GST/HST Returns: Mandatory Electronic Filing

GST/HST Returns: Mandatory Electronic Filing

For reporting periods that begin in 2024 and onwards, GST/HST registrants (except charities and selected financial institutions) must file all GST/HST returns with CRA electronically.Registrants who file their GST/HST returns on paper are subject to a penalty of $100 for the first offense and $250 for each subsequent return not filed electronically. While CRA waived these penalties for monthly and quarterly filers who failed to file returns electronically for periods beginning before March 31, 2024,…

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Working From Home Expenses: Employment Expenses

Working From Home Expenses: Employment Expenses

The $2/day flat rate method available to claim expenses for employees working from home was a temporary administrative measure only available from 2020 to 2022; it is no longer available in 2023. As such, employees working from home can only use the detailed calculation when claiming expenses.  For 2023 and subsequent years, a deduction can only be claimed where one of the following criteria is met: i. the work space was the place where the…

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  • Post category:Tax Planning
Canada Dental Care Plan (CDCP): New Income-Tested Benefit

Canada Dental Care Plan (CDCP): New Income-Tested Benefit

On December 11, 2023, Health Canada issued details on the Canada dental care plan that would cover a wide variety of dental services for certain Canadian residents. The plan will be rolled out from late 2023 to 2025.   To be eligible, the individual and their spouse or common-law partner (if applicable) must meet all of the following conditions: have an adjusted family net income (AFNI) of less than $90,000; be a Canadian resident for tax…

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New Trust Reporting: Unexpected Exposure

New Trust Reporting: Unexpected Exposure

Changes requiring more trusts (and estates) to file tax returns and more information to be disclosed, first proposed in the 2018 Federal Budget, were delayed several times in the legislative process. The final rules (that are now law) first apply for 2023, with a filing deadline of April 2, 2024. As such, many trusts and estates (including many arrangements not commonly considered “trusts”) will be required to file for the first time in early 2024.…

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CEBA Repayment Deadline Extended: Some Issues

CEBA Repayment Deadline Extended: Some Issues

On September 14, 2023, the Department of Finance provided details on extending the deadline for Canada Emergency Business Account (CEBA) repayments, including the following key elements: the deadline to qualify for partial loan forgiveness (by paying the non-forgivable portion) has been extended from December 31, 2023 to January 18, 2024; if a refinancing application is made with the financial institution that provided the CEBA loan by January 18, 2024, the deadline to qualify for partial…

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Surcharge To Accept Payment Via Credit Card: GST/HST?

Surcharge To Accept Payment Via Credit Card: GST/HST?

As of October 2022, merchants could charge an additional fee for accepting payment via creditcard. In a March 28, 2023 Technical Interpretation, CRA opined that the additional fee would be a separate exempt supply of a financial service and, therefore, not subject to GST/HST if all of the following conditions are met: the fee is charged to the cardholder solely for the acceptance of the use of the credit card as a payment method and…

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Multigenerational Home Renovation Tax Credit: More Housing Support

Multigenerational Home Renovation Tax Credit: More Housing Support

The multigenerational home renovation tax credit is a refundable tax credit applicable to the costs of constructing a secondary suite for an eligible person (generally a relative either age 65 or over, or eligible for the disability tax credit) to live with a qualifying relation. The tax credit is available on up to $50,000 of eligible expenditures incurred after 2022 at a rate of 15%. In a March 6, 2023 Technical Interpretation, CRA confirmed that the eligible person must ordinarily inhabit, or be intended to ordinarily inhabit,…

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  • Post category:Tax Planning
Cryptocurrency Exchange Cessation: Recordkeeping

Cryptocurrency Exchange Cessation: Recordkeeping

A June 7, 2023 CryptoTaxLawyer.com article (Binance Bids Canada Bye-Bye! Canadian Tax Implications for Cryptocurrency Investors and Traders) reminded Canadians about the importance of maintaining an offline record of transactions as exchanges, such as Binance, shut down in Canada. On May 12, 2023, Binance announced that Canadian users will be required to close any open positions by September 30, 2023. Once the exchange is closed to Canadians, there is the possibility that access to records…

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First Home Savings Account (FHSA): A New Investment Tool

First Home Savings Account (FHSA): A New Investment Tool

The tax-free FHSA was introduced in 2023 to help first-time home buyers save up to $40,000 for a home purchase. Individuals eligible to open an FHSA must be at least 18 years of age and resident in Canada. The individual must also have not lived in a home that they or their spouse owned jointly or otherwise at any time in the year or the preceding four calendar years. Contributions to an FHSA are deductible…

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