New: Personal Support Workers Tax Credit Coming Soon

Personal support workers will receive billions in increased wages from federal/provincial governments in B.C., Newfoundland and Labrador and the Northwest Territories.  Those workers in other provinces will now get a raise too, but they will have to wait until filing their 2026 returns in the spring of 2027 to cash in, according to an October 27 pre-budget announcement.  Here are the details:

Valuable designation for every advisor: Margaret Hodgson, DFA - Tax Services Specialist™, Manitoba

“Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it.” Steve Jobs

Manitobans were spared tax increases in the April 11, 2017, budget, but the breadth of change to its complicated and voluminous tax credit structure hints at more tax reforms to come.

It pays to hunt down medical expenses and claim them over the best 12-month period ending in the tax year. There are numerous out-of-pocket expenses that qualify, ranging from batteries for hearing aids to driveway alteration costs for disabled family members... and most tax payers miss them.

Giving to charity is a noble thing to do. From a tax viewpoint, it’s also the gift that keeps giving back. However, if you’re claiming charitable donations on this year’s return, you may notice new complexity. Check out our true-to-life scenarios and the tips that follow.

As the May 1 personal tax filing deadline approaches, it’s appropriate to be reminded of the tax audit season that follows, especially for new couples. Filing errors in reporting marital status, and especially common-law relationships, could be the first big challenge when faced with a tax review. Advisors can help by discussing a few key tax definitions: