Tax Avoidance, Financial Stress & Well Being

Earlier this month, Statistics Canada published a report titled Stretching the Loonie: a time series analysis of financial difficulty and quality of life. The report is based on a nation-wide survey and the results are concerning. They reveal a serious trend and it is possible this is contributing to the late filing trend we are seeing this tax season.

Saving up to make tuition fee payments is always an obsession for post-secondary students and their supporting individuals, but tuition fee tax credits, together with the Canada Training Credit, available to those aged 26 to 65 as at the end of December this year, can bring significant tax savings to help make it all more affordable.  Here are some tax tips and true-to-life examples for minimizing your back-to-school spend:

Close to 18 million tax returns are filed by professional EFILE Services in tax season 2023 – 59.5% of all tax returns filed in Canada, according to CRA’s income tax statistics. This speaks to the tremendous opportunities available in mentoring new tax preparers throughout the summer and fall to prepare for tax season 2024.  But in our June poll, 60% of respondents told us it was difficult to attract and engage new entrants. 

This month, Knowledge Bureau Report celebrates the achievements of Harvey Agustin, an outstanding professional from Calgary, Alberta who has recently designated as and RWM™ - Real Wealth Manager and an MFA-P™ - Philanthropic Services Specialist.  He tells us what these achievements have meant to him. 

Good news!  It’s officially the farthest month between tax seasons, but time will march quickly on the journey towards 2024, when highly trained personal tax specialists will again be in high demand.  That’s why July is such a good month to commit to Knowledge Bureau’s Tax Training School, featuring the DMA™-Personal Tax Services Specialist program and its six professional courses, updated for 2023 tax filing requirements, and available for continuous intake now. 

As Canadians plan to take a break from tax for summer holidays, the key eroders of wealth – taxes, inflation and the costs of building wealth – are about to take a bigger bite out of Canadian’s balance sheets. There are three key reasons for this and it’s important to set up some time with tax and financial advisors before hitting the beach, to plan to stay ahead of tax issues and comply with two more filing deadlines as well.  

There are 6.2 million persons with disabilities in Canada, 23% of whom live in poverty. The Canada Disability Benefit (CDB) has been created and now passed into law (June 22, 2023) to help. However, exactly when the payment will start and how much will be paid is still a mystery.