A thorough analysis of today’s financial news—delivered weekly to your inbox or via social media. As part of Knowledge Bureau’s interactive network, the Report covers current issues on the tax and financial services landscape and provides a wide range of professional benefits, including access to peer-to-peer blogs, opinion polls, online lessons, and vital industry information from Canada’s only multi-disciplinary financial educator.
The Finance Department backtracked on a few of their controversial tax reforms for private corporations this week, adding a tax cut of $2.9 Billion over the next five years to douse the flames of discontent. However, family businesses will continue to face tax risk and uncertainty due to a “reasonableness” test – albeit a simplified one – that will limit income sprinkling to contributors of labor, risk or capital in the business.
Finance Minister Morneau today announced that his department will move forward with their goal to tax passive investment income earned within private corporations. What’s becomes apparent from the minimal details released, is that not much has changed in the government’s intentions, since the measures were first floated on July 18, 2017.
By issuing shares in a small business to family members, it is possible to multiply the capital gains deduction available to the family. A similar strategy allows for the multiplication of the deduction for family farms or fishing operations.
“Just because you’re down to your last strike, you’re not out yet. You can always do more. You’ll always have more at-bats to take. That’s true in baseball, in rescuing animals, and in life, generally.” - Tony La Russa
On July 18, 2017, Finance Minister Bill Morneau released a series of tax proposals which, if enacted, will have severe repercussions on Canadian private family businesses and their shareholders. Tax and financial advisors need to be aware of these proposed changes and understand what impact they will have on their clients before year end. Knowledge Bureau is pleased to announce it has published a newly revised online certificate course in T2 tax preparation and planning to help advisors get up to speed on the impact of these tax reforms.