Tax Tips

April 30, 2012 is the deadline to file your taxes if you're an employee and it is also the deadline for self employed people to make sure that the CRA has received full payment of their outstanding balance. Therefore, here are some tips to help you complete your tax filing. Please contact your accountant, tax preparer or the CRA if you have specific questions.

The CBC has listed 9 tips to save you money at tax time. Included are:
1. Be sure to take advantage of all income-splitting and pension sharing opportunities.
2. Don’t assume that you don’t need to bother filing a tax return because you have no income.
3. Be sure to transfer any unused credits – including Child Tax Credit, Tuition Credits and Donations.
4. Know the limits of using tax software or online tax filing programs.
5. Be sure to claim all eligible medical expenses. Note: only expenses that exceed the lesser of $2,052 or three per cent of net income can be claimed. But there’s a long list of expenses that qualify, so it’s often not too difficult to reach that threshold, especially for the lower income spouse.
6. Take advantage of the new tax credits – including:
a. non-refundable Children’s Arts Tax Credit – maximum of $75 per child
b. The Volunteer Firefighter’s Tax Credit
c. Family Caregiver Tax Credit – beginning next year
d. TFSAs – if you withdraw funds, they cannot be replaced until the following calendar year
e. Examination fees now qualify for the tuition tax credit
f. 2011 budget also loosened the restrictions on transferring investments held in one sibling’s Registered Education Savings Plans (RESP) to another sibling’s RESP
g. RDSP withdrawals no longer trigger refunds of grants and bonds paid in the last yen years if a doctor certifies that a plan recipient isn’t likely to survive for five years
7. Keep good records.
8. Be proactive with your taxes.
9. Be sure to report all T-slips.

For more information on these items – check out the original article .