Time’s Up: CRA’s 100 Day Mandate for Improvement

After years of frustration on the part of tax professionals and taxpayers alike, the Finance Minister ordered the Canada Revenue Agency to clean up its act in 100 days. Specifically, the improvement plan was to run from September 2 through December 11. Finance Minister and Minister of National Revenue, Francoise-Phillippe Champagne instructed CRA to fix “unacceptable wait times and service delays.” Time’s up this week and CRA has released an update on progress. What gets measured, gets done. Let’s see what CRA’s metrics show. 

“How am I going to qualify for the home I want?” That’s the question on the minds of prospective home buyers as a complex real estate market, and stringent mortgage criteria threatens their ownership dreams. Seeking sound financial advice can help.

The August poll results are in and almost everyone is in agreement: specialized knowledge is in demand from tax and financial advisors by their clients. However, people don’t necessarily want to pay for it. . .or is there another problem?

Millennials – rather than boomers - are rocking the retirement planning landscape. But they’re leaving a lot of money on the table because they favour DIY approaches that don’t pay off. This demographic can benefit from professional advice; the challenge is engaging them.

Entrepreneur Lilian da Silva of Cambridge, Ontario is a recent graduate of two Knowledge Bureau’s courses, Bookkeeping for Small Business and Advanced Payroll for Small Business. She is so excited about her future, and ready to start her third course for her first diploma. Here’s her story:

The results of a mid-month survey of CRA tax auditors by the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada (PIPSC) highlight the challenges of keeping Canada’s tax system fair for all. One of them is the easy headlines that pit one group of taxpayers – generally the “wealthy” - against another. But a deeper read of the survey uncovers relevant and possibly more purposeful insights.

The vast majority of Canadians caring for sick and disabled family members are missing out on lucrative tax assistance and paying for expensive care costs out of pocket, according to a CIBC poll. Worse, only 12 percent of caregivers are accessing available tax deductions, credits, and benefits on their tax returns.