https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N81IktPflsA
2021 (15)
Tax consequences of employer holiday gifts and bonuses (December 2021)
December 6, 2021
During the month of December, it’s customary for employers to provide something “extra” for their employees, by way of a holiday gift, a year-end bonus, or an employer-sponsored social event. Once again this year, as in 2020, there is unlikely to be an annual office holiday party; however, employees may still be able to look forward to something additional in the way of compensation during the last month of the year. In fact, given the current labour shortage and the difficulties employers are having attracting and retaining employees, there may be an added incentive for employers to show their appreciation to current employees by means of a holiday gift or bonus.
What such employers certainly don’t want to do is to create a tax liability for their employees. Unfortunately, it’s also the case that a failure to properly structure such gifts or other extras can result in unintended and unwelcome tax consequences to those employees.
Trying to formulate and administer the tax rules around holiday gifts is something of a no-win situation for the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA). On an individual or even a company level, the amounts involved are usually small, or even nominal, and the range of situations which must be addressed by the related tax rules are virtually limitless. As a result, the cost of drafting and administering those rules can outweigh the revenue generated by the enforcement of such rules, to say nothing of the potential ill will generated by imposing tax consequences on holiday gifts or parties. Notwithstanding, the potential exists for employers to provide what would otherwise be taxable remuneration in the guise of holiday gifts, and it’s the responsibility of the tax authorities to ensure that such situations don’t slip through the tax net.
There is, as a result, a detailed set of rules which outline the tax consequences of gifts and awards provided by the employer. The starting point for the rules is that any gift (cash or non-cash) received by an employee from his or her employer at any time of the year is considered to constitute a taxable benefit, to be included in the employee’s income for that year. On its website, the CRA indicates that the following types of gifts/bonuses/reimbursements will result in a taxable benefit to the employee:
cash or near-cash gifts and awards such as Christmas or holiday bonuses or near-cash gifts and awards such as gift certificates;
points that can be redeemed for air travel or other rewards; or an internal points system where an employee earns points and can redeem them for items from a catalogue;
reimbursements from an employer to an employee for a gift or an award that the employee selected, paid for, and then provided a receipt to the employer for reimbursement; and
hospitality rewards such as employer-provided team building lunches and rewards in the nature of a thank you for doing a good job.
While the above listing may seem comprehensive, the CRA does make an administrative concession in this area, allowing non-cash gifts (within a specified dollar limit) to be received tax-free by employees, as long as such gifts are given on religious holidays such as Christmas or Hanukkah, or on the occasion of a significant life event, like a birthday, marriage, or the birth of a child.
In sum, the CRA’s administrative policy is simply that non-cash gifts to an arm’s length employee, regardless of the number of such gifts, will not be taxable if the total fair market value of all such gifts (including goods and services tax or harmonized sales tax) to that employee is $500 or less annually. The total value over $500 annually will be a taxable benefit to the employee, and must be included on the employee’s T4 for the year, and on which income tax must be paid.
It’s important to remember the “non-cash” criterion imposed by the CRA, as the $500 per year administrative concession does not apply to what the CRA terms “cash or near-cash” gifts and all such gifts are considered to be a taxable benefit and included in income for tax purposes, regardless of amount. For this purpose, the CRA considers anything which could be easily converted to cash as a “near-cash” gift. Even a gift or award which cannot be converted to cash will be considered to be a near-cash gift if, in the CRA’s words, it “functions in the same way as cash”. So, a gift card or gift certificate which can be used by the employee to purchase his or her choice of merchandise or services would be considered a near-cash gift, and taxable as such. It’s not hard to see that drawing a firm line between cash and non-cash gifts can be difficult. The CRA provides the following information and examples to help clarify that difference.
Example of a near-cash gift or award
You give your employee a $100 gift card of gift certificate to a department store. The employee can use this to purchase whatever merchandise or service the store offers. We consider the gift card or gift certificate to be an additional remuneration that is a taxable benefit for the employee because it functions in the same way as cash.
Example of non-cash gifts or awards
You give your employee a voucher (which may be a ticket or certificate) that entitles the employee to receive an item for a set value at a store. For example, you may give your employees a voucher for a turkey valued up to $30 as a Christmas gift, and for convenience, you arrange for your employees to go to a particular grocery store and exchange the voucher for a turkey. The employees can only use the voucher to receive a turkey valued up to $30 (no substitutes).
It may seem nearly impossible to plan for employee holiday gifts and other benefits without running afoul of one or more of the detailed rules and administrative policies surrounding the taxation of such gifts and benefits. However, designing a tax-effective plan is possible, if the following rules are kept in mind.
Any cash or near-cash gifts should be avoided, as they will, no matter what the amount, create a taxable benefit to the employee. Although gift certificates or pre-paid credit cards are a popular choice, they aren’t a tax-effective one, as they will invariably be considered by the CRA to create a taxable benefit to the employee.
Where non-cash holiday gifts are provided to employees, gifts with a value of up to $500 can be received free of tax. The employer must be mindful of the fact that the $500 limit is a per-year and not a per-occasion limit. Where the employee receives non-cash gifts with a total value of more than $500 in any one taxation year, the portion over $500 is a taxable benefit to the employee.
While the rules around employer gifts aren’t complex, they are detailed, and it’s necessary to consider carefully the kinds of gifts which are given and to be mindful of the annual $500 per employee limit on non-cash gifts. At the end of the day, a gift which results in unintended and unwanted tax consequences is unlikely to engender much holiday spirit or goodwill on the part of the employee who receives it.
The information presented is only of a general nature, may omit many details and special rules, is current only as of its published date, and accordingly cannot be regarded as legal or tax advice. Please contact our office for more information on this subject and how it pertains to your specific tax or financial situation.
The tax year is ending - some planning steps to take before December 31 (December 2021)
December 6, 2021
For individual Canadian taxpayers, the tax year ends at the same time as the calendar year. What that means for individual Canadians is that any steps taken to reduce their tax payable for 2021 must be completed by December 31, 2021. (For individual taxpayers, the only significant exception to that rule is registered retirement savings plan contributions; with some exceptions, such contributions can be made any time up to and including March 1, 2022, and claimed on the return for 2021.)
While the remaining time frame in which tax planning strategies for 2021 can be implemented is only a few weeks, the good news is that the most readily available of those strategies don’t involve a lot of planning or complicated financial structures — in many cases, it’s just a question of considering the timing of steps which would have been taken in any event. What follows is a listing of some of the steps which should be considered by most Canadian taxpayers as the year end approaches.
Charitable donations
The federal government and all of the provincial and territorial governments provide a tax credit for donations made to registered charities during the year. In all cases, to claim a credit for a donation in a particular tax year, that donation must be made by the end of that calendar year — there are no exceptions.
There is, however, another reason to ensure donations are made by December 31. The credit provided by each of the federal, provincial, and territorial governments is a two-level credit, in which the percentage credit claimable increases with the amount of donation made. For federal tax purposes, the first $200 in donations is eligible for a non-refundable tax credit equal to 15% of the donation. The credit for donations made during the year which exceed the $200 threshold is, however, calculated as 29% of the excess. For the minority of taxpayers who have taxable income (for 2021) over $216,511, charitable donations above the $200 threshold can receive a federal tax credit of 33%.
As a result of the two-level credit structure, the best tax result is obtained when donations made during a single calendar year are maximized. For instance, a qualifying charitable donation of $400 made in December 2021 will receive a federal credit of $88 ($200 × 15% + $200 × 29%). If the same amount is donated, but the donation is split equally between December 2021 and January 2022, the total credit claimable is only $60 ($200 × 15% + $200 × 15%), and the 2022 donation can’t be claimed until the 2022 return is filed in April 2023. And, of course, the larger the donation in any one calendar year, the greater the proportion of that donation which will receive credit at the 29% level rather than the 15% level.
It’s also possible to carry forward, for up to 5 years, donations which were made in a particular tax year. So, if donations made in 2021 don’t reach the $200 level, it’s usually worth holding off on claiming the donation and carrying forward to the next year in which total donations, including carryforwards, are over that threshold. Of course, this also means that donations made but not claimed in any of the 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, or 2020 tax years can be carried forward and added to the total donations made in 2021, and the aggregate then claimed on the 2021 tax return.
When claiming charitable donations, it’s possible to combine donations made by oneself and one’s spouse and claim them on a single return. Generally, and especially in provinces and territories which impose a high-income surtax — currently, Ontario and Prince Edward Island — it makes sense for the higher income spouse to make the claim for the total of charitable donations made by both spouses. Doing so will reduce the tax payable by that spouse and thereby minimize (or avoid) liability for the provincial high-income surtax.
Claiming home office expenses
As pandemic restrictions have eased and lockdowns ended, some employees have begun to return to the office on at least a part-time basis. However, there’s no question that millions of employees have spent at least a part of the 2021 tax year working from home. There are a lot of benefits to a work from home arrangement, and one of them is the ability to claim a tax deduction on the 2021 tax return for household costs that would have been incurred in any event.
In order to claim a deduction for costs related to a work from home space, employees must meet at least one of the following conditions:
the home work space is where the individual mainly (more than 50% of the time) does their work; or
the individual uses the workspace only to earn his or her employment income—he or she must also use it on a regular and continuous basis for meeting clients, customers, or other people in the course of his or her employment duties.
To establish that the required circumstances exist, and that the employee is not receiving an allowance or a reimbursement for home office expenses from the employer, it’s necessary to have a particular form completed and signed by that employer. That form, the T2200, can be found on the CRA website at https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/forms-publications/forms/t2200.html.
Once the requisite criteria are met, and certified by the employer on the T2200, a broad range of costs become deductible by the employee. Specifically, a salaried employee can claim and deduct the part of specified costs that relate to his or her work space, such as the cost of electricity, heating, home maintenance, and home internet access (but not internet connection) fees.
Where an individual who qualifies under either of the criteria outlined above is a commission employee, an even broader range of costs become deductible. In addition to costs for electricity, heating, home maintenance, and home internet access fees, a commission employee can also deduct a proportionate share of costs incurred for property taxes and home insurance.
There is no specific formula provided for determining the proportion of eligible costs which can be deducted for qualifying home office expenses. The employee can determine that percentage based on the square footage of the workspace as a percentage of the overall square footage of the home, or he or she can make that calculation based on the number of rooms in the house or apartment relative to the number of rooms used for work-related purposes. Whichever method is chosen, the most important consideration is that the approach taken (and the expenses claimed) be reasonable. In all cases, the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) can ask the taxpayer to provide documentation and support for claims made.
In order to determine the amount of any deduction for eligible home office expenses which can be claimed on the return for 2021, it’s necessary to gather together bills and receipts for the various expense categories (utilities bills, property tax notices, etc.). It’s a tedious and sometimes time-consuming task, but necessary both in order to determine the amount of any available deduction and to have the required documentation for that deduction available should the CRA ask to see it. The T2200 signed by the employer does not have to be filed with the return but should also be kept as part of that documentation.
It should be noted that, for the 2020 tax year, the CRA permitted employees working from home to claim a home office deduction without the need to obtain a T2200 from the employer, or to calculate and document specific expenses as outlined above. However, when that administrative concession was announced, the CRA indicated that it was to be made available for the 2020 taxation year only. There has been no indication to date that such concession will be provided for 2021; consequently, employees should assume that, in order to claim a deduction for home office expenses for 2021, it will be necessary to follow the detailed steps outlined above.
Reviewing tax instalments for 2021
Millions of Canadian taxpayers (particularly the self-employed and retired Canadians) pay income taxes by quarterly instalments, with the amount of those instalments representing an estimate of the taxpayer’s total liability for the year.
The final quarterly instalment for this year will be due on Wednesday December 15, 2021. By that time, almost everyone will have a reasonably good idea of what his or her income and deductions will be for 2021 and so will be in a position to estimate what the final tax bill for the year will be, taking into account any tax planning strategies already put in place, as well as any RRSP contributions which will be made before March 1, 2022. While the tax return forms to be used for the 2021 year haven’t yet been released by the CRA, it’s possible to arrive at an estimate by using the 2020 form. Increases in tax credit amounts and tax brackets from 2020 to 2021 will mean that using the 2020 form will likely result in a slight overestimate of tax liability for 2021.
Once one’s tax bill for 2021 has been calculated, that figure should be compared to the total of tax instalments already made during 2021 (that figure can be obtained by checking one’s online tax account on the CRA website, or by calling the CRA’s Individual Income Tax Enquiries line at 1-800-959-8281). Depending on the result, it may then be possible to reduce the amount of the tax instalment to be paid on December 15 — and thereby free up some additional funds for the inevitable holiday spending!
The information presented is only of a general nature, may omit many details and special rules, is current only as of its published date, and accordingly cannot be regarded as legal or tax advice. Please contact our office for more information on this subject and how it pertains to your specific tax or financial situation.
Canada Revenue Agency announces individual tax brackets and credit amounts for 2022
November 22, 2021
The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) has released the indexing factor which will apply for purposes of determining individual income tax brackets and non-refundable tax credits for 2022.
That indexing factor, which is based on increases to the Consumer Price Index, has be set at 2.4% for 2022. The comparable figure for 2021 was 1%.
A full listing of individual income tax brackets and non-refundable credit amounts for 2022 can be found on the CRA website at https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/tax/individuals/frequently-asked-questions-individuals/adjustment-personal-income-tax-benefit-amounts.html.
https://www.advisor.ca/news/economic/why-is-real-estate-soaring-in-the-pandemic/
Maybe it will work, we often find it takes 3-6 hours to get through to CRA for questions regarding a clients tax returns. Nice the government is making the effort to redirect resources to the highest priorities, those that probably do not need the help. Looking at the list, it's a big list of help. Have fun :)
Date issued: Feb 22, 2021
Let us help you with your taxes!
The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) is offering a free service called File my Return that lets you file your 2020 income tax and benefit return quickly and securely over the phone. We sent you this letter as we believe you are eligible for the service.
All you need to do is confirm the information we have in our records below and provide some additional information over the phone to make sure you get all the deductions and credits to which you are entitled. During the call you will be asked questions. In most cases, you will need to press 1 for yes and 2 for no. At the end of the call you will be asked to confirm. This will allow the CRA to accept your answers and process your tax return. This call will take from 5 to 10 minutes to complete.
We hope you find this service helpful.
In order to use the File my Return service, you need to take the following steps.
Step 1 - Determine if you qualify:
Confirm that the following information is correct.
Part A - Identification:
- Your marital status did not change in 2020
- Your province/territory of residence did not change in 2020
- Your address has not changed
- You did not own foreign property worth more than $100,000 in Canadian funds
- You did not sell your principal residence in 2020
Part B - 2020 Income:
You only have income from one or more of the following sources:
Benefits
- Old Age Security - T4A(OAS)
- Guaranteed Income Supplement (GIS) / Net Federal Supplements - T4A(OAS)
- Canada or Quebec Pension Plan benefits (including disability benefits) - T4A(P)
Employment and related income supports
- Statement of Remuneration Paid - T4
- Employment Insurance Benefits - T4E
- Workers' Compensation Benefits - T5007
- Social Assistance Payments - T5007
- Canada Emergency Benefits declared on the Statement of Pension, Retirement, Annuity, and Other Income - T4A
Investment income
- Statement of Investment Income, Interest Income only - T5 (box 13)
If you have income from any source other than those listed above, please do not use File my Return.
Note: You also cannot use File my Return if you:
- want to stop contributing to the Canada Pension Plan (CPP)
- want to cancel a previous contribution to the CPP
- have tax exempt income
- are claiming an RRSP deduction, carrying charges and interest expenses, other employment expenses, or a clergy residence deduction
If all of the information in Parts A and B is correct, you are eligible to use the File my Return service and will continue to Step 2.
If anything in Parts A or B is not correct, you are not eligible to use File my Return this year, but you may:
- File online using certified tax-filing software, some of which are free. Learn more at canada.ca/netfile.
- Get help to file your return through our Community Volunteer Income Tax Program. For more information about the program, go to canada.ca/taxes-help.
Step 2 - Get your information ready:
Before you call us, you will need:
1. your social insurance number
2. your date of birth
3. the information you need to apply for benefits and credits, as applicable (You will find an asterisk (*) next to the information that you will need to provide over the phone.)
4. your spouse's net income, if married or common-law
Note: All references to spouse refer to your spouse or common-law partner, whichever applies. The spousal net income amount is used in the calculation of the Canada child benefit, the goods and services tax / harmonized sales tax credit, the social benefits repayment, and certain federal and provincial credits. Report this amount, even if it is zero.
Step 3 - File my Return call:
This service opens on Monday, February 22, 2021, at 12 pm, Eastern Time. When you are ready, call us at 1-800-959-1110. You will be prompted to provide information from Step 2.
You can hang up at any time during the call. If you do that, your information will be not be saved and your return will not be filed.
For individuals who are residents of Québec, the service only completes the federal portion of the income tax and benefit return. The Québec provincial tax return is handled separately by Revenu Québec, and will need to be filed separately.
If you have any questions about the File my Return service, you can call our individual enquiries line at 1-800-959-8281 or go to canada.ca/file-my-return.
Thank you for using File my Return. All you need to do now is wait a few days for your notice of assessment!
Information we need to calculate your benefits and credits
During your call you will be prompted to answer questions to claim the benefits and credits listed below. Review the questions carefully to ensure they apply to you and ensure you have this information with you when you call. You will find an asterisk (*) next to the information you will need to provide over the phone.
Ontario trillium benefit
You may be eligible for the Ontario trillium benefit (OTB), which includes the following credits:
- Ontario sales tax credit
- Ontario energy and property tax credit
- Northern Ontario energy credit
You must be eligible for at least one of these credits to receive the OTB.
The 2021 OTB payments will be issued monthly, from July 2021 to June 2022. However, you can choose to wait until June 2022 to get your 2021 OTB in one payment, instead of receiving it monthly.
During the call you will be asked if you want to receive your OTB benefit in one payment at the end of the benefit year, in June of next year, instead of receiving it monthly. To choose one payment, press 1 for yes or 0 for no. If your 2021 OTB is $360 or less, we will issue one payment in July 2021.
Ontario senior homeowners' property tax grant
You may also be eligible for the Ontario senior homeowners' property tax grant (OSHPTG) for 2021 if, on December 31, 2020, you met both of the following conditions:
- you were at least 64 years of age or older
- you owned and occupied a principal residence in Ontario that you, or someone on your behalf, paid property tax on for 2020
Information required to claim these benefits
If you are married or common law, only one of you can claim these benefits. However, if you and your spouse or common-law partner occupied separate principal residences for medical reasons on
December 31, 2020 you can apply individually or as a couple.
If you are claiming the OTB and/or the OSHPTG, gather the information below about your principal residence before you call:
* Enter the total rent paid (including amounts paid to a private long-term care home)
* Enter the total property tax paid
* Enter the total energy costs paid, if you lived on a reserve
* Enter the total accommodation costs paid to a public, or non-profit, long-term care home
Ontario seniors' public transit tax credit
You may be eligible to claim the refundable Ontario seniors' public transit tax credit, if you met all of the following conditions:
- you were 65 years or older on December 31, 2019
- you were a resident of Ontario at the end of the year
- you paid for eligible public transit services that you used in 2020
An eligible public transit service is one that is operated by the Government of Ontario or one of its municipalities, that is:
- a short-haul service an individual typically uses for a single return trip
- offered to the general public
- operated by bus, subway, train or tram
Specialized transit services that are designed to transport people with disabilities are also eligible even if they do not meet the criteria for eligible public transit services.
You can claim the Ontario seniors' public transit tax credit for qualifying payments you made for the use of eligible public transit services in 2020. A qualifying payment is an amount paid for:
- a public transit pass for a set number of rides in at least one day
- a public transit pass for an unlimited number of rides
- an electronic payment card
- a single-use ticket or token if a receipt was issued
- cash fare for specialized transportation services offered to people with disabilities if a receipt was issued
Did you take public transit in 2020? If yes, you will need to gather the information below before you call:
* Enter the total transit costs (the amount you paid in 2020 to use Ontario public transit services)
Climate action incentive
The climate action incentive (CAI) is a refundable amount that can be claimed when filing your return. The CAI can only be claimed for your family by you, your spouse or common-law partner, but not both of you.
You can claim the CAI for you and your family if you were a resident of Ontario on December 31, 2020, and you met any of the following conditions:
- you were 18 years of age or older
- you had a spouse or a common-law partner
- you were a parent who lived with your child
You can also claim the CAI for a qualified dependant who was under 18 years of age and resided with you on December 31, 2020. Qualified dependants include:
- your child or your spouse's or common-law partner's child or
- a person who was dependent on either one of you for support
A person is not a qualified dependant if they were:
- married or living common-law
- a parent who lived with their child on December 31, 2020
In a shared custody situation, only one claim can be made for each child. You cannot split the amount for a qualified dependant with another person.
You cannot claim the CAI if you meet any of the conditions below. In addition, you cannot claim the CAI for your spouse, common-law partner, or a dependant if they meet any of these conditions:
- were non-residents of Canada at any time in 2020
- were confined to a prison or a similar institution for a period of at least 90 days during 2020
- do not have to pay tax in Canada at any time in 2020 because either of you were an officer or a servant of the government of another country, such as a diplomat, or a family member who resided with such a person, or an employee of such a person
- were a person for whom a children's special allowance was payable at any time in 2020
- passed away before April 1, 2021
Depending on your situation, you may be prompted to answer up to 5 questions, entering Yes or No or entering a number. Based on your answers, you could get:
- $300 for yourself
- $150 for your eligible spouse or common-law partner
- $150 if you are a single parent and have a qualified dependant
- $ 75 for each qualified dependant
If you resided anywhere in Ontario that is outside of the Barrie, Belleville, Brantford, Greater Sudbury,Guelph, Hamilton, Kingston, Kitchener-Cambridge-Waterloo, London, Oshawa, the Ontario part of Ottawa-Gatineau, Peterborough, St. Catharines-Niagara, Thunder Bay, Toronto or Windsor census metropolitan area as defined by Statistics Canada, your climate action incentive will include a 10% supplement.
For more information or to determine if you qualify, contact us at 1-800-959-8281.
Canada workers benefit
The Canada workers benefit (CWB) is a refundable tax credit that provides tax relief for eligible low-income individuals and families who are in the workforce. The CWB includes a disability supplement for individuals who have an approved Form T2201, Disability Tax Credit Certificate, on file with the CRA.
You may be eligible to claim the CWB, if you met all of the following conditions in 2020:
- you were a resident of Canada throughout the year
- you earned income from employment
- at the end of the year, you were 19 years of age or older, or you resided with your spouse or common-law partner, or your child
You cannot claim the CWB for 2020 if any of the following applies to you:
- you were enrolled as a full-time student at a designated educational institution for a total of more than 13 weeks in the year, unless you had an eligible dependant at the end of the year
- you were confined to a prison or similar institution for a period of 90 days or more during 2020
- you do not have to pay tax in Canada because you were an officer or a servant of the government of another country, such as a diplomat, or a family member or an employee of such a person
Note: If you had an eligible spouse, only one of you can claim the basic CWB. The person who received the CWB advance payments for 2020 is the person who must claim the basic CWB for the year. If you had an eligible dependant, only one person can claim the basic CWB for that eligible dependant.
An eligible spouse is a person who meets all the following conditions:
- was your cohabiting spouse or common-law partner on December 31, 2020
- was a resident of Canada throughout 2020
- was not considered ineligible due to any of the conditions in the "You cannot claim" section above
An eligible dependant is a person who meets all the following conditions:
- was your or your spouse's or common-law partner's child
- was under 19 years of age and lived with you on December 31, 2020
- was not eligible for the CWB for 2020
You can claim the basic CWB if your working income or the total of your and your eligible spouses' working income is more than $3,000.
If you had an eligible spouse and one of you is eligible for the disability tax credit, that person should claim both the basic CWB and the CWB disability supplement. If you had an eligible spouse and both of you are eligible for the disability tax credit, only one of you can claim the basic CWB. To be eligible for the CWB disability supplement, your working income must be more than $1,150.
The maximum payment you can expect to receive from the CWB is dependent on the province you live in.
If you are eligible for the CWB disability supplement, it will be automatically included for you if you qualify. Depending on your situation, you may be prompted to answer up to three questions, entering yes or no. If you are claiming an eligible spouse, you will need the following information before you call:
* Enter your spouse's employment income.
Good Afternoon, You probably noticed during the commercial breaks two common themes: Jon Hamm from Skip the Dishes and Questrade. Despite spending a lot of money to air during the Super Bowl, Questrade’s investment track record leaves a lot to be desired. Every Questrade portfolio has consistently underperformed their fund category. And thanks to their ads, We found it a little difficult to sit back and enjoy the game without being offended by the question: “You’re not still investing with Mom and Dad’s guy, are you?” “The lower fees are making a big difference.” Are you sure? Over the years, Questrade has focused on shifting the entire investment conversation to costs (which I suppose is no surprise given their relatively poor investment returns). As such, their misguided basis is a simple calculation of who paid the least amount in fees. Don’t get me wrong, we’ve always said that costs are important. It’s one of the reasons we deliver industry-leading fees to our clients. But don’t the actual investment results matter? With that we have put together some charts (see below) based on data last year from Dalbar. This survey indicates that investors have an increasing level of trust and confidence in their financial advisor. The same survey also showed that investors are placing increasing value on financial advice.
Attached is a client-friendly Questrade comparison.
qestrade-investment-outcome.pdf
We take a fact-based approach in comparing the RBC Select Portfolios with that of Questrade We hope that this is helpful. Thank you, Val Your RBC Global Asset Management Team
In case your compliance cruising, full stop, see, read, digest disclosure
https://improvingfutures.ning.com/blog/peak-dealership-representative-disclosure
READ THE FINE PRINT
https://improvingfutures.ning.com/blog/peak-dealership-representative-disclosure
https://www.advisor.ca/tax/tax-news/proactive-tax-planning-for-2021
https://www.visualcapitalist.com/basics-of-stock-trading-investors-choose/
https://www.libertycoalitioncanada.com/open-small-businesses
Received this email today from the New Blue Party, life happens to everyone folks. Many concerns circulate in society today, everyone should look the options and opinions of others. We should go after the problem, not the people, look at possible solutions. Here is one to consider provincialy. TLR
"Dear Timothy,
Thank you for signing up to receive emails regarding the New Blue Party of Ontario!
On January 7th, 2020, the New Blue Party of Ontario became an official registered party with Elections Ontario! An exciting development!
During the process of obtaining official party status, with your support, we also successfully forced the PC government to back down and remove section 8 from their government legislation - Bill 213. https://www.newblueontario.com/leadership-recap
Section 8 was the PC government's attempt at amending the Marriage Act to give a single cabinet minister the power to revoke the marriage licence of a church officiant if it was deemed to be "in the public interest" and to create - behind closed doors - a "Code of Practice" that every marriage officiant would have to adhere to.
In less than three months, thanks to your support, we were able to stop the PC government's attack on religious freedom and achieve registered party status with Elections Ontario for the New Blue Party of Ontario.
So, why haven't you heard from us in a while?
In early December, I was confronted with another battle - more grave than anything I have encountered before.
After a couple of months of knee pain, doctors diagnosed a tumour in my femur. A biopsy confirmed it was osteosarcoma - a type of bone cancer that has no known causes and that typically affects younger people like the late great Terry Fox.
The good news is the prospects of curing and surviving the illness are much greater today than they were when Terry Fox was diagnosed.
Within days of my diagnosis, I began aggressive chemotherapy treatment that I am half-way through completing. The treatment has been very difficult but over the last few days I have been feeling the best I have in a long time. In the near future, I will also be undergoing major surgery.
The doctors have told me they are treating my diagnosis as curable and it is their hope that the treatment and surgery will rid me of this terrible disease.
As difficult as the last two months have been, I have been grateful to have my wife, Belinda Karahalios, with me, every step of the way. She has looked after me while fulfilling her job as the first New Blue Party MPP at Queen's Park and looking after our young son.
When I waver in my faith, Belinda is there to remind me - the best is yet to come.
Many of you continue to face tremendous adversity and hardship during the continued lockdown. This is in addition to years of tax and spend policies under successive Liberal governments that have been continued under the PC government.
We are committed to continuing to build the New Blue Party of Ontario in time for Ontario's next election scheduled for June 2nd, 2022. We remain resolute in overcoming my current diagnosis and restoring hope for Ontario with a NEW and BLUE political party that respects the taxpayer, small business, and our churches.
Some have emailed to ask my thoughts on latest developments in Canadian politics. Just prior to my diagnosis, I mailed a letter thanking supporters from my candidacy in the 2020 Conservative Party of Canada leadership race. The letter outlines many of the issues with the so-called "conservative" parties at the federal and provincial levels. If you didn't receive the letter, click here for a copy.
I will write to you again soon with next steps on how you can help us build the New Blue Party of Ontario.
The best is yet to come!
Jim Karahalios
New Blue Party of Ontario
P.S. BE ONE OF THE FIRST TO CONTRIBUTE! Now that the New Blue Party of Ontario has been registered with Elections Ontario, your donation will be eligible for a generous tax credit! If you would like to be one of the first contributors to the New Blue Party visit https://www.newblueontario.com/donate to donate to the New Blue Ontario Fund!
Live in Ontario? DONATE TO THE NEW BLUE ONTARIO FUND TODAY!
P.P.S. Only Ontario residents can donate to the New Blue Party of Ontario. If you live outside of Ontario and would like to help, you can donate to our legal fund which continues to fight the electoral fraud that took place at the 2018 Ontario PC Party convention. Visit https://www.jimkarahalios.ca/donate.
Live outside of Ontario? DONATE TO OUR LEGAL FUND TO FIGHT AGAINST ELECTORAL FRAUD!
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The tax benefits of donating to a provincial registered political party are different than federal, both should be looked at, see links below, note Ontario Political are refundable , so even if you have no taxable income you get a real credit !
https://www.taxtips.ca/filing/politicalcontributions.htm
https://www.taxtips.ca/filing/provincial-political-contribution-tax-credit.htm
https://www.ratehub.ca/investing/rrsp-rules
There is a maximum age for RRSPs. When Canadians reach the age of 71 they must close down their RRSPs at the end of the calendar year. Those who have RRSPs have three options when they reach 71. They can:
- Collapse the RRSP entirely. In practice, this means withdrawing all the money in the account
- Use the money in the RRSP to purchase what’s known as an annuity
- Convert the RRSP into a RRIF
You can not invest directly into a RIF, it has to flow through an RSP. So if your older than 71, you can not contribute to a RSP and so you can not shelter money into a RIF either.
One can invest into a TFSA at these ages though.
For some tax tips for 2020
https://improvingfutures.ning.com/blog/tax-reminders-for-2020-taxes
When Can taxes be filed this year ?
The EFILE program is now closed for the electronic filing of your clients’ initial and amended T1 personal income tax and benefit returns.
EFILE and ReFILE services will re-open on Monday, February 22, 2021.
NEW CLIENT ONBOARDING FOR TAXES
- Once we get T1013 processed with CRA we can continue
- Next will send them an engagement letter once cra authorization is in place
- Then we can down load prior yr to start comparisons so we do not miss anything
- Review prior year physical tax returns for familiarity of file
- Get 2020 info as available from client or cra
- Finalize tax returns, review any items of concern with client
- Get T183 signed
- Process tax return with CRA
- Check assessment once processed, compare with submission
- Documents along with tax return and assessment to be given to client, copy may be scanned if business, rental, or emailing to client or high probability of return to e required in future for third party, ie mortgage renewals, etc.
LaPresse_PEAK now targets $20 billion in assets under management_translation by DeepL.pdf
On Saturday, President-elect Joe Biden’s chief of staff, Ron Klain, outlined Biden’s plans for his first few days in office.
The primary theme: Donald who? The measures Biden plans to enact are geared toward undoing some of President Trump’s most controversial policies. That includes 1) scrapping the travel ban on majority-Muslim countries 2) rejoining the Paris Agreement and 3) establishing a path to citizenship for 11 million undocumented immigrants. Biden also plans to cancel the Keystone XL pipeline permit on his first day, CBC News reported yesterday.
The second theme: addressing the pandemic. To that end, Biden plans to 1) issue a mask mandate for all interstate travel and on federal property and 2) push for a meaty new round of stimulus.
- Last week, he outlined plans for a $1.9 trillion stimulus bill. But remember, Congress controls the governmental purse strings, so Biden and his entourage will have to work with folks on Capitol Hill, including members of the opposing Republican Party.
Zoom out: The average fingernail among Biden staffers probably isn’t in great shape. The administration will take office amid a triple threat of economic, public health, and social crises.
"A silver lining is a sign of hope or a positive aspect in an otherwise negative situation. The phrase is often seen as part of the proverb Every cloud has a silver lining, meaning that there's hope or something good to be found in every bad situation."
With excess returns, interest goes up. Silver is one of them that comes to mind today. A recent inquiry from a dear old friend of mine brings up this topic today and the basic research done to respond with some sense of duty.
Dear friend, I hope you have had a chance to check out the link I sent yesterday. Silver is up 127% from it’s low point last year, for a return of 47.4%. It was one of the fast growing asset classes last year. I am not sure about your thoughts of investing directly in silver. 1000 ounces works out to be a lot of money, getting you in the $35,000 range is a lot to specialize with. It might be fun to own a little silver, but that would be the extent of it for me. If you do get some, I would buy 5-10 Ounces from you.
I am not going to give you any advice on this. Sounds like your doing your own research.
Here is a few links that I found which I found interesting.
https://www.bullionvault.com/silver-price-chart.do
https://www.kitco.com/charts/livesilver.html
“Silver hit US$48.70 per ounce, the highest silver price to date, towards the end of the 1970s. The metal’s bid price was driven by the Hunt brothers, two wealthy traders who attempted to corner the market by buying not only physical silver, but also silver futures. They then took delivery of that silver instead of taking legal tender in the form cash settlements. Their exploits ultimately ended in disaster: On March 27, 1980, they missed a margin call and the silver market price plunged to US$11.”
Silver is an interesting asset, it is on the high risk level of a portfolio, as other precious metals are. Here is a group of charts in our system that you may also find interesting .
https://www.visualcapitalist.com/?s=silver
Here is a link to the Dynamic Precious Metal Fund, I am attaching a Fund Fact sheet as well. If you would like to invest some money in this portfolio, we could meet to discuss this. This is the F series of the portfolio and our advisory fee per year would range from 1 to 1.5 % depending on volume invested. There is other portfolio’s available, I think this would be representative of the asset class , and this is not a deep dive into the asset class. This portfolio is more diversified than a direct silver only fund. Less risk, similar reasons for increased demand for precious metals.
https://funds.dynamic.ca/fundprofiles/en-US/H81K/F/CAD
Manager of the portfolio
https://dynamic.ca/en/talent/investment-teams/portfolio-managers/equity-income/robert-cohen.html
Hope this helps you with your decision’s , please let me know if you would like to pursue this further.
Thanks
Tim
Subject: Metal info
https://www.visualcapitalist.com/how-every-asset-class-currency-and-sp-500-sector-performed-in-2020/
Timothy Ross, Family Advisor, CEO & Founder, Brock Shores Financial
Mutual Funds offered through PEAK Investment Services Inc.
This transmission is intended solely for the individual or entity to whom it is addressed and is confidential in nature. Please be advised that any distribution, reproduction or other use of this document by anyone other than the addressee is strictly prohibited. If you have received this communication in error, please notify us immediately. Thank you for your assistance
Brock Shores Financial / Timothy Ross & Associates , Family Office Providing Omega Stewardship
4502 Airport Road – Tincap, GTA Professional Center, Elizabethtown, Ontario K6T 1A2
613-345-0016 Office 613-213-4625 Cell/Text 613-345-5231 Fax advisor@timothyross.com
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Office Manager: Megan Ross megan@timothyross.com
Mission - Vision – Core Values “Serving our clients and community since 1988”
OMEGA STEWARDSHIP
* One Stop Process Driven Approach for Retirement & Income Planning
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Helping Families Achieve ... Life's Major Goals
- Tax Smart Planning & Investing
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Have a Blessed Day! "People influence People”
https://improvingfutures.ning.com/blog/peak-dealership-representative-disclosure
“I told myself that some families we get without asking, while others we choose.
And I chose those two. I think that’s what you’d call a silver lining.”
― Jenny Valentine, Broken Soup
“It was a melancholy day indeed when the sister of solitude was Sunday's silver lining.”
― Alethea Kontis, Enchanted
