Time’s Up: CRA’s 100 Day Mandate for Improvement

After years of frustration on the part of tax professionals and taxpayers alike, the Finance Minister ordered the Canada Revenue Agency to clean up its act in 100 days. Specifically, the improvement plan was to run from September 2 through December 11. Finance Minister and Minister of National Revenue, Francoise-Phillippe Champagne instructed CRA to fix “unacceptable wait times and service delays.” Time’s up this week and CRA has released an update on progress. What gets measured, gets done. Let’s see what CRA’s metrics show. 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – Lisa McKee, owner of McKee Accounting, reveals the secret of success for her firm: Putting the client at the centre of everything to provide high-quality customer service.

Trusts are used on an ever-increasing basis to plan for wealth and succession objectives for medium- and high-worth clients. The advisor who can assist with that process enjoys the oppor-tunity to establish a long-term, potentially intergenerational connection with a client and their family. However, there have been recent changes advisors need to know about.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – Ozy Camacho, Publisher, Investment Executive and Finance et Investissement, will provide insights from a ground-breaking survey that rates clients’ satisfaction levels with their financial advisors.

The cost of a post-secondary education is rising faster than the rate of inflation, making higher learning more of a stretch for Canadian students and their families.

Our sons participated with gusto in many sports: hockey, lacrosse, soccer and marathon running.  In the chief role of road warriors, we charioted cherubs from one sportsplex to another. These activities provided physical, social, team and leadership skills that continue to be priceless, despite the often exorbitant price tag.

Tax and financial advisors take note: Within its reasons for judgment in a recent case, the Tax Court of Canada (TCC) has made some interesting comments about the due diligence defence as it pertains to subsection 163(1) of the Income Tax Act, and about how this defence can be successfully used in the context of a penalty under subsection 163(1).