Over the next few weeks I am going to feature some tax tips for you to consider with your clients. The first in this series is about better collaboration between advisors and clients on filing audit-proof tax returns. Every new list of tax tips must start with this one: filing an audit proof tax return begins with filing it on time – which means midnight April 30 for most people; June 15 for unincorporated small business owners and their spouses. […]

Tax preparation season is about to begin and getting it right means a lot more than filing an accurate tax return. At tax time, your goal is to ensure the sustainability of family wealth – after taxes, inflation and fees. There are several key goals: • first, by minimizing the taxes paid on the 2014 and prior returns • second, by integrating tax planning into investment, retirement and succession planning activities with all generations in the family • third, be […]

What inspires you to set the principles and goals that will guide your achievements in 2015 and redefine your professionalism? It’s a question to reflect upon at the start of the year, especially if you are a trusted advisor to a number of families, and driven by continuous self- improvement. Revisiting personal strategies for professionalism will lead not only to your own personal success, but will surely help you set higher goals with your clients by setting new and better […]

Happy New Year! What’s your “economic potential” in 2015? It’s a great phrase used by Finance Minister Joe Oliver on January 2nd, in the context of the federal government’s continued commitment to a balanced budget in 2015 so he and his department could improve our collective standards of living. Mr. Oliver wants to improve economic potential for Canadians with a balanced budget for three specific reasons: To make more tax dollars will be available for social services, by paying less […]

Happy New Year and welcome to a brand new tax year. There is a lot to report on already, with generous new tax provisions and indexing changes that will line the pockets of Canadian seniors, families and qualifying small owners who sell their companies in 2015. These and numerous other tax changes will be discussed in detail at Knowledge Bureau’s Distinguished Advisor Workshops, held in Winnipeg on January 20, Toronto on January 21, Calgary on January 22 and Vancouver on […]

We have all heard people say they would rather be at work than take a holiday. They dread the unmanageable email list when they get back from a few days off. Interesting, how easy it is to give up your joy to the demands of constant time pressure. Forgotten how to recharge? Consider these five tips for enjoying the holiday season this year: Turn off the work cell – if you must use your smart phone, make it about touching […]

It seems to sneak up on us every year: the Christmas Holiday season. Regardless of how you celebrate, it is a time to reflect, count your blessings, give, and re-evaluate how you will use your precious resources of time and money in the new year. At Knowledge Bureau, we spend every day working on delivering excellence in financial education to highly motivated professional advisors who want to take their continuing professional development to an even higher level as masters and […]

Canada has a taxation system that is based on self-assessment. We are required to accurately assess income, deductions and credits, filing our tax returns on time, or face penalties, interest and/or jail in serious instances. This system has served us well, with the vast majority (over 90%) of Canadians filing and paying their taxes on time. One of the reasons we are so compliant as a nation is that we trust in the confidentiality we are promised under our Taxpayer […]

Disciplined investors sell at the top of a cycle and buy at the bottom.  Smart ones also pause and plan at this time of the year,  crystallizing losses deliberately before year end to get the desired tax results. How do capital losses impact your tax return?  Lucratively. Capital losses incurred when capital assets are disposed of,  first reduce or cancel out this year’s capital gains.  After this, unabsorbed losses can be used to reach back to recover taxes paid on […]

First the bad news. The rules behind the very least you could possibly pay as a household are very complicated. Despite all hype around the $5Billion the new Family Tax Cuts and additional provisions promise to eligible households, it’s going to be up to the taxpayer to navigate the new tax return, file accurately and to the family’s optimal benefit. Now the good news, in case you missed it: there’s $5 Billion of tax goodies up for grabs and there […]