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.

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.

A new study from Statistics Canada released this week demonstrates how online learning for continuing or post-secondary education, may increase the opportunities available to Canadians with certain medical conditions. Have you considered alternative pathways to traditional education in planning for lifelong learning?

With the 2018 legalization of marijuana in Canada, more taxpayers may wish to claim their purchase as a medical expense. That may be possible, but there are rules to follow to pass a CRA audit test. 

When it comes to long-term care planning, as a trusted intermediary you can help aging clients and those with declining cognitive function. It’s a difficult topic to discuss, but wills are an important part of the continuity planning conversation. Learn how to help clients avoid undue influence during this process, while ensuring that estate plans are properly executed.

Business owners may believe they “have it all figured out” in planning for the future sale of their business, which can bring a false sense of security at the worst possible time. It’s a topic addressed by authors Evelyn Jacks and Jenifer Bartman in their new book Defusing the Family Business Time Bomb.