CRA’s Callback Service for Tax Pros Pilot

Are you a tax professional with years of experience? Have you ever felt frustrated after calling the CRA, having spent hours on hold, wasting your client’s or employer’s time, only to speak to CRA agents who aren’t qualified to answer your questions? The Auditor General of Canada was equally displeased in a scathing report last fall on wait times and accuracy levels at the CRA. Now a new CRA callback service may come to the rescue this tax season. Here is my experience with the pilot project so far:

The 2014 Alberta provincial budget was tabled on March 6, 2014. This budget shows an operational surplus of $2.6 billion and the government projects an operational surplus for the following three years of its financial plan.

The 2014 Saskatchewan provincial budget was delivered on March 6. The budget was the seventh consecutive balanced budget in the province. 

The Manitoba provincial budget was tabled on March 6. Two new tax initiatives were announced.

The premier of British Columbia tabled the 2014 provincial budget on February 18. The budget contained a number of tax-related changes, not all of which were directly related to income tax.

The 2013 Federal Budget announced that, beginning in 2014, the gross-up of small business dividends will be reduced from 25% to 18% and that the federal dividend tax credit will be adjusted as well. The net result is a slight increase in the taxation of other than eligible dividends at the federal level.

Great news! Students who win awards to go to school now qualify for full tax exemptions, if they qualify for the full-time education amount.