CRA Shut Down: Communicate Proactively Before Long Weekend

Did you know that Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) will be undergoing a digital migration on the September long weekend, starting Friday August 29 at 8:00 p.m. and ending Tuesday at 6:00 am September 2, with the proviso that this possibly could last til September 3? What could go wrong? Plenty.

What matters is what you keep – after taxes!  That’s critical in the current high inflation, high interest rate environment.  It helps to take a hard look at how well you are using your “tax efficiency potential,” starting with maximizing your RRSP contribution by March 1.  That will help you get a bigger tax refund and more tax benefits when you file your T1. As important, are you making just enough of the qualifying earned income to maximize RRSP advantages in the 2023 tax year? Here’s how to do it, well in advance:

It's a welcome relief from a 40-year high in inflationary pressures in the middle of a frigid winter spell and best of all, it’s tax free.  On January 26, 2023, Manitoba’s Premier, Heather Stefanson, unveiled a $200 million Carbon Tax Relief Fund to help Manitobans cope with the impacts of rising winter costs from food to fuel. But, to get it, a 2021 tax return needs to be filed. 

High interest rates continue to squeeze borrowers and taxpayers. Last week, the Bank of Canada announced it’s eighth interest rate increase in 12 months to 4.5%.  The prescribed interest rate charged by CRA on overdue taxes also rose this month to 8%; not quite as high as the 9% rate that began in the fourth quarter of 2006 where it stayed until the second quarter of 2008.  In our January poll, KBR readers were asked: should CRA temporarily reduce this 8% rate to give taxpayers an inflation break?  The vote is in:  78% to 22% said yes, with a number of interesting comments:

It’s that time of year. Mark your calendar for these important tax filing milestones:

In a paper titled The Mystery of Unclaimed Tax Benefits published in 2020 the authors found that about 10 to 12 per cent of Canadians don't file their tax returns. And if we look back almost a decade ago (2015) researchers estimated that the benefits lost to working-age non-filers was about $1.7 billion. That number has to be higher today, especially with all the new inflation protection measures being announced recently.

Did you set up an inter-spousal loan to do some investment income splitting last year?  You would have been wise to do it within the first two quarters of the calendar, when the prescribed interest rate was 1% – compared to 4% today. Also wise: The borrower must pay the lender the interest by January 30 – less than a week away – or the arrangement will be nullified.