The Importance of Provincial Budgets: Elbows Up and No Bracket Creep!

Some of the right things are happening in Nova Scotia, from the perspective of improving standards of living in that province.  And that’s important news because according to the Fraser Institute, Canadians have suffered the worst five-year decline in their standard of living over the 2020-to-2024 period since the Great Depression.  It notes, our Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per person decreased by 2.0% (0.4% annually) ; this despite aggregate GDP growth of 1.5% over the period.  Further, all ten provinces are experiencing stagnation, which is unique in our history.  So what’s the good news in Nova Scotia, at this critical juncture?

Privacy, confidentiality, security are foundational hallmarks in the relationship between taxpayers and their tax department. CRA takes this obligation seriously. However, during the pandemic, more than 90% of employees worked remotely.

A recent CFIB survey revealed that 76% of pros already had significant concerns about worsening service levels and intimidation tactics at the CRA. Here’s what the April 2023 survey found:      

Managing the process around life events (before, during and after) with a multi-stakeholder team requires three important legal documents which must be anticipated and drafted in relation to a holistic retirement, disability and estate plan.  Learn how to advise your clients to think about these difficult topics in a more positive light with two important sessions from Philippe Richer LL.B at the May 24 Virtual CE Summit and bring peace of mind to family members who otherwise worry about how to avoid abusive or unintended circumstances.

Now’s the time to start building your arsenal for next tax season! The new KB Tax Tip Toolkit gives you fast answers to your tax questions and you’ll earn up to 30 CE credits using it, too! Receive three great solutions at one great price: professional tax research library, powerful tax planning calculators, and CE accreditation, register by May 15.

Become a world-class leader in financial education with turn-key learning solutions from Knowledge Bureau! Creating a learning culture is the #1 driver of great work culture and it’s great for business too, introduce our new micro-course collections to the professional development program at your firm: your team can grab an hour and be CE Savvy™ while meeting CE requirements.

Tax-Free First Home Savings Account (FHSA) is the newest in a series of tax-advantaged savings accounts critical to the building of wealth, and it’s already a month old!  The FHSA is a useful tool, not just for future homeowners but potentially for senior renters, business owners and others with limited RRSP room.  Here is a checklist of rules investors will want to discuss with their advisors.