Changes to Paper Filing Disempowering

Last tax season, only 7% of all Canadian tax filers filed on paper. The CRA is pushing for zero. It continues to steer the holdouts to digitized filing by adding lots of obstacles. Most recently, it is removing almost all the schedules from the tax return package it mails. This seems unfair to people who paper file because they can’t afford a computer and internet, distrust the security of online filing and those who are neither tax or computer literate. Here’s what they are up against:

Get in tip-top tax shape with our live bootcamps, starting with November’s Corporate Tax Bootcamp. Register by October 15 for best fees.

Find ample evidence of the power of the human spirit and its capacity to adapt as you read the life lessons of 50 outstanding Canadians. A must-have guide for young leaders, parents, business executives and bright stars everywhere.

Tax erosion is often viewed as the biggest threat to your clients’ wealth. Provide credible, trusted, and expert solutions to your clients’ complex retirement planning requirements with Advanced Tax-Efficient Retirement Income Planning. Enrol by October 2 and save $200 on tuition fees. 

Soaring debt loads are a problem for many Canadians and particularly troublesome for those who are about to retire. Knowledge Bureau’s Debt Reductions Solutions Calculator is a tool to help advisors assist their clients with making a plan to get out of debt. 

Drawing up inter-spousal investment loans are a legitimate way for the higher-income spouse to transfer taxable investment income to their lower-income spouse to reduce the family tax bill. For several years now, the prescribed rate for spousal loans has been set at 1% but that may be changing shortly.

On September 13, the Minister of Finance, Jim Flaherty, confirmed reports that the Canada GEN Investment Corporation, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Canada Development Investment Corporation, sold 30 million common stock General Motors (GM) shares to BofA Merill Lynch and RBC Capital Markets in an unregistered block trade.