Posts

person holding a phone showing employee stock options

August tax news: Employee stock options, understanding GAAR–and more

EMPLOYEE STOCK OPTIONS   Many readers are likely aware how these employee stock options work. In general terms, if you are an employee and are granted a stock option from your employer corporation, you have the right (but not an obligation) to exercise the option and acquire shares in your employer’s corporation at an “exercise […]

Government of Canada benefits

CRA’s prescribed rate set to increase again in Q4 2022

In the wake of its doubling on July 1st, 2022, the Canada Revenue Agency’s prescribed rate will increase to 3 per cent on October 1st of this year. The rate, which sets interest rates for everything from tax refunds to outstanding tax debts, is currently set at 2 per cent. The prescribed interest rate is determined […]

Canada Revenue Agency bare trusts reporting

CRA’s prescribed rate set to double on July 1, 2022

A key Canada Revenue Agency tax rate that impacts everything from the interest due on outstanding taxes to interest received on tax refunds, is about to double. The prescribed rate will increase to 2 per cent from the current 1 per cent, effective July 1st, 2022. The rate has remained at 1 per cent since […]

RRSP savings

April tax news: RRSP vs. TFSA benefits, gains and losses on personal property–and more

RRSP VS. TFSA – WHICH IS BETTER? This is a question that comes up regularly in financial planning and tax planning circles. But before we attempt to answer the question, we need to know the difference in the tax treatment between these plans. Although some commentators call the first 60 days of the year the […]

Reversionary or revocable trusts for a loved one

February tax news: Understanding trusts, managing partnership returns–and more

REVERSIONARY/REVOCABLE TRUSTS A trust is a relationship under which a person, called a settlor, contributes cash or other property in trust for the benefit of others, called the beneficiaries. The trust is not a legal person or entity for most purposes, but it is considered a “person” and a “taxpayer” for income tax purposes. The […]

death tax

October tax news: Death, taxes and capital gains treatment for Canadian securities

DEATH AND TAXES You’ve heard the saying about this − there are two sure things in life. On top of that, when you die, there may be additional income tax payable owing to the “deemed disposition” rules and other rules that apply specifically upon death. Before we get to those issues, in the year of […]

corporate shares

August tax news: ALDAs, tax-free transfers and TFSA penalties

TAX PLANNING AND ADVANCED LIFE-DEFERRED ANNUITIES (ALDAs) If you own a registered retirement savings plan (RRSP), you must wind it up by the end of the year in which you turn 71. At that point, you have the following options. First, you can take out all the funds in one lump sum. However, since the […]

intergenerational business transfer

Bill C-208 improves tax treatment on intergenerational business transfers, but changes to come

Until recently, it was more financially beneficial to sell a business to a third party in Canada, rather than passing it along to children or grandchildren through an intergenerational business transfer. This had been a longstanding bone of contention among entrepreneurs. Bill C-208, An Act to amend the Income Tax Act (transfer of small business […]