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Canada Revenue Agency prescribed rate

CRA prescribed rate to increase in early 2023

Rising interest rates have touched virtually every corner of Canada’s economy. Accordingly, the Canada Revenue Agency’s prescribed interest rate is set to increase in lockstep yet again. It will jump to 4 per cent in the first quarter of 2023, up from the current 3 per cent. This is the third consecutive quarter that the prescribed […]

residential property flipping

November tax news: Property flipping, rules around investment income in a corporation–and more

RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY FLIPPING If you buy a home or condo, and then sell it soon after you get title — certainly if it’s within 18 months or so — the CRA will usually consider that you have “flipped” the property, and that any gain is fully taxed as business profit, not half-taxed as a capital […]

trust reporting rules delayed

Changes to federal trust reporting rules delayed again

In a recent blog, we detailed the government’s proposed new trust reporting rules that were due to come into effect in 2021, before being pushed back until later this year. Now, the implementation date of those new reporting requirements has been delayed yet again. To recap, in the 2018 federal budget, Ottawa outlined plans that […]

disability parking space

October tax news: Qualified disability trusts, gifts of property–and more

QUALIFIED DISABILITY TRUSTS A qualified disability trust (“QDT”) is a testamentary trust that can be set up for disabled beneficiaries who are eligible for the disability tax credit. A testamentary trust basically means a trust that is set up under your will, and takes effect after you die. You might consider setting up a QDT […]

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 prescribed rate

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 […]