Mark Your Calendar: Critical Deadlines for May and June

Tax season never truly ends, it seems, as there are many more upcoming tax filing, investment planning and education milestones to discuss with your clients over the next six months. Check out our handy checklist below and then test yourself – what are the conversation openers you’ll use and with which clients? It’s your opportunity to shine with every member of the household:

As Canadian baby boomers retire, it’s been estimated that $10 Trillion in small-business assets will change hands in Canada over the course of a decade*. We’re entering the peak point of this transition, according to economic forecasting, between now and 2025. Canadian business owners, in particular, have a lot to lose, if their succession planning is left on the back burner:  their retirement security.

The June 15 tax filing deadline for proprietorships is just around the corner.  But, there’s another problem soon to befall delinquent taxpayers:  the tax collector is coming if you haven’t paid up, and you can expect a “no excuses” approach.

Significant gains in transfer payments combined with good market income growth translated into an increase in median income for Canadian households, to $57,000 in the period 2000 to 2016. There is a message in the numbers for pre-retirees, and in particular women: be proactive about tax-efficient investing now or risk poverty in retirement.

The transformation of the CPP, new income splitting rules for family business and more are changing the retirement planning game, and a new study shows that clients find the most value when their tax or financial advisors make retirement-related services a priority.

Understanding CPP changes is something Canadians continue to struggle with. Here is some history, and key guidelines to share with your clients and guide you in leading them towards tax-efficient income planning decisions in 2018 and beyond.

Now that it’s May, a whole new tax season – 2018 - has begun! It’s prime time to “spring into studies” and enhance your career with knowledge and skills in personal tax consultancy.  Why?  Artificial intelligence and software solutions can’t replace the true value of specialized advice.