There are several types of Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) scams going on right now. The image above is an example of what some people are receiving via email. The CRA will never send or request e-transfers of any kind. They will only send payments by direct deposit or cheque in the mail. If you receive an e-Transfer claiming to be from the CRA, it’s likely a scam! See more examples on the CRA website. The…
In an April 20, 2018 Tax Court of Canada case, at issue was whether the taxpayer could deduct interest incurred in 2013, 2014, and 2015 related to $300,000 borrowed in 2007 to purchase mutual funds. From 2007–2015, the taxpayer received a return of capital* from the funds, totalling $196,850 over the period. The taxpayer used some proceeds to reduce the loan principal, but the majority was used for personal purposes. Taxpayer loses The Court examined…
If you work or go to school and need childcare services you may be able to claim those expenses on your tax return. Some of the services are: caregivers providing child care services; day nursery schools and daycare centres; fees for child care services offered through educational institutions; day camps and day sports schools where the primary goal of the camp is to care for children (an institution offering a sports study program is not…
The CRA has made changes to Form T1135 . It allows taxpayers who held foreign property with a total cost of less than $250,000, throughout the year, to report under a new simplified reporting method rather than providing the detail of each property. If the total foreign property is $250,000 or more, at any time during a year, the current detailed reporting method will continue to apply. For more information, click on: Reporting for the 2015…
A December 11, 2017 Tax Court of Canada case examined whether a taxpayer was liable for unpaid income taxes of the corporation of which he was a director. CRA’s assessment was based on the assertion that the taxpayer was a legal representative of the corporation and had distributed assets of the corporation without having first obtained a clearance certificate from CRA. A clearance certificate essentially confirms that the corporation has paid all amounts of tax,…
In an April 9, 2018 French Technical Interpretation, CRA clarified their position on taxable benefits arising from employer-sponsored social events, such as a holiday party or other event. Where the cost of the social event does not exceed $150/person (previously the limit was $100), excluding incidentals such as transportation, taxi fares and accommodations, there would be no taxable benefit to employees. CRA indicated that the cost should be computed per person who attended, and not per person invited. If the cost exceeds $150/person, the entire amount, including the additional cost, is…
Do you have an employee dining room or cafeteria? In a March 21, 2018 Technical Interpretation, CRA stated that they do not consider meals subsidized by the employer to be a taxable benefit provided the employee pays a reasonable charge. This charge should be sufficient to cover the cost of the food, its preparation and service. Where the charge is less than the cost, the difference would be considered a taxable benefit and should be…
Charities should ensure that any donation receipts issued are fully compliant with the tax rules. Failure to do so may result in the donor being denied a charitable donation if reviewed by CRA. This could cause operational and goodwill problems for the charity. Receipts for cash gifts must have the following: a statement that it is an official receipt for income tax purposes; the name and address of the charity as on file with CRA;…
When Canadians purchase a home, they are required to withhold part of the purchase price should the seller be a non-resident of Canada. A recent Tax Court of Canada decision (Kau v. the Queen [2018 TCC 156]) should serve as a warning to clients and professionals alike, to watch for any red flags that might suggest the seller is not a resident of Canada. As a result of this recent court decision, the home buyer…
A CRA communication dated March 7, 2018 provided updated commentary on taxable benefits arising from the personal use of a business aircraft. CRA categorized the types of flights into three groups, as follows: Mixed-use flights – If a shareholder or employee takes a flight which has a clear business purpose, they would not generally be subject to a taxable benefit. An individual’s purpose is a question of fact. If others take the same flight (such…
