Bill C-31: Royal Asset and New CRA Powers Could Come Soon

Changes are coming to the Income Tax Act and both you and your clients will all be affected with new tax risks including longer tax audits. Bill C-31, which passed second reading in the House of Commons on June 3 and is now at committee stage, contains elements of previous Federal Budgets that will expand the CRA’s compliance and enforcement powers. Here’s what you need to know and pass along to your clients:

Now that tax season is in full swing, Knowledge Bureau would like to remind you of some key dates to mark in your calendar: Regional DAW Workshops - May 24 to 31, Summer Studies Begin June 15, DAC  Nov 6 -9.

“A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity, an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.” -Winston Churchill.

Be sure to stay tuned to Knowledge Bureau Report for all the details of the next federal budget – March 22, 2016.

Each year, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada publishes a list of prescribed regions that have experienced either drought conditions or excess moisture. Farmers in these regions qualify to defer reporting the proceeds from the sale of a portion of their breeding herd if they meet certain conditions.

Finance Canada recently released proposals to amend certain sections of the Income Tax Act (the Act) pertaining to the tax treatment of certain trusts, which only came into force on January 1, 2016. To the relief of many tax and legal practitioners, the proposals remedy some undesirable aspects of the amendments,  especially as it relates to charitable giving.

One document you must remember to keep track of after filing your tax return is your Notice of Assessment or Reassessment from the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA).