Red Ink on the Prairies

A day after Quebec’s Finance Minister Eric Girard brought down a Budget featuring a $6.3 Billion deficit, Saskatchewan’s Finance Minister Jim Reiter tabled his government’s budget on March 19. Next up was Finance Minister Adrian Salas, who tabled the Manitoba Budget on March 24. The common thread: there’s lots of red ink on the Prairies. But that’s where the budget documents differ between Manitoba and Saskatchewan. Here’s the latest tax news and why it matters to the advice you give your clients.

"If you accept the expectations of others, especially negative ones, then you never will change the outcome." Michael Jordan

Manitoba has agreed to sign on for federal Canada Pension Plan reforms and that gives the required 2/3 approval by the provinces required for the federal plan to move forward.  Manitoba wanted emphasis on three key issues, discussed below, but the real issue to follow is this:  will this be enough to help middle class Canadians fund their retirements?

OAS rates are indexed quarterly based on changes to the Consumer Price Index.  Seniors, who have not seen a raise since January 1, will receive an additional $2.85 per month starting in July.  The Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) also increased by the same percentage.

Did you know that as of May 16, 2016, like individuals, corporations can now file Form T1135 Foreign Income Verification Statement, electronically?  EFILE has otherwise been allowed for the 2014 and subsequent taxation years for individuals. CRA will also make electronic filing possible for partnerships in the future, but they haven’t released a date yet.

Knowledge Bureau and Manulife are pleased to announce that Lindsay Sawyer Fay of E. Sawyer Financial in Winnipeg, Manitoba and Darren Ryan, a financial advisor with Ryco Financial in St. John’s, Newfoundland have been selected as the 2016 winners of The DAC Young Advisors Award.

More market volatility is certain in the aftermath of Brexit and in anticipation of the outcome of the US election.   If you really want to help people reach their financial goals, and avoid “bad behavior” because of volatility in the markets, you need to have a broader and more powerful set of tools.