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CRA bare trusts reporting

Tax update: CRA exempts bare trusts from new trust reporting requirements

In an abrupt change of policy, the Canada Revenue agency has announced that it will exempt bare trusts from filing a T3 Income Tax and Information Return, including Schedule 15 (Beneficial Ownership Information of a Trust), for the 2023 tax year. The CRA still reserves the right to request these filings directly in specific circumstances. […]

Canada Revenue Agency sign that depicts prescribed rate

Canada Revenue Agency prescribed rate remains at 6% for Q2 2024

The Canada Revenue Agency prescribed rate will remain at 6 per cent for the second quarter of 2024 (which extends from April 1st, 2024 to June 30th, 2024). The prescribed rate last reached 6 per cent in the second quarter of 2001; it hovered at only 1 per cent during the COVID-19 pandemic. The current […]

Lawyer discussing a family trust with his clients

February tax news: Benefits of a family trust and a last call for 2023 RRSPs

THE BENEFITS OF ESTABLISHING A FAMILY TRUST Estate planning is an important consideration for all individuals, irrespective of their level of wealth. Poor planning, or no planning, can result in an excessive proportion of your estate being lost when you die, in the form of either probate fees or taxes, or both. Luckily, there is […]

Business colleagues having a meeting in a transparent boardroom discussing capital gains share sales

January tax news: Claiming capital gains exemptions, reporting assets outside Canada–and more

CLAIMING YOUR CAPITAL GAINS EXEMPTION ON THE SALE OF SHARES The Lifetime Capital Gains Exemption (LCGE) is an incredibly valuable tax exemption. Every individual is entitled to this exemption and it can currently (for 2024) exempt a gain of up to $1,016,836 (the amount is indexed to inflation each year). In Ontario for example, the […]

Houses illustrating how CRA has simplified Underused Housing Tax

December tax news: Simplified Underused Housing Tax rules, capital gains or income—and more

OTTAWA TAKES STEPS TO SIMPLIFY UNDERUSED HOUSING TAX COMPLIANCE As discussed in our April 2023 Tax Newsletter, the Underused Housing Tax (UHT) regime was introduced last year to try to combat the underuse of residential property, particularly property owned by non-residents. The regime imposes an annual tax of 1 per cent of the relevant property’s […]

advisor discussing new CRA trust reporting rules

Understanding the CRA’s new trust reporting rules—including changes to bare trusts

The Canada Revenue Agency has introduced significant changes to trust reporting rules. The new rules apply to trusts with taxation years ending after December 30th, 2023. Specifically, all trusts—except where specific conditions are met—must now file an annual T3 return, along with additional beneficial ownership information (completed in Schedule 15 of the annual T3 return). […]

CRA interest rates on outstanding taxes increasing

Tax Bulletin: CRA interest rate on outstanding taxes will soon reach 10%

The period of relatively low Canada Revenue Agency interest rates on overdue taxes seems like a distant (and fond) memory. Those charges are now hitting an uncomfortably high level that creates potential new challenges for taxpayers. Beginning in January 2024, CRA prescribed interest rates on overdue or outstanding balances will climb to 10 per cent—from […]