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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 […]

Couple relaxed at home discussing moving as a tax deduction

October tax news: Moving as a tax expense, having CRA penalties waived–and more

MOVING EXPENSES—AN OVERLOOKED TAX EXPENSE? Moving expenses can generate a vast array of deductible items that one can use to offset against new employment location income. People often will neglect a portion of moving expense claims, simply because they are unaware of the long list that constitutes possible moving expenses. This is a very useful […]

shareholder remuneration

August tax news: Shareholder remuneration, mandatory disclosure rules–and more

SHAREHOLDER REMUNERATION: AN OVERVIEW There are many ways a corporation can get corporate funds into a shareholder’s hands. The inevitable question is what is the most tax-efficient way of achieving this? The answer to this question will differ from corporation to corporation, depending on the source of the corporate funds, the relationship of the shareholder […]

Canada Revenue Agency bare trusts reporting

Canada Revenue Agency prescribed rate remains unchanged for Q3 2023

The Canada Revenue Agency has announced that the prescribed rate for the third quarter of 2023 will hold steady for the first time in a year. The prescribed rate hovered at 1 per cent throughout most of the COVID-19 pandemic, then increased by a percentage point each quarter beginning in the third quarter of 2022. The […]

rResidential property risk from the Underused Housing Tax

April tax news: Residential property risk, bare trust dangers & taxable tips

RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY WARNING — HUGE PENALTIES!! Are you involved with a residential property that is not owned directly by a human being who is either a Canadian citizen or a permanent resident of Canada? For example: A cottage is held in a Trust, which the family patriarch set up before his death years ago, so […]

Ottawa announces prescribed rate loan increase

Canada Revenue Agency prescribed rate increases for Q2 2023

For the fourth consecutive quarter, the Canada Revenue Agency  prescribed rate has increased by a percentage point. The rate used to calculate taxable benefits for shareholders and employees from interest-free and low-interest loans is now 5 per cent—up from 4 per cent in the first quarter of the year—for the period ending June 30th, 2023. The […]