Red Ink on the Prairies

A day after Quebec’s Finance Minister Eric Girard brought down a Budget featuring a $6.3 Billion deficit, Saskatchewan’s Finance Minister Jim Reiter tabled his government’s budget on March 19. Next up was Finance Minister Adrian Salas, who tabled the Manitoba Budget on March 24. The common thread: there’s lots of red ink on the Prairies. But that’s where the budget documents differ between Manitoba and Saskatchewan. Here’s the latest tax news and why it matters to the advice you give your clients.

The Financial Assessment Calculator links your client’s trigger questions about life events, financial events, and economic events with changes needed to get the financial results needed now and in the future. See it in action with the following what-if-scenario and then try it for yourself, risk-free!

Budget 2013 included an announcement that the government would be looking into measures to improve the integrity of Canada’s tax system relating to testamentary trusts.

Bill C-60 proposes to implement certain provisions of the March 21, 2013 federal budget; among these, proposed legislative amendments that pertain to the audit process in the Income Tax Act, and provisions in the Tax Court of Canada Rules. Discussed below in the last of a four-part series are changes to the Expert Witness rules.

Last week we launched our five-part Disability Awareness series discussing tax relief for those who have become disabled and their caregivers. In this second part, we talk about income supports that are available. These articles are excerpted from Jacks on Tax, by Evelyn Jacks.

According to Statistics Canada there were 2.3 million businesses in Canada as of June 2009, with 57% of all business establishments located in Ontario and Quebec. 

Since 1988, 1,125 files have been referred to the GAAR Committee, according to recent statistics from CRA; CRA presented this and other statistics as it went through the GAAR process at the CRA & Professionals Breakfast Seminar in Toronto on June 6.