A one-time tax-free payment of $500, announced in September 2022, is now available to low-income renters. The payment does not reduce other federal income-tested benefits. Eligible individuals must: – be 15 years of age or older on December 1, 2022; – be resident in Canada for tax purposes in 2022; – have filed their 2021… Read more »

The Canada dental benefit, announced in September 2022, provides up-front tax-free payments to cover dental expenses for children under age 12 without dental coverage. The program began December 1, 2022, with expenses retroactive to October 1, 2022 being covered. The program is available for two periods: December 1, 2022 to June 30, 2023, and July… Read more »

A June 17, 2022 Ontario Superior Court of Justice case considered whether a will had been appropriately witnessed. In 2020, the owner of an insurance agency was diagnosed with terminal cancer and drafted a final will and testament. As it was the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, she chose two of her employees to meet… Read more »

CRA updated several administrative policies in respect of employment benefits, effective January 1, 2022. Two of the key changes relate to employee gifts and parking. These updates were released in late 2022. Gifts, awards and long-service awards Under CRA’s existing gifts and awards administrative policy, the first $500 of annual gifts and awards provided to… Read more »

A September 12, 2022 Tax Court of Canada case reviewed the gain on a residential property purchased in 2007 and disposed of in 2011. The property was substantially rebuilt during the ownership period. The proceeds, cost and gain were all determined by CRA as the sale was unreported. These amounts were largely unchallenged by the… Read more »

On December 6, 2022, the Auditor General of Canada released its report on COVID benefit compliance enforcement. The report reviewed a total of $210.7 billion in payments with the following breakdown among programs. – Canada Worker Lockdown Benefit (CWLB) – $0.9 billion – Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS) – $100.7 billion – Canada Recovery Sickness… Read more »

Where tips are “paid” by an employer, they are pensionable and insurable. In such cases, the employer must also withhold income tax and report the amounts on the employee’s T4. CRA’s current administrative policy is that if the tip is controlled by the employer (controlled tips) and then transferred to the employee, it is considered to be paid by the… Read more »

Some quick points to consider… – For 2023, the maximum amount that may be deducted for non-taxable allowances paid to an employee using a personal vehicle for business purposes has increased by 7₵ to 68₵/km for the first 5,000 kms driven and to 62₵ for each additional km. For Yukon, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut,… Read more »

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… Read more »

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… Read more »