Finance Canada: No More Spring Budgets

Finance Canada announced on October 7 that Canada’s federal budgets will be brought down in the fall starting with the November 4, 2025 event; a significant departure from the spring schedule (February, March or April) that has been the cycle for several decades. This is going to affect many other events as we know them, and in the annual government spending approval cycle. There will also be a new budget process for capital vs. operational expenses. Here’s what you need to know:

Here’s a sobering thought:  when people get seriously ill, only 1 in 3 patients get the medical care that is right for them.  This, according to Dr. Daren Heyland who will explain more in two important sessions at the May 24 CE Summit.   Families are ill-prepared to make the life and death decisions they are called upon to make on the patient’s behalf and consequently, says Dr. Heyland,  they suffer significant anxiety and stress.  Things can get worse if the patient survives. If the person survives their serious illness but is left vulnerable and incapacitated, many families struggle to provide the best medical and personal care possible and end up quarreling about how to use the patient’s resources. The current ways of planning ahead for future illness are not working….but you can be part of the change.

The GST/HST credit system is being used to provide three inflation boosts recently, but late filers may be missing out.  A one time payment arrived in November; then, on October 18, 2022,  Bill C-30 received Royal Assent to double the amount of the GST tax credit eligible taxpayers were already receiving in January.  Next, the Bill to enable the new Grocery Rebate, will pass.  Money won’t be distributed until July 5, according to CRA.  But those who don’t get their tax returns  caught up will miss out on hundreds possibly thousands, of dollars. Details appear below:

Privacy, confidentiality, security are foundational hallmarks in the relationship between taxpayers and their tax department. CRA takes this obligation seriously. However, during the pandemic, more than 90% of employees worked remotely.

A recent CFIB survey revealed that 76% of pros already had significant concerns about worsening service levels and intimidation tactics at the CRA. Here’s what the April 2023 survey found:      

Managing the process around life events (before, during and after) with a multi-stakeholder team requires three important legal documents which must be anticipated and drafted in relation to a holistic retirement, disability and estate plan.  Learn how to advise your clients to think about these difficult topics in a more positive light with two important sessions from Philippe Richer LL.B at the May 24 Virtual CE Summit and bring peace of mind to family members who otherwise worry about how to avoid abusive or unintended circumstances.

Now’s the time to start building your arsenal for next tax season! The new KB Tax Tip Toolkit gives you fast answers to your tax questions and you’ll earn up to 30 CE credits using it, too! Receive three great solutions at one great price: professional tax research library, powerful tax planning calculators, and CE accreditation, register by May 15.