I've been receiving calls from clients and non-clients since last April about threatening calls they have been receiving from someone claiming to be from "CRA" (Canada Revenue Agency). The caller explains that you owe money and you must pay it now "or else". Well,...
Happy New Year! Hope the year is a good one for you and your family. There were many changes announced near the end of the year by the new federal government. I'll review some changes to the personal income tax rates, the TFSA contribution room and the new Canada...
At Ste Anne Tax Service, we are thinking about taxes all the time. Here are some tips from all of the team you need to remember as we approach the end of the year. Darlene: Remember the new Manitoba Senior's School Tax Rebate. This is the second year and it's been...
November may be an interesting month for personal income tax professionals. There will likely be some changes to our federal taxes with a new Liberal Government taking over. But first I will start with some provincial tax reminders for property owners. The Manitoba...
This article is part book excerpt and part encouraging families start the conversation. This is not a discussion on doctor assisted death. The past 18 months have caused me think about how we die when we become elderly. My mother died July 2014 (age 90) and my father...
Who will inherit your cemetery plot? I thought this would be a straight forward answer, but apparently not. I am sharing a story from one of my clients. I hope I can explain clearly so you can follow along. The problem surfaced when my client was arranging to have her...
The Universal Child Care Benefit (UCCB) payment lump sums were received by most families in July. I'm sure they were a welcome payment. Just in time for vacations and school supplies. And families will continue to receive the extra $60 per child under age 18 for the...
There is no reason not to have a Will. There are many reasons why people don't get their Will done and I think the biggest one is procrastination. We keep putting it off to another day. No more excuses. By the time you finish reading this article and do some basic...
I've been intending to share this information for a few months, but needed to get my client's permission to share his story. His name and location will remain anonymous. But what he shared with me is very alarming! After I share his story and other scams I will have a...
Recently both the federal and the provincial governments announced their annual budgets. I will review some of the changes that may affect your personal income taxes in 2015 and 2016. But first a few quick reminders: if you are self employed like me, you have until...
"Do you consider yourselves rich and wealthy?" That is a question I have asked many families in the past several weeks since we started filing 2014 tax returns on February 10. The 2014 tax year is the first time the "Family Tax Cut" became available to families...
As Personal Income Tax Professionals, we often tell our clients that we can adjust taxes going back up to 10 years. This is true for federal taxes and federal tax credits (such as the Disability Tax Credit and Medical expenses), but not necessarily for refundable...
First a couple of reminders for Manitoba Property Tax Rebates. The Senior's School Tax Rebate (65+, $235) and the Farmland School Tax Rebate must be filed by March 31, 2015. Before you think you do not qualify for the farmland rebate because you don't farm, have a...
In the past year, I had intended on opening my Death Cafe, but it seemed like life got in the way. More importantly, I have spent more time with my elderly parents: elder care, doctor appointments, hospital stays, moving to personal care home, death of my mother in...
I'm sure no one thinks about taxes in December like I do. There are a few items you need to take care of for your 2014 taxes that will be filed in a few months. Before I share some tax reminders, I promised to share some information with my readers about funeral...
I normally find it easy to come up with a topic to write about each month, and had been pondering this November article for a week and then just the day before my deadline, the Federal Government announces some interesting tax cuts that affects every family with...
The last three weeks of September, I have been travelling in Denmark with my sister; visiting family and exploring this beautiful small country of our parents. Denmark is very small: it is about the size of Vancouver Island. It is surrounded by water so the climate is...
As many of you know from reading my articles, I've been encouraging everyone to preplan their own funeral. Fortunately I had been discussing with my parents for many years, so I knew what they wanted. Well, my funeral planning skills were tested this summer. My mother...
It's halfway through the school summer break and a good time to remind you of all the items related to your children you need to keep for the 2014 taxes that will be completed next Spring. Are your kids enrolled in Summer camp? Make sure to keep the receipts. They may...
This recently announced rebate is available to those 65+ and who own their own home. It will reduce the school tax portion of your taxes another $235. You can apply for it once you receive your property taxes in the mail (I think all of us have received them by now)....
Do you travel to the US for the winter for long periods of time? If so, you may need to file an exception to filing a US tax return that is due June 15 each year. If you don’t want to face some possible penalties, you may need to file a form called the Closer...
So you have completed your 2013 taxes. Congratulations on filing on time. Did you do it yourself? Have a friend or neighbour or family member do it for you. Or maybe someone who “does taxes” for others. It’s amazing how some people feel that if they get a refund it...
Many people who have straight-forward and basic tax returns to complete can certainly do their own taxes or may have them done by a family or friend. How ever, there may be times when you might want to see a tax professional to have your taxes completed fully and...
Getting your taxes done is more than just filling in the blanks. And yet that's what many people do when they do it themselves using tax software or paper filing or even when they have their family member or neighbour or someone else looking after their income taxes....