The CRA TSlip Saga: An Update

This tax season has been particularly challenging for both taxpayers and tax professionals. The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) provides tax information slips—such as T3, T4, T5, and their variations—through secure online portals: My Account and Represent a Client (RAC). This year, there were lots of problems with these portals, and now, it appears, CRA is not being quite transparent about when the slips were actually visible to clients and that doesn’t seem fair. Here’s an update on where we stand now.

Do RPPs and RRSPs act as substitutes for one another in retirement savings patterns?  At first glance, this appears to be so, based on a new study released this week by Statistics Canada.   The big finding is that workers who are self-directed savers benefit less than their co-workers who don’t tend to save enough for retirement when RPP contributions automatically increase.

How time flies when you’re having fun!  The end of 2015 is fast approaching, and what a wonderful year it has been working with all our amazing students and strategic partners at Knowledge Bureau. We want to take this opportunity to wish you a very happy holiday and thank you sincerely for sharing knowledge with us in so many ways!

Year end is a great time to reflect on your accomplishments: at work, in your family and in your personal life. For advisors, the power of the storytelling over eggnog and holiday treats can lead to important insights to help clients make the right decisions about their time and money; a key message recently delivered by Todd Hynes, Vice President of Sales at Ivari.

Knowledge Bureau is excited to introduce a new convenient, online learning opportunity:  continuing professional education on video – a great new way to earn 6 CE/CPD Credits.

The new T1135 Foreign Income Verification Statement was released last week, and it requires attention by clients who hold offshore assets. It will be discussed in detail at the Distinguished Advisor Workshops, being held January 20-25, 2016. However, cross-border issues in general present a significant opportunity for tax and financial advisors.

It’s more important than ever for Millennials and their Boomer parents to start discussions about multi-generation tax, retirement and financial planning, and after dinner story-telling over the holidays is a great way to start a new financial journey in 2016.  Just how do you build a Wealth Purpose with a Tax Strategy?  Evelyn Jacks’ Family Tax Essentials will provide you with some great new ideas!