SMES: Carbon Tax Rebates on the Way?

July 15 was an important day for carbon-tax weary taxpayers. A Canada Carbon Rebate payment was  made to individuals who have filed their 2023 personal tax returns.  What about the long-awaited $2.5 billion Carbon Tax Rebate For Small Businesses? The delivery date and amounts to be received remain elusive, but one thing is clear: many businesses will have disqualified themselves by missing the July 15 date for filing 2023 T2 returns.  Here’s what you need to know. 

Cycle 10 CIRO (previously IIROC) credits now available from Knowledge Bureau! Become a Designated Specialist: take the Real Wealth Management™ Program), the MFA-P™ Philanthropy Services Specialist Program to earn CE Credits and enhance your value proposition. Check out the details below.

March 28 marks the last day CEBA loan recipients who have submitted a refinancing loan application on or before January 18, 2024 can qualify for up to $20,000 of loan forgiveness.  The outstanding principal of the CEBA loan must be repaid on or before March 28, 2024.  Otherwise, unpaid loans remaining become non-amortizing term loans with full repayment due December 31, 2026.  But there is still at least one bright spot for those loan holders, but it comes with tax complexity.

RRSP and RRIF are retirement savings plans where investments grow on a tax-deferred basis.  When proceeds are taken from these accounts, the full amount withdrawn is reported on the RRSP/RRIF holder’s tax return as income. Can charitable giving reduce the tax sting?  Is that a smart strategy given the detailed tax rules that can leave a tax gap? Can planning now help keep assets invested as markets show signs of recovery?  Yes, but you need to do a little extra tax legwork.

Everyone is likely to have some out-of-pocket medical expenses during the year but many people don’t know that they can claim them.  Common examples are batteries for hearing aids, certain travel costs incurred to seek medical attention not available in your community or contact lenses for example. But there’s also a long list of expenses that can’t be claimed.  Can you name any of them?  The CRA offers a great list:

Only three weeks before the April 2, 2024 Trust Return filing deadline, the CRA released updated guidance indicated that gross negligence penalties will not apply for 2023 in most cases if taxpayers fail to file on time, except in the “most egregorious cases”. It’s good news that the government has decided to ease the penalty provisions for people who don’t file by April 2 as they try to decipher these new rules. When does a bare trust exist, and when do the rules apply? Here are some examples, based on a question submitted by one of our KBR readers and students, Connie Zhu.

The topic of discussion is Retirement, Trust and Estate planning chocked full of critical information you need to know as you work with clients to maximize their wealth potential.  You’ll be treated to an in-depth analysis of the April 16 Federal Budget, a Trust boot camp, and a great discussion on retirement and cottage succession planning.  You don’t even have to leave your office!  Here’s why Connie, Zhu, DMA enjoys the Virtual CE Summits so much: