Elbows Up: The Time for Personal-Corporate Tax Reform is Now

One can’t avoid the messaging of the economic pain to come. Our deteriorating economic relationship with our biggest trading partner will require us to “pivot and prosper” in order to emerge “stronger and more resilient” says our Prime Minister. While exactly how we will do this is still unclear, there is one clear opportunity: for both federal and provincial governments to initiate a significant personal and corporate tax reform in the upcoming fall budget.

Big changes are coming to CRA’s Voluntary Disclosures Program (VDP) this fall. The proposals on the table will see the program evolve from an opportunity for taxpayers to correct errors and omissions, to an opportunity for government to use the program to generate revenues at a modest cost.

Mid life crisis?  According to Statistics Canada, there are about 71,000 divorces in Canada each year. In fact, over 40% of marriages will end up in divorce, and it can be very expensive - before and after tax!

Recent tax changes require forethought in planning for high-income earners, and in the preparation of final returns for deceased single taxpayers.

Boomers and Millennials beware:  if you are a new sole proprietor a tax deadline looms this week. 

Inspiration is not the exclusive privilege of poets or artists generally.

Debt is the number-one financial issue in Canada today, and things are about to get more urgent for mortgage holders and business owners who have significant debt.