GST/HST Input Tax Credits: Reasonable Expectation of Profit

GST/HST Input Tax Credits: Reasonable Expectation of Profit

A July 28, 2022 Tax Court of Canada case considered whether input tax credits (ITCs) in respect of a farming operation’s expenditures were available. The farming activity consisted of breeding and racing various horses and involved at least four full-time employees at one point. Over a nine-year period (2007-2015), the operations never experienced positive net earnings and more than $4 million in losses were accumulated. The owner partially financed operations with earnings from his law…

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Executor: Whether to Accept This Role

Executor: Whether to Accept This Role

Individuals may be asked to take on various roles in respect of loved ones, friends, clients or others. One role that is particularly riddled with challenges is that of an estate executor. While an individual may carry out their duties in an appropriate manner, it is important to consider the risks of unhappy beneficiaries and any other undesirable outcomes, including litigation and/or strained relationships. A March 4, 2022 Tax Court of Canada case reviewed whether…

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Crowdfunding: Taxable or Not?

Crowdfunding: Taxable or Not?

A June 2, 2022 Technical Interpretation discussed the taxability of funds received through crowdfunding campaigns. CRA first noted that amounts received through a crowdfunding arrangement could represent loans, capital contributions, gifts, income or a combination of two or more of these. This means that the funds received could be taxable (such as business income) or not (such as a windfall, gift or voluntary payment). As the terms and conditions for each campaign vary greatly, the…

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Shared Custody Arrangements: Impact of School Closures

Shared Custody Arrangements: Impact of School Closures

In an April 21, 2022 Tax Court of Canada case, the Court reviewed whether the taxpayer and her former spouse were shared-custody parents of their three children for the period from January 2019 to June 2021 for the purpose of the Canada child benefit (CCB). In shared-custody arrangements, each individual will get half of the payment they would have received had the child lived with them full time. While the Minister initially fully paid the…

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TFSA Overcontribution: Relying on Information in Your CRA Online Account

TFSA Overcontribution: Relying on Information in Your CRA Online Account

One challenge when relying on CRA-provided information online in respect of TFSA contribution room is that the information is not updated on a real-time basis due to the delay in receiving information from TFSA issuers. Although CRA has many disclaimers surrounding this issue, some individuals may be unaware or misinterpret their comments. A July 14, 2022 Financial Post article (Taxpayer relying on CRA website info gets hit with penalty for contributing too much to TFSA,…

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