Red Ink on the Prairies

A day after Quebec’s Finance Minister Eric Girard brought down a Budget featuring a $6.3 Billion deficit, Saskatchewan’s Finance Minister Jim Reiter tabled his government’s budget on March 19. Next up was Finance Minister Adrian Salas, who tabled the Manitoba Budget on March 24. The common thread: there’s lots of red ink on the Prairies. But that’s where the budget documents differ between Manitoba and Saskatchewan. Here’s the latest tax news and why it matters to the advice you give your clients.

During these tough financial times, when loan deferrals end and taxes are due, many more Canadians will face financial hardship. That makes the last quarter of the year an important one for proactive client conversations. What can tax and financial advisors do? If the issue is a disputed tax reassessment an important tool is to use the Taxpayer Relief Provisions.  

It was neck-and-neck all the way.  When we asked our readers in the September KBR poll if they thought a Minimum Basic Income should be introduced in Canada, 48.6% of participants said yes, while 51.4% said no. Their comments, which demonstrate just how complex this issue is, speak for themselves…

Tax professionals have had an important say about CRA’s services, but the best news coming out of the CRA’s recent comments on results is that communication will become easier. The Dedicated Telephone Service (DTS) Annual Survey revealed most pros were satisfied with the service they received using this phone line, but also had a number of service standard improvement suggestions, which the CRA has promised to address.  Here’s what the pros said:

Knowledge Bureau is pleased to announce that Frank Ryan, B. Sc. (hons), MBA, P.Geo., CEBS®, ISCEBS Fellow, Financial Advisor & Certified Employee Benefits Specialist of Ryco Financial in St. John’s, NL , has been selected as the 2020 winner of the Distinguished New Advisor Award. The award will be presented virtually at the Distinguished Advisor Conference (DAC) on October 28th.    

It is a time of great opportunity to test our collective financial resilience, and financial advisors on the front lines of financial wellness will be better prepared to do so with the keen insights and bold thinking of 21 expert speakers at the 17th Annual Distinguished Advisor Conference (DAC) presented by Knowledge Bureau, October 28-30. 

Knowledge Bureau has made it easier for you to register virtually, 24/7 in online courses and to calculate the tuition fee schedule that is right for your budget.  Check out the new online instalment payment calculator and the brand-new Virtual Registrar. It’s the perfect way for night owls and weekend warriors to get started!