Late Filing Penalties: Talk About It!

While most T1 returns are in the hands of the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) by April 30, we know many are not. In fact, millions of returns were still outstanding as of mid-May. Late-filing clients they need to know about the consequences, especially if they owe. Here’s a rundown to be aware of:

In the height of charitable giving season, a review of recent tax changes provides an opportunity for advisors and clients to plan more strategically, while maximizing tax savings and planning 2019 investments before year-end. Here’s a checklist of talking points for your December meetings:

The Canadian Securities Administrators (CSA) have proposed restrictions on fees related to referral arrangements. The Independent Financial Brokers of Canada (IFB) wants to better understand the impacts of these proposals and has asked for the participation of financial services professionals in a survey, which is open to both IFB members and others in the financial services industry.

Sylvie Gewehr from Haines Junction, Yukon, is pursuing her DFA – Tax Services Specialist designation in her transition from bookkeeping to offering tax filing services. She shares how she started her educational journey with Knowledge Bureau, and her unique story about how the online self-study structure made it possible while living in a remote location.

Last week’s Fall Economic Statement featured updates to Canada’s economic outlook and corporate tax changes, specifically, the Capital Cost Allowance measures. However, the Finance Minister also proposed a controversial $595 million package to support Canada’s media sector, including tax breaks for those who subscribe to some online media outlets. 

A year after the Auditor General Report that took the CRA to task over its service standards, this fall’s report delivers further criticism. This time, CRA is being called out for its inconsistent practices and in addition, this latest critique follows the news that the implementation of call centre improvements has been delayed again.

Are snowbirds required to file a U.S. tax return? In this week's article, Dr. Dean Smith shares tax requirements for those who don’t meet the substantial presence test.