Changes to Paper Filing Disempowering

Last tax season, only 7% of all Canadian tax filers filed on paper. The CRA is pushing for zero. It continues to steer the holdouts to digitized filing by adding lots of obstacles. Most recently, it is removing almost all the schedules from the tax return package it mails. This seems unfair to people who paper file because they can’t afford a computer and internet, distrust the security of online filing and those who are neither tax or computer literate. Here’s what they are up against:

Keeley Simpson of Rorabeck Wealth Advisory Group, BMO Nesbitt Burns, and Brandon Silbermann, a financial advisor at Manulife Securities Investment Services Inc and Don Stockman Financial Services Ltd, were awarded prestigious plaques in commemoration of their selection as the two inaugural winners of the Distinguished Advisor Conference (DAC) Young Advisors Award.

Knowledge Bureau has just wrapped up another successful Distinguished Advisor Workshop (DAW) tour, the annual Advanced Personal Tax Update. If you were unable to attend, Knowledge Bureau has a few options for you to update, train staff and get your CE Credits.

Want a real tax challenge? Take the T1 Professional Tax Preparation – Advanced for more complex case studies and tax theory that tests and refreshes your knowledge. The true-to-life simulations help you identify changes in your tax software, too.

How big will your tax refund be?

On January 15, the Finance Department released legislative proposals, which amongst other things, changed contentious provisions related to the taxation of certain trusts and estates. Reproduced with permission is the following analysis of the proposals from guest contributor and tax expert Kim Moody.

Canadians have responded enthusiastically to the federal government’s pre-budget consultations; tens of thousands of Canadians have shared their thoughts, the highest-ever turnout for pre-budget consultations on record according to Finance Canada. Suggestions provided by Knowledge Bureau follow. Have you added your voice? It’s easy to do it online at the link above.