Claiming Medical Expenses: Free Healthcare?

Free Health Care? Did you know that Canadians spend on average more than $1,000 on medical expenses each year? It’s estimated that government programs, via our taxes, cover about 72% of medical expenses, which means that we pay for the rest. Your clients may be over-paying on their taxes because they don’t know about medical expense deductions. 

The prescribed interest rates set by CRA for the third quarter of 2017, July to September, have followed recent trends: there are no changes for the period except for a new 4.47% rate on an election made by foreign corporations regarding PLOIs, Pertinent Loans Or Indebtedness.

On June 22, 2017, Budget Implementation Act, 2017, No 1 received Royal Assent and is now law. 

The penalties have been huge on the over 21,000 files CRA has audited from April 2015 to March 2017: over 885 penalties totalling $17 Million were applied on close to $330 Million in unreported income, mostly in the Toronto and Vancouver markets.

As we approach July 1 and the Canada 150 celebrations, most Canadians who were due to receive a tax refund for the 2016 tax year would have received the funds by now. Be sure to suggest to your clients that they give themselves a big Canada Day gift by using those funds to top up their TFSA.

In the months leading up to Canada’s sesquicentennial celebrations, Canadians have been encouraged to get out and explore our great country. And DAC 2017 presents the perfect opportunity for you to head west this November!

“Just because you’re good at what you do doesn’t mean that people are going to want to be on a team with you.” – Marnie McBean