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?   

There’s an argument to be made with high inflation, a shaky economy and possibly lacklustre returns – that this year is the worst year to retire. Retirees NEED to know how long their assets are going to last. High inflation makes that tricky as retirees must draw down more income to pay for basics like groceries and gas. 

According to a report by Toronto- based research firm Strategic Insight, approximately $1Trillion in personal wealth will change hands by 2026, with roughly 70 percent of that in the form of financial assets.  In fact, this is already taking place, as Baby Boomers and Gen X transfer their wealth to Millennials and GenZ. 

Knowledge Bureau’s Advanced T1 Tax Update is more than an incredibly fun and full day of shaking out the cobwebs and learning about the “dark tax horses” with colleagues from coast to coast! This tax update has got you covered for the entire tax season with great online resources: a comprehensive online certificate course featuring over 100 retention questions,  Evergreen Explanatory Notes – a complete tax research library - plus Knowledge Bureau’s Discovery Tools – 16 sophisticated tax planning calculators! 

Old Age Security recipients will receive more on January 27, 2023, due to inflation indexing. But just how much more is more complex these days: it depends on your age – those over age 75 receive 10% more - and whether you have postponed receiving OAS to age 70.  Here are the benefit amounts to watch for:

Advisors should identify clients who have balances owing to the CRA as soon as possible in the new year to ensure they pay off their balance due and if they cannot, to advise on the most tax-efficient way to eliminate this expensive debt.  Interest costs accrue daily at the current prescribed rate plus 4%.  The new rates in effect from January 1, 2023 to March 31, 2023 will increase the cost of a debt to CRA significantly:

Are you renovating your home to make it possible to keep an eye on a senior or disabled adult? Then you’ll be interested to know more about a new refundable tax credit starting in 2023.