A Challenge for New Clients: How to Choose a Trusted Advisor

If you’re in business for yourself, you have a unique opportunity to build wealth in an asset class that others don’t have: equity in a business enterprise that some day may be sold for millions of dollars. In addition, that business can spin off income for family members that can provide significant tax advantages, done well. Understanding how to realize on this asset requires the help of a trusted financial advisory team. Who should be on that team and how do you find them? This is a challenge your next new business clients may wrestle with. Here are some tips on how you can open discussions to help them:

The tax professional is becoming a central focal point for information-gathering on behalf of the Government, and in the process can be at significant financial risk. Fees charged to clients may have to reflect this new reality as CRA continues to unveil new and more detailed forms – with big penalties for missing information.

The United States Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) filed a lawsuit in federal court in Manhattan on March 14th against sixteen banks, including RBC, alleging fraudulent activity in conspiring to keep a key international interest rate artificially low for their own enrichment.

In Roszco v. The Queen (2014) TCC 59, a recently released decision from the Tax Court of Canada, the issue at hand was whether interest generated from fraudulent schemes was taxable within the meaning of section 12(1)(c) of the Income Tax Act (the Act).

Are you wealthy? What’s your definition? One way to think about it is to consider: what does it take to achieve peace of mind – to be free of financial worry? Would you be truly wealthy then?

Joan McIvor earned her MFA-Retirement Income Specialist designation with honours in 2012 and has used the knowledge gained from the MFA program to enhance her business. We are pleased to have Joan as one of our distinguished grads.

T2 filers must complete Schedule 88, effective with year-ends beginning 2013. This form is more detailed that the new “Internet Business Activities” added to schedule T2125 of the T1 return however, in both cases the information is to be filed with the tax return.