Fuel Excise Tax on Hold But Inflation is Not

The U.S.-Israel war on Iran has thrown global oil prices into turmoil and there is plenty of fallout for consumers. Travelling to Europe this summer? That’s in jeopardy, as jet fuel may run out.  Looking for relief at the pumps instead? The recently announced suspended federal excise tax on gasoline, unleaded aviation gasoline, diesel fuel and aviation fuel here in Canada will soften the blow, but only temporarily: it will be zero from April 20 to September 7, 2026. Here’s what you need to know:

Knowledge Bureau’s May CE Summit featured a review of the appropriate time to consider trusts in planning and in particular, spousal trusts.  The instructor presentation, led so expertly and enthusiastically by Carol Willes, MBA, LLM, TEP, underscored some important issues, discussed below in an excerpt from the Advanced Retirement and Estate Planning course, now available with the instructor-led presentations, for students who wish to study online. 

Did you miss the May 18 Virtual CE Summit? You can still sign up for the Advanced Retirement & Estate Planning Update Course and access the live speaker recordings from the event and save $200 on tuition.  Plus, don’t miss our next CE Summits this fall. Get the best pricing of the year: tuition pricing as low as $295 when you enrol to attend 4 events!  Get low rates on Team Member enrollments too! 

Best-selling author Doug Nelson, CFP, CLU, MFA™, RWM™, CIM, is a 27-year veteran of the financial services industry in Canada with a singular vision for his readers:  Don’t just “do” retirement…instead “Master Your Retirement”!  He wow’d the audience at the Virtual CE Summits on May 18, and he has some upbeat advice for those still worried about the one big question all retirees have. 

We have big news for you: a special incentive for new subscribers to Knowledge Bureau Report! Invite your team, colleagues, associates and others in your circle of influence to stay in the know and you will be entered for a chance to win a ballot to win any of the following prizes:

By May 3, the CRA received a total of 25,857,885 returns filed by Canadians – 94% of them electronically - which is 83% of the total returns filed last year. The average tax refund is $1,987: a jump from last year’s average of $1,878.  What that means is that the CRA is increasingly holding on to more of Canadians’ money throughout the year – about $165 a month – which could be put to good use in inflationary times.  With 17% of returns left to file in advance of the June 15 deadline for proprietorship, it’s also important to note that those filers who owe so far have also paid a substantial chunk.

Unfortunately, even as interest rates rise in Canada, there are new restrictions in interest deductibility on the horizon.  Re-introduced on February 4, 2022, a 2021 federal budget proposal will limit interest deductibility and financing expenses for certain taxpayers based on a percentage of earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA).  The rules are expected to come into effect after December 31, 2022.  The new rules will be known as the Excessive Interest and Financing Expenses Limitation (EIFEL) and comments are to be submitted to Finance Canada this week by May 5.