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. 

"You learn far more from negative leadership than from positive leadership. Because you learn how not to do it. And, therefore, you learn how to do it."  Norman Schwarzkopf

Year end is a great time to re-engage clients in conversation about financial decision-making, especially for clients with offshore assets who may need to report some of them on Form T1135 Foreign Income Verification.

For several years now, the prescribed interest rate applied to spousal loans has been set at 1%, but that could change if interest rates rise in 2017. Are you taking advantage of the opportunity to transfer capital to a spouse with a bona fide loan at the current low interest rate?

Knowledge Bureau Report’s monthly poll for October asked: “In your opinion is the new Canada Child Benefit (CCB) better than the combo of UCCB, Child Tax Benefit and Family Tax Cut?”  The results were almost evenly split: 52% voted yes and 48% voted no.

Short of cash or credit for your business? Year end is a great time to review financing options with business-owner clients, especially if there is a pressing need for a few new assets in the business. There may be value in a couple of options beyond bank financing.

As boomers start inching towards retirement, the conversation about business succession planning needs to be accelerated.  It’s a great opportunity to become your client’s most valuable source of thought leadership and information by helping your clients to understand how much their business is really worth.