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:

Although the new T1 Return and Schedules will not be available from the CRA website until January 7, the forms went to print on December 16 and are available in EverGreen Explanatory Notes right now.

'Tis the season and Canada Revenue Agency will once again send out an estimated 33,000 letters to Canadian taxpayers asking them to “reconsider” their prior year’s personal tax return. 

The new T1 return includes a space to send the taxpayer’s email address to CRA.

Recently, the Tax Court of Canada (TCC) levied interest and gross negligence penalties against five taxpayers who were shareholders and operators of a family restaurant.

This is a continuation from last week's article, "Are You Planning Retirement for your Clients?"

Are you spending enough time consulting with your clients who are unincorporated Farmers and Fishers?