Podcast: Automatic Tax Filing - Will It Work?

Last week Taxpayers' Ombudsperson François Boileau  tabled his annual report:  In Pursuit of Better Service: Taxpayers Deserve More.  once again, it was nothing short of scathing, as CRA received its highest number of complaints in the last three years.  Calling our “completely nuts” Income Tax Act a potential barrier, he is nonetheless pushing for automatic tax filing as a potential solution.  A new episode of Real Tax News with Evelyn Jacks & Friends available next week, will feature guest Gillian Petit, Ph.D. - author of a great report, Welcome News for Lower-Income Canadians, but There’s More to Do - which takes a deeper dive.  Consider the following:

“I told you so. . . .” These four dreaded words are often on the tips of tongues at this time of the year, although polite tax practitioners try to resist uttering them when skimpy recordkeeping results in higher taxes – or reduced tax credits - for their clients.

It was a lovely visit at Knowledge Bureau head office with designate Vongsa Phommarath, MFA – Business Service Specialist™.

The Finance Department released its 37th report on federal tax expenditures last week; it has published estimates of tax expenditures for personal and corporate income taxes, as well as for the Goods and Services Tax, since 1944. It’s an interesting read, especially in advance of the March 22, 2016, federal budget, when the government is expected to announce new tax expenditures.

As a way to simplify the tax system, an overwhelming majority of respondents, 87%, to Knowledge Bureau’s February poll agree that investment income under $1000 should not be taxed. Will their wish come true?

Now that tax season is in full swing, Knowledge Bureau would like to remind you of some key dates to mark in your calendar: Regional DAW Workshops - May 24 to 31, Summer Studies Begin June 15, DAC  Nov 6 -9.

“A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity, an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.” -Winston Churchill.