexpectedly—can be a difficult life event. You should know how to keep as much as possible of a lump sum that might come your way. The taxes on this lifeline can rob you of precious resources while you look for new work or arrange for your retirement income. There are also investment planning decisions to be made.

If you were subject to the OAS clawback on your 2015 tax return, your OAS cheques starting July 2016 will each be reduced by 1/12th of that clawback amount. But there is a way to reduce the recovery tax and increase your monthly OAS cheque.