Helping First Nations, Inuit and Metis with Tax Filing

The Canada Revenue Agency is trying to reach out to Canada’s First Nations, Inuit and Metis to encourage them to file their tax forms on time and could use your help to make sure these communities get all the tax benefits they are entitled to. But filing tax returns are not always easy, especially when there is income on and off the reserve.

The Consumer Price Index numbers for September have been released and that number is used to calculate the indexation rate for personal amounts and tax brackets.  Although the federal government has yet to announce the new tax figures, we’ve done the math to estimate the numbers.  It’s important information for year end tax planning purposes, a subject we will also cover in depth on November 5 at the live virtual CE Summit.  Read on to learn more.

CRA call centres received more than 10 million calls in the 2024-2025 fiscal year and deflected some 8.6 million of them! Further, responses to general individual-tax questions were accurate only 17% of the time, and wait times for speaking with an agent averaged about 31 minutes - twice as long as a year earlier. These are amongst the findings of the significant shortcomings articulated in the AG's report today. That's all pretty bad. But here's why it's also unacceptable.

Employers in Canada are required to remit source deductions—such as income tax, Canada Pension Plan (CPP), and Employment Insurance (EI) contributions—by specific due dates based on their remitter type. These due dates vary depending on the employer’s average monthly withholding amount (AMWA) from two years prior. But when is an electronic payment considered to be received? It’s an important question because it can be very expensive to have the remittance you thought you paid on time, lost in cyberspace. Here’s what you need to know:

For many years, the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) has allowed taxpayers to voluntarily disclose errors and omissions on their tax returns, with the opportunity for reduced penalties and interest. There were some restrictions introduced back in 2018. But as of October 1st, 2025, changes to the process make it simpler for taxpayers to disclose unintentional filing errors and omissions, and there is a newly revised tax form to help.

As a distinguished advisor, you know the importance of learning best practices and staying informed about the latest developments in the financial services industry. Together, Canada's top publications for financial advisors - the 2025 Acuity Conference for Distinguished Advisors returning media sponsors - will ensure you remain at the top of your game. Knowledge Bureau is pleased to welcome back Advisor.ca and Investment Executive as our media sponsors for Acuity 2025 in Puerto Vallarta November 23-26. Learn more about them below:

Knowledge Bureau has a new program for new entrants to professional tax preparation and registration is now open.  It has two parts:  start with the 20 hour online course now, then join us for a peer-to-peer series of virtual classes to consolidate your knowledge! Here are the details – perfect for training new hires in tax preparation and accounting offices too.