Bill C-31: Royal Asset and New CRA Powers Could Come Soon

Changes are coming to the Income Tax Act and both you and your clients will all be affected with new tax risks including longer tax audits. Bill C-31, which passed second reading in the House of Commons on June 3 and is now at committee stage, contains elements of previous Federal Budgets that will expand the CRA’s compliance and enforcement powers. Here’s what you need to know and pass along to your clients:

Canada’s tax system is based on self-assessment, but CRA has substantial powers and latitude to assess and reassess those returns as it sees fit, leaving the onus to prove otherwise with the taxpayer.

The government’s financial results will be released for the first quarter of the year no later than May 29, 2015, just in time for Canada’s most comprehensive 2015 tax and wealth planning workshop, featuring five top experts in the area of transition planning.

June 15 is the date of the next quarterly instalment payment for 2015.

The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) has always been serious about penalizing tax evasion, and they are sharpening their focus on investigating anyone who facilitates or encourages non-compliance.

We generally believe, living in Canada, that we have the safest banking system in the world. Certainly we’re in the top 10, right?

When starting a small business, whether as a proprietorship or a corporation, entrepreneurs can fall into a number of tax traps.