Investigative Tax Prep:  Top Ten Changes to Probe

Tax season 2025 has started with a focus on the increased income levels some taxpayers may report due to proposed changes in capital gains tax laws.  But aside from this there are new questions to probe with clients to ensure the family’s tax returns are filed to their very best benefit, given change in their life and financial events as well.  Here are top 10 queries to add to your interview checklist:

The Canada Job Grant is a collaborative program between the federal and provincial governments designed to assist employers and employees in developing skills for success. The program is available in most provinces, and Manitoba just announced that intake 1 for the 2023-2024 Canada-Manitoba Job Grant is now open! Eligible training dates include training that began on or after April 1, 2023 and ends on or before March 31, 2024.

Designates – it’s almost time to relicense your specialized credentials! Check out verifiable and non-verifiable options at special tuition prices until June 30 to earn CE and use your exclusive VIP Designate tuition rates you can use to enrol yourself or train your team.

Proprietors – unincorporated self employed people – must file their personal tax returns by midnight June 15 to avoid paying late filing penalties.  Unfortunately, those who owe will already be incurring high interest charges.   What does post-tax season planning mean for those who owe and those who received their refund?  You can provide guidance – some ideas follow:

A new study reports that Millennials have been dealt a raw hand recent economic changes, that have landed them under water with high student loan debt, credit card debt, demand loan debt and the CERB repayment, which has pushed many over the edge into insolvency. 

The divorce rate has dropped by one third in Canada since 2016, in a surprising statistical table published by Statistics Canada this week. This is contrary to the reports by some divorce lawyers who saw a spike in inquiries during the pandemic. Was this new family harmony an anomaly or was there a pandemic blip in the numbers? 

Bill C-47, which was tabled on April 20, 2023 to enact certain provisions of the March 28, 2023 federal budget passed through the House of Commons on June 8, 2023, and is now off to the Senate.  With swift passage there, provisions such as the Grocery Rebate could be initiated for anticipated payment by July 5.  However, there are other very important provisions in the 430-page document – sign up to receive Knowledge Bureau Report in your inbox to receive our detailed budget report for more information!