CRA’s Callback Service for Tax Pros Pilot

Are you a tax professional with years of experience? Have you ever felt frustrated after calling the CRA, having spent hours on hold, wasting your client’s or employer’s time, only to speak to CRA agents who aren’t qualified to answer your questions? The Auditor General of Canada was equally displeased in a scathing report last fall on wait times and accuracy levels at the CRA. Now a new CRA callback service may come to the rescue this tax season. Here is my experience with the pilot project so far:

If you are using tax software in the 2017 tax filing season, you will be amazed at the cutting-edge features that complement the digital services being offered at CRA this year.  It may be worth your while to become familiar with the new services.

February 20 is the first day of EFILE in 2017.  That means now may be the right time to get those receipts and documents in order to file sooner for your tax refund.   Here are the dates to know:

Investors, be sure to claim your investment expenses on the 2016 tax return. If it’s done properly, you can save hundreds, maybe even thousands, of dollars over the years. But you have to do it correctly, or you could get into hot water.

Today’s wealth managers and financial advisors are being called upon to offer their clients a more holistic approach to retirement - one that encourages exploration and direction beyond money-related questions. That’s important.

Experts and visionaries from all sides of the financial services are now preparing their ground-breaking research for presentations at the Distinguished Advisor Conference, November 5-8 in beautiful Kelowna, British Columbia.

The demand for filing unincorporated small business returns may be a new growth area in the tax preparation industry as both an aging demographic and self-employed millennials choose to  make a living this way.