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:

Service Canada has just announced the fourth quarter rates for Old Age Security.

Donor beware: A charity’s charitable status can be revoked if the charity does not maintain the direction and control of its assets when dealing with another foreign charity intermediary. This requirement was underscored in a recent case at the Federal Court of Appeal (FCA).

Canadians donated close to $11 billion to charity in 2010 according to Statistics Canada. Becoming more philanthropic and giving more to causes that are important to them, like the current refugee crisis or environmental issues, should be top of mind in year-end tax planning conversations, given the significant tax rewards associated with giving.

Mark your calendar for the last week of October. Knowledge Bureau’s Fall Distinguished Advisor Workshop (DAW) promises some exciting and educational programming on issues your business clients commonly face. 

C.J. McCarty, was a specified shareholder/employee of the company, C.J. McCarty, Inc, (CJ,Inc.); he had only one client over a three month period of time, MEG Energy Corporation (MEG) and he received a fixed hourly rate for his services as the construction manager of a major project. 

The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) recently extradited a tax preparer back to Canada from Italy and put her into custody to serve a 10-year sentence for tax fraud after she claimed $58 million in false carrying charges and charitable donations on over 4,000 returns.