2015 Tax Tips

Every April I put out a short list of the changes to the Tax Rules and here is this year's list. Check the bottom of the article for links to additional resources and information.   CRA goes High Tech MyCRA is a mobile app from the Canada Revenue Agency. Using this app, you can view your notice of assessment, tax return status, benefit and credit information, and RRSP and TFSA contribution room.   If you self-file using the software packages available, you may have noticed that this year, you can download your T4, T4A, T3, T5 and RRSP slips (by signing into your CRA MyAccount) and you no longer need to enter the information manually. Don't forget to double-check the CRA's data before you file.   Tax Brackets and Tax Rates Check the table below to see if you are impacted by the changes to the tax brackets and to the rates. Note - these are Federal rates only,   Personal income tax brackets   2015 income 2015 federal tax rate 2016 federal tax rate 2016 income $44,701 15% 15% $45,282 $44,401-$89,401 22% 20.5% $45,282-$90,563 $89,401-$138,586 26% 26% $90,563-$140,388 more than $138,586 29% 29% $140,388-$200,000 33% more than $200,000       TFSA limit change The limit for 2016 is a return to $5,500, down from 2015's limit of $10,000. If you have been eligible for the TFSA since its inception and never contributed, your total contribution room is $46,500. Don't forget that you cannot replace money taken out until the following calendar year (unless you still have contribution room).   Child tax credit and UCCB  The child tax credit, worth an average of $337 per child, is gone and parents must pay tax on the Universal Child Care Benefit (UCCB) they started receiving last summer. The UCCB amounts are $160 a month for every child under age six and $60 a month for children aged six to 17 since last July. If you had a spouse or common-law partner in 2015, the partner with the lower income claims the UCCB as income on line 117.   On July 1, 2016 this will change again, when the new CCB (tax-free and tied to income), replaces the UCCB, the Canada Child Tax Benefit (CCTB) and the National Child Benefit Supplement (NCBS, part of CCTB).   Foreign income verification statement Over the last several years there have been several revisions to form T1135. These changes have increased the amount of information that people were required to disclose about their foreign property and income.   For 2015, the reporting requirements have been simplified for people who own more than $100,000, but less than $250,000 in foreign holdings, including rental properties, trusts and investments. If you own $100,000 to $250,000, you need to report only the total income from property held and any gain or loss from its disposition.  If you hold more holdings, you must give more detailed descriptions of each type of investment in each country.   Links and Resources For more information, check out the following links: CRA Mobile App CRA MtAccount CRA Tax Changes CBC Tax Changes

April 21, 2015 Federal Budget Highlights

As you know, Finance Minister Joe Oliver delivered his Federal budget on April 21 in Ottawa.

 

While you've probably seen plenty of media coverage, I thought you would appreciate an overview of how some of the budget items that relate to investments and taxes.

 

This year, the government reported balanced books and wants that to continue. So it's introduced balanced budget legislation requiring Ottawa to stay in the black unless there's a recession, war, or natural disaster. One way the government will do that is by closing certain tax loopholes.

 

Still, this year's budget contains some generous changes

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Foremost is an increase in the TFSA contribution limit from the current $5,500 to $10,000. The proposed change is retroactive to January 1, 2015, and clients over age 18 who have not contributed since the TFSA's creation in 2009 now have $41,000 in contribution room.

 

For some clients, especially those in lower tax brackets, this change means TFSAs can become more advantageous than RRSPs. Many clients nearing retirement also will benefit from the limit increase, because they can take advantage of early RRIF withdrawal benefits and then move the money into a TFSA and keep it sheltered.
 

Or, if you've already contributed the old $36,500 maximum, you could now move some non-registered investments into TFSAs. In cases where large capital gains might apply, this might not be a strategy worth pursuing. But we can talk about whether this strategy is a good idea when next we meet.

 

TFSA limit increases also have been decoupled from the inflation rate, meaning future increases aren't automatic and instead will have to be legislated by the government.

 

Meanwhile, proposed changes to RRIF rules will mean seniors won't have to withdraw as much money from their retirement savings. The budget cuts the required withdrawal amount at age 71 to 5.28% from the current 7.38%. Required withdrawal rates still increase every year, but instead of topping out at 20% at age 94, the cap isn't reached until age 95.

 

Another budget item aimed at seniors and others who qualify for the Disability Tax Credit is a new Home Accessibility Tax Credit. This 15% non-refundable tax credit applies to up to $10,000 of renovations, such as wheelchair ramps, walk-in bathtubs and wheel-in showers.

 

And, small businesses will get to keep more of their earnings. This year's budget proposes to reduce the small business tax rate to 9% by 2019 - or 2% over the next four years. The reduction generally applies to the first $500,000 of business income.
 

Small business owners also will get a tax break if they sell their companies and donate the private company shares to charity. To be eligible, a sale must take place in 2017 or later.

 

Lastly, rules for reporting specified foreign income will be changing, again. Ottawa's announced a revamp of Form T1135 to streamline the process for people with assets between $100,000 and $250,000 in time for the 2015 tax year. But those reporting $250,000 or more will need to follow the existing requirements.

 

I hope you find these highlights useful. If you'd like to discuss these and other Federal budget initiatives and how they affect your financial plan, please don't hesitate to contact me.