Immediate Expensing Rules: Good Tax Policy?

Over the course of the last two federal budgets (April 16, 2024 and November 4, 2025), the rules for claiming Capital Cost Allowance (CCA) have been uncertain. The proposal to extend immediate expensing rules for certain acquired assets were paused for over a year and then re-introduced in a series of four complex measures which together with new rules for Scientific Research and Experimental Development have become known as the “Productivity Super-Deduction”.  A backdrop appears below. The key question: will this complexity be effective as an economic stimulator?   

As a financial advisor, a common query you might encounter is how clients can improve their financial position through charitable donations, particularly from sources like RRSPs/RRIFs or investments.  While there are tax-efficient strategies to encourage gifting from these sources, the suggestion that a donor can end up in a better financial position after making a gift is inherently flawed. Here’s why:

The federal budget will be tabled on April 16 this year.  As at the time of writing the following provinces had released or announced their provincial budget dates.  Stay tuned to Knowledge Bureau Report  for budget highlights and special reports on significant tax and economic news:

It’s important to keep up with breaking tax news and that includes provincial tax changes, to help clients make important lifecycle decisions like whether to start a job or business in another province.  Here’s what’s new from the budget in Quebec, brought down March 12, 2024. 

Don’t miss this opportunity to save on critical professional tax education launching this month – pre-publication specials end March 15! Register now and start anytime in the next two months.

Do you have the skills to provide the process and structure your clients will need to effectively plan for their retirement? Differentiate yourself, attract new clients and increase profits by providing a high value service as a trusted advisor to your clients as a DMA™- Retirement Income Services Specialist.Take ten minutes and check out the Introduction to the DMA™- Retirement Income Services Specialist Program Orientation. Your experience includes an Orientation video, free course and calculator trials, and a special program offer that ends on March 15! Check out the details here:

In this final month of the first quarter of 2024, significant new tax filing milestones arise, but with a twist, because both March 30 and 31 are on a weekend and April 1 is a Monday.  For these reasons it’s important for tax and financial specialists to step up the tax filing conversation on critical issues like any potential RRSP excess contributions and everything related to trusts!  Here are the significant dates to know for March and April: