Navigating Auto Expense Deduction at Year End: What Clients Need to Know

Doubtless you’ve had clients ask whether they can write off any portion of their vehicle for work or business purposes. And your answer, as always, is: “It depends.” The rules are worth reviewing at year end as they can vary significantly depending on how the client earns their income—employee, self-employed, or incorporated – and this is a deduction that’s often audited. Here’s a practical primer to guide that conversation.

February 19 is the first day CRA accepted 2023 tax returns to begin the 2024 tax filing season.   How much will the average tax refund be?  How must will the average taxes payable be?  How many tax returns will be filed?  How many will be nil returns?  A review of those final filing stats for 2022 can help to anticipate what the 2024 tax season will look like.  Here is some tax filing trivia to kick off tax season 2024. 

There are lots of tax details around the carbon taxes paid by Canadians and their carbon tax rebates, which now will have a third name since 2018.  The Canada Carbon Rebate (CCR) will help offset the increased costs of fuel at the pumps but, heating costs have also increased due to the new carbon tax, on which the GST/HST is also charged – a tax on tax.  Residency is also required to access the CCR, which means new forms for newcomers.  Check it out:  

A trust, unlike a person or a corporation, is not a legal entity... A trust is simply a legal  relationship between the trustee, who holds legal title to the subject property of the trust and the beneficiaries, who hold beneficial title to that subject property. However, there is one exception to the general rule: a trust is a legal entity for tax purposes.  Subsection 104(2) of the Income Tax Act (Canada) specifically provides that a trust is an individual for tax purposes and, thus, is considered a separate taxpayer.

Knowledge Bureau has a new CE Solution for financial advisors and you can even take one of them for free.  But that’s not the main reason you’ll want to check out our CE Savvy™ Micro-Course Collections! The education is fantastic and the new learning platform is amazing.  Firms are signing up, and independent advisors, too.  Here’s why Tony Mahabir, MBA, CMC, RWM, CIM, RRC, CFP, FP Canada Fellow and President of the CANFIN Group of Companies and is so enthused:  

Here they are:  the big conversation starters for your clients this month – something new for every demographic!  Take the time to be proactive, especially because this year is a Leap Year and most important, because CRA starts processing the 2023 T1 returns this month!  Tax season 2024, in other words, is officially underway!

February is the month to focus on retirement savings for a future of financial security.  For business owners that is particularly important as they often have all their retirement eggs in one basket:  the business.  It’s not easy to sell a business and when the time comes, it’s important to know about the latest tax-advantaged succession option, which comes with a $10 million Capital Gains Exemption.