Interest rates for the first calendar quarter

interest ratesThe Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) announced on December 3, 2009 the prescribed annual interest rates that will apply to any amounts owed to the CRA and to any amounts the CRA owes to individuals and corporations. These rates are calculated quarterly in accordance with applicable legislation and will be in effect from January 1, 2010 to March 31, 2010.

Income tax

  • The interest rate charged on overdue taxes, Canada Pension Plan contributions, and Employment Insurance premiums will be 5%.
  • The interest rate paid on overpayments will be 3%.
  • The interest rate used to calculate taxable benefits for employees and shareholders from interest-free and low-interest loans will be 1%.

Other taxes

The interest rate on overdue and overpaid remittances for the following taxes will be:

Tax and Duty Overdue remittances Overpaid remittances
  • Goods and Services Tax (GST)
5% 3%
  • Harmonized Sales Tax
5% 3%
  • Air Travellers Security Charge
5% 3%
  • Excise Tax (non GST)
5% 3%
  • Excise Duty (except Brewer Licensees)
5% 3%
  • Excise Duty (Brewer Licensees)
3% N/A
  • Softwood Lumber Products Export Charge
5% 3%

For information on the prescribed interest rates of other calendar quarters, go to the www.cra.gc.ca/interestrates Web page.

Other Tax Planning Issues

Consider a Registered Education Savings Plan (RESP) for your children

Review your December income tax installment

Repay outstanding shareholder loans and pay interest on employee loans

Contribute to your spouse’s or common-law partner’s RRSP to the extent of your RRSP deduction limit for 2009. This doubles the amount a couple can withdraw for the Home Buyer’s Plan

Claim your personal tax credits

Keep your transit passes

Pay reasonable salaries to family members

Convert non-deductible debt to deductible interest

Review your will every five years

Split pension income with spouse

imagesConsult your Padgett Business Services

representative to obtain additional tax planning ideas.

Use Capital Losses

You can use your 2009 capital losses to reduce your current year’s income taxes by applying such losses against your 2009 capital gains. You must however be careful of the superficial loss rules preventing you from claiming a capital loss on an identical asset that you reacquired 30 days before or after the sale date.

sharesIf capital gains were realized in the years 2006 to 2008 and net capital losses were incurred in 2009 then you can carry these losses back against previous years’ capital gains. You can carry the unused 2009 losses forward to future capital gains.

The last 2009 transaction date effec-tive for publicly traded securities is December 24, 2009.

$750,000 CAPITAL GAINS DEDUCTION

You can make use of the lifetime $750,000 capital gains deduction if you dispose of shares in a qualified small business corporation, a qualified farm property, or a qualified fishing property.

If you have already claimed the $100,000 personal capital gain exemption (ended in 1994) then this reduces the available lifetime capital gains to $650,000.  You must also verify whether you have claimed allowable business investment losses (ABIL) in prior years or have cumulative net investment losses (CNIL) as of December 31, 2009, as these items will also affect the amount of exemption that can be claimed.

Eligible Deductions & Credits

If you pay the following expenses by December 31, 2009 they will be eligible for the deductions of credits:

  • Childcare expenses
  • Deductible support payments
  • Charitable donations
  • Union and professional dues
  • Moving expenses
  • Political donations
  • Accounting fees
  • Medical expenses
  • Investment counsel fees
  • Interest paid on loans used to purchase investments
  • Tuition fees
  • Safety deposit box fees
  • Home renovations

Contribute to Your RRSP

The most popular tax tool available to taxpayers is investing in a registered retirement saving plan (RRSP). Contributions to RRSP’s are tax-deductible and the income earned within the plan grows tax-deferred until retirement.

You can claim a contribution of up to 18% of 2008 earned income to a maximum of $21,000.  Earned income is defined as income from employment, from business, net rental income from real estate, CPP disability pension, certain types of royalty, and spousal or child support payments that are included in your income.

Piggy bank

The contribution limit may be subject to the year 2008 pension adjustment reversals. Pension adjustments reflect, in most cases, your employer’s contributions to a pension plan or actuarial commitments to such plans in the year 2008. The age limit for contributing to an RRSP is 71. The age limit for converting an RRSP to an annuity or RRIF is also 71.

Don’t over-contribute.

The CRA revokes the charitable status of International Charity Association Network

Effective August 9, 2008, the CRA has revoked the charitable status of the International Charity Association (ICAN). For more information, read the press release by following:

http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/nwsrm/rlss/2008/m08/nr080811-eng.html

One Business Number for Ontario Tax Clients

Starting in July 2008, Ontario tax clients will be given one business number by the Ontario Ministry of Revenue. This will make it easier for clients to keep track of their tax account information.  For more information, click on the following link:

www.rev.gov.on.ca/english/notices/rst/66.html

Common Deductions and Tax Credits for Students

The most common deductions that apply to students are moving expenses and child care expenses.

Moving Expenses
You can deduct moving expenses if you move to attend courses as a full-time student or if you moved to start a new job, including summer employment, or to start a business. Your new home must be at least 40 kilometres closer to the new school or place of work than the previous home. Moving expenses can only be deducted against awards, employment or self-employment income.

Child-Care Expenses
Parents who are full-time students, or single parents who study full-time, can deduct childcare expenses on their tax returns. Part-time students may qualify for partial deductions.

NON-REFUNDABLE TAX CREDITS
The most common post-secondary nonrefundable tax credits that apply to students are interest paid on student loans and the tuition, education and textbook amounts.

Interest on Student Loans
To be eligible for the credit, interest must, in fact, have been paid. The interest must be on a loan made under the Canada Student Loans Act, the Canada Student Financial Assistance Act or a law of the province, which governs the granting of financial assistance to students at the post-secondary level. Personal or family loans will not qualify. Credits that are not needed to offset income taxes are available for carry forward for up to five years. You can only claim interest you have not previously claimed and you cannot claim interest that relates to a judgment obtained after you failed to pay back a student loan.

Education, Tuition and Textbook Tax Credit
You can claim the education credit for each whole or partial month in which you were enrolled in a qualifying education program. Part time students can qualify at reduced rates. Disabled part-timers can receive the full credit. In addition to obtaining a tax credit for tuition fees paid, this tax credit also covers mandatory fees such as student services, library and lab charges, athletics, computer services, exams, certificates and diplomas. Post-secondary students can claim a textbook tax credit of $65 per month for full-time and $20 per month for part-time
studies.

Transferable Credits
The student has the option of also transferring this credit to a parent, spouse, common law partner or grandparent if it is not fully absorbed on
his or her income tax return. But if the student carries them forward, the transferability will be lost. The amount of education, tuition and textbook tax credits that can be transferred is limited to a maximum amount of$5,000 (or $850 in tax credits) per year.

CRA News Release: “Benefits for your family”

On July 18, 2008 the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) released a bulletin outlining some of the tax benefits available to individuals and families including the Canada Child  Tax Benefit (CCTB) and the Goods and Services/Harmonized Sales (GST/HST) credit.  To find out what benefits you and your family may be entitled to, click on the following link:

http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/nwsrm/rlss/2008/m07/nr080718-eng.html