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:

A recent survey by Stats Canada reveals an increase in employment of 1.6% or 286,000, all in full-time work over a 12 month period.

Studying abroad can be an exciting opportunity for any Canadian, but it can complicate matters when it comes to reporting taxes.

Retirement income planning begins with the first dollar you save. That’s way RRSP season is important to young people, even though retirement seems too far away to worry about. But you should think about what lifestyle you are saving for and for how long your money needs to last between now and March 1, the RRSP tax filing deadline. 

No, different income sources attract different marginal tax rates.

Edwards v. The Queen.  A recent decision from the Federal Court of Appeal, Edwards v. The Queen (2012 FCA 330), contains interesting dicta regarding the Canada Revenue Agency’s (CRA) administration of proposed legislation in the last decade or so, with the presiding Justice JA John M. Evans declaring it “fundamentally unfair.” 

You can have zero income and pay zero taxes but still receive refundable tax credits in Canada—simply by filing a tax return. But because many of these credits are based on “family” rather than “individual” net income, you and your spouse need to file tax returns together.