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STAY UP-TO-DATE WITH BREAKING TAX AND INVESTMENT NEWS.
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.
March 2025 Poll
In your view, has CRA improved its services to clients and tax preparers this year?
New & Improved: Advanced Tax Course for 2023 Tax Season
Ready to increase your tax skillset for the 2023 tax season? The newly updated Personal Tax Course – Advanced Level from Knowledge Bureau will prepare you to dive deeper into the more complex tax scenarios you will want to do more confidently to enhance your professional service offerings next year. It’s available now so you can start your Summer School – personally or for your staff – and as a KBR reader, we have a special tuition offer for you too.
Prescribed Interest Rate to Double in July
The prescribed interest rate is set quarterly based on the average return rate for three-month treasury bills for the first month of the previous quarter, raised to the next highest whole percentage point. For April, the average return rate for three-month treasury bills topped 1% so the prescribed rate is set to 2% for the July to September timeframe.
Six Rules for Investors Re: Interest Expenses
Did you know that generally speaking, interest is considered to be a capital expense and is not deductible against other income unless it meets specific requirements in the Income Tax Act? To be deductible, the use and purpose of the money must be established as interest costs – and therefore the amount of the deductions may rise, so expect increasing scrutiny by the CRA. The following six rules will help tax specialists determine whether interest costs may be attacked by the CRA and keep meticulous notes on individual client files to trace the source of the borrowings.
Switch to Electronic Notice of Assessments? The Tax Pros Say No
A full 68% of professional advisors said a firm “no” to last month’s poll question when we asked, “is it a good idea for CRA to switch from paper to electronic Notices of Assessment in 2022, requiring tax filers to provide their email addresses?” Computer accessibility was a big reason for these responses, but so was concern over privacy and security. Here are some of the comments that accompany the concerns:
Seniors Get a Raise for the Seventh Consecutive Quarter
This month, seniors will see their OAS and GIS payments increase by one percent. This increase marks the seventh consecutive increase in OAS payments. The increase over the last year amounts to $30 per month for OAS recipients or just under 5%.
