News Room

Understanding the OAS Clawback

Seniors don’t take kindly to the clawback of their OAS (Old Age Security) especially in these inflationary times, but this can happen, especially if there was an unusual receipt of income during the past calendar year.  Here’s what you need to know to explain the consequences for 2025 and 2026:

GST/HST Remittance Requirements Postponed

There’s more good news for small business owners affected by the pandemic. On March 27, the federal government announced that it’s deferring payments of all GST/HST remittances until June 30, 2020.  Here are the details: 

Timing is Everything: How to Apply, and Apply Again for the Canada Emergency Response Benefit

Canadians can apply for the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) starting on April 6, but the government is hoping to flatten the curve of responses by having affected Canadians in a specific order, by birth month. Here’s how it will work:

The All New Virtual CE Summits

The All New Virtual CE Summits will be introduced to you on April 22 and May 13.  We are so pleased to combine the power of a robust online learning course with an interactive Zoom Meeting platform with your instructors on May 13 to discuss the details of the COVID-19 Emergency Response provisions.  Please mark your calendar now.

The Costs and Timelines: The Debt and Deficit are Ballooning

The government released costing and timelines for its various pandemic response provisions on April 1 and this, co-mingled with reports from the Parliamentary Budget Officer indicates a steep climb back to fiscal health once the pandemic crisis is over. Tax and financial advisors will want to shore up their knowledge on managing individual and family balance sheets against a future back drop of slow economic growth and potentially much higher taxes.

March Poll:  Tax Professionals Unimpressed by CRA Improved Phone Service

If March 2020 roared in and out like a lion, so did tax pros’ views on CRA’s attempt to improve phone services so far this turbulent tax season. Clearly there is much more to be done as a full 70% of respondents said “no” when we asked:  “This tax season CRA is providing online tools to estimate telephone answering and return processing wait times. Do you think this is a service improvement?”    Here are some of their comments:

EI Eligible or Not: The New Canada Emergency Response Benefit

With every passing week Canadians are facing enormous changes due to the pandemic and governments are quickly addressing this with new measures to cope with the economic hardships occurring. This week’s revised Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) responds to criticism that the first attempt left too many people out and increases the $900 bi-weekly payment proposed to $2000 monthly for up to four months. Here are the details. 
 
 
 
Knowledge Bureau Poll Question

Do you agree with the government’s plan to introduce the new Canada Groceries Essentials Benefit (CGEB)?

  • Yes
    26 votes
    34.21%
  • No
    50 votes
    65.79%