Time’s Up: CRA’s 100 Day Mandate for Improvement

After years of frustration on the part of tax professionals and taxpayers alike, the Finance Minister ordered the Canada Revenue Agency to clean up its act in 100 days. Specifically, the improvement plan was to run from September 2 through December 11. Finance Minister and Minister of National Revenue, Francoise-Phillippe Champagne instructed CRA to fix “unacceptable wait times and service delays.” Time’s up this week and CRA has released an update on progress. What gets measured, gets done. Let’s see what CRA’s metrics show. 

Can employed and self-employed people claim the same expenses for home offices at tax time? The answer is no. Whether you are employed or self-employed matters; the following checklist can help you determine where your deductions fit.

Microsoft Canada had been illegally overcharging for its Intel-compatible PC operating systems and software since 1988. This was claimed in a class action lawsuit against Microsoft Corporation, Microsoft Canada Co. and the Attorney General of Canada (Intervener), by Pro-Sys Consultants Ltd. and Neil Godfrey at the Supreme Court of Canada.

On November 13th, the Honourable Jim Flaherty, Minister of Finance, issued a positive affirmation of Canada’s credit rating.

Sometimes an employer will require an employee to relocate to another part of the country. In such cases, it is not unusual for a low-interest or interest-free housing loan to be granted to cushion the costs of the move.

Reporting for taxpayers with segregated funds that feature guarantees at death require some advanced knowledge to this properly.  

Modern families that are successful in accumulating wealth over time use the power of their economic unit to get the best after-tax results during their lifetimes and with a tax-efficient, intergenerational wealth transfer in mind.