Bill C-31: Royal Asset and New CRA Powers Could Come Soon

Changes are coming to the Income Tax Act and both you and your clients will all be affected with new tax risks including longer tax audits. Bill C-31, which passed second reading in the House of Commons on June 3 and is now at committee stage, contains elements of previous Federal Budgets that will expand the CRA’s compliance and enforcement powers. Here’s what you need to know and pass along to your clients:

Currently the Income Tax Act (the Act) ensures disclosure of taxpayer information by Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) officials is specifically prohibited unless in relation to a criminal investigation or in emergency circumstances.

A recent decision of the British Columbia Supreme Court has held that the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) owes taxpayers a duty of care; this new finding means that taxpayers can now sue the CRA for negligence. 

Discovery: the process of requesting and receiving relevant documents from the other side is one of the most important stages of any litigation. When the other party is the Minister of National Revenue (the Minister) the discovery stage can seem like a David vs. Goliath type struggle.

Lots of great material has been released lately about global and Canadian wealth trends. Three works come to mind as must-reads...

Steve currently makes $84,000 in his small unincorporated business in BC; he wants to pay his new wife Carin half this amount, as they work together in the business. How much will the family save on taxes if they split income?

Either parent may claim the costs of adopting a child or they may split the costs as long as no more than the actual amount spent is claimed.