February 2025 Poll

In your view will the new U.S. tariffs affect your clients’ business and retirement plans?

If you live in Manitoba, you’ll be getting tax relief from a number of post-election provisions that are noteworthy from a financial planning point of view. The removal of sales taxes on income tax preparation fees, home insurance, and the preparation of estate planning documents such as wills, health care directives and Powers of Attorney make an interesting case for having important financial planning conversations as a new decade begins. Probate fees will also be eliminated in July 2020.

There are lots of tax changes you’ll need to know about as you get ready to file the new 2019 T1s. This includes a new tax credit for digital news subscriptions, the introduction of passive investment rules for corporate owner-managers, changes to the dividend tax credits, a new CPP deduction for all contributors, a new Canada Training Grant credit and lots of changes to personal amounts. We announced many of these changes as they happened in 2019 and here’s what you, our readers, were most interested in. We’ll drill down even deeper in KBR 2020, so thanks for all of your feedback!

Canadians this year will be surprised by the volume of changes to the return and all the lines in it. Professionals who can answer specific questions, interpret financial activity and file with precision present a great value-add to their clients:  the confidence that the new 8-page 2019 return is both accurate and defensible. And that’s important in a vigorous audit environment. The Winter CE Summits provide the knowledge you need – sign up by Friday January 10 for best fees.

Happy New Year!  What better way to start the new year than with a new contest for you, our readers.  We have extended the deadline for you to enter it! As we look  forward to sharing knowledge with you in 2020 and beyond, please accept our GRADitude for your loyal readership!  All Knowledge Bureau readers who have graduated from an online program as a designate in 2019 or by January 30, 2020 can enter our draw to win one free enrolment to DAC Acuity 2020 in Niagara Falls this October.

Lorne recently completed the new MFA-P™, Philanthropy Designation and we caught up with him to ask him more about his experience, what his thoughts are on the course, and why he decided to pursue his MFA-P™, Philanthropy Designation.

In Monday’s Fall Economic Report, the Finance Minister set the stage for the performance of the Canadian economy and how the new fiscal projections in the document may impact your pocketbook and your retirement savings. There is some good news in the numbers, but as Canada prepares for a potential global economic downturn in 2020, there are some storm clouds on the horizon, too. Most significant, Canada’s accumulated federal debt is expected to hit new heights: $810 billion by 2025.