Foreign Currencies Gains and Losses

As we all know, it’s been a roller coaster week in tariff news. The Canadian dollar started to sink, although not to its lowest historical level-yet. The 30 day pause in implementation of the U.S. tariffs has provided a wake up call: What effect will such a Black Swan event have on portfolios and, by extension, retirement plans?

The Public Transit Tax Credit has been eliminated by the federal government. But did you know that in Ontario, seniors who have reached age 65 by December 31, 2017, can claim a full-year credit on the 2018 tax return? Even better news: it’s refundable!

There’s nothing like a good house flipping show to get you thinking about the cash potential in your own home. The house flipper approach is to buy homes, live in them short-term while fixing them up, and then sell them; often for big profits. It sounds simple, but it’s not a foolproof strategy, because it comes with tax risks. When done often, house flipping can raise eyebrows at the CRA. Learn how to flip with care, and understand the principal residence rules that could diminish your profits, or worse.

It’s lonely at the top. You’ve heard this before and perhaps you are experiencing it now. Leadership is not easy, in fact, it is downright tough most days. Yet if you are destined to lead - and you can evolve your skills to continuously improve over time - you will learn to soar. Not just because you are succeeding, but because everyone around you is.

A Special Budget Report will be available. Be sure to encourage your associates and colleagues to get their own subscription to KBR in advance of this important annual event. Subscribe here.  

The CRA officially began accepting electronically filed tax returns this week, but you may want to slow down and observe an important tax savings opportunity before you rush to file. Contributions to your Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP) for the 2018 tax year ends on March 1, 2019. Besides reducing your tax bill, you could score even bigger returns: increased refundable and non-refundable tax credits.

When generating tax-efficient wealth is your goal, consider investing in your TFSA. Despite enduring some political controversy over the years*, the TFSA has gained a broad-based acceptance by over 13 million Canadians. This is especially true for two demographics - the Boomers and the millennials as reported by Statistics Canada**. Read on for five compelling reasons.