The Gateway:  Maximizing the Impact of the Disability Tax Credit

In addition to reducing income tax through a non-refundable credit, the Disability Tax Credit (DTC) serves as a gateway to a wide range of additional tax benefits and government programs. Eligibility for the DTC can unlock enhanced credits, financial supplements, and long-term savings opportunities that go well beyond the tax return. Understanding how the DTC connects to these broader supports is essential for maximizing financial stability—both for individuals living with disabilities and the family members who support them.  Unfortunately, many taxpayers miss this credit and their tax and financial advisors can certainly help when this happens.

Investment counsel fees are amounts charged for advice on investments. Some of these fees for investment advice are eligible to be claimed as a carrying charge, a deduction on the personal tax return. However, this is not the case for all fees. Here are the guidelines for advisors to share with their investor clients.

New advisors have an opportunity to set the tone for a positive transformation in the financial services industry, despite fears that a new digital economy continues to replace certain positions. In fact, digital disruption offers up-and-coming millennial advisors a great advantage if they use their strong technical skills along with emerging technology to embellish on relationship building at a critical time of demographic change.

CIBC will be showcasing a new digital banking platform at the Knowledge Bureau’s CE Summits in four cities. The bank has collaborated with industry-leading cloud accounting software companies Intuit Canada and Xero, and payroll software company Ceridian, to integrate accounting and payroll with its powerful online cash management services.

Knowledge Bureau and Evelyn Jacks are proud to release the 2019 edition of Essential Tax Facts: How to Make the Right Tax Moves and Be Audit-Proof, Too on May 24, 2019. Featuring invaluable Audit-Buster Checklists and the latest from the March 2019 Federal Budget, Essential Tax Facts will help you position yourself for greater success with up-to-date information in an ever-changing tax environment.

To incorporate, or not to incorporate? It’s a timely question, considering recent corporate tax reforms. However, it’s also a question that existing business owners and aspiring business builders should think about post tax season as they discuss business growth planning with their tax specialists. It’s an important strategy that can save thousands of dollars that helps build family wealth over the long run.

The federal government announced last week that the Canada Child Benefit (CCB) will be increasing for the second consecutive year as of this July. Unfortunately,  many families are subject to a clawback of the generous benefit when their family net income rises. Worse, many Canadians don’t realize how critical an RRSP contribution can be in generating more of this lucrative tax-free benefit. Tax and financial advisors can add high value by helping to connecting those dots.