Tax Credits For Canadians

“Canadians should take advantage of all eligible tax credits and deductions. In Canada, federal, provincial and territorial governments offer a variety of credits aimed at reducing the amount of taxes” says Navtaj Chandhoke, founder of  World Wealth Builders, a Canadian real estate Investors training centre serving Canadians since 1993. “Canadians owe; however, in order to take advantage of tax credits, they must be identified and claimed on your tax return and get proper advice from Canada Revenue Agency and or their Tax professionals”.

tax credits for canadians

Some often overlooked tax credits and deductions are as follows:

Apprenticeship Job Creation Tax Credit: Businesses that employ an apprentice in a skilled trade are eligible to receive a non-refundable tax credit equal to 10 per cent of the salaries and wages paid to the apprentice (or up to $2,000) in the first two years of an apprenticeship contract (registered with the federal, provincial, or territorial government).

Educational Examinations Tax Credit: Many students who acquire a professional status must pass a licensing exam which would carry an additional expense. Students who paid a qualifying institution to take an examination, in addition to their tuition fees, can generally claim this expense as a tuition tax credit.

Textbook Tax Credit: Textbooks for post secondary education can cost upwards of $200 per book. Students can claim textbook expenses up to $65 per month of study for full-time and $20 per month of study for part-time students.

Tradepersons’ Deduction for Tools: Many tradespersons must purchase tools up-front in order to earn employment income. Meeting the criteria for this tax deduction allows a tradesperson to expense up to $500 of the cost of eligible tools – including any GST or HST provincial sales tax, or HST paid – in their tax return.

Children’s Art Tax Credit and Children’s Fitness Tax Credit: Many Canadian children are involved in extracurricular activities. Parents are entitled to claim two tax credits of up to $500 each for each child under the age of 16, to cover expenses related to the cost of a child’s registration or membership in an eligible artistic, cultural, recreational or developmental activity and/or programs that endorse physical activity (such as hockey, dance, soccer, etc).

Caregiver Tax Credit: Canadian families that are providing in-home care for a dependant adult relative, including an aging parent, or other relative with a physical or mental impairment, may be eligible for a caregiver tax credit provided the dependant’s net income is below certain threshold amounts.

Tax Cheats are regularly investigated based on tips the public provides to the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) the federal government department responsible for making sure people declare all of their income when they file their returns.

One program, known as the Informant Leads Program, allows people to provide information to the agency while protecting their identity. The program’s website encourages spouses to get in touch with details that reveal someone’s net worth, such as documents showing ownership of cottages and boats.

It’s one of the many tools the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) has at its disposal for trying to recover the money it is legally owed so the government can spend it. Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) employees have a complex algorithm they use to identify who is most likely cheating on their taxes. The details of what they look for, however, are kept secret so as not to tip off the cheaters.

tax credits for canadians

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Tips To Reduce Income Taxes

The Canada Revenue Agency encourages Canadians to file and pay on time and online using it’s quick, easy, and secures electronic services.

Pay in Time-As has been the practice of the CRA when April 30 falls on a weekend, this year’s filing deadline extends to Monday, May 2, 2011. You have until midnight on May 2 to file your 2010 income tax and benefit return and to pay any balance owing.

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Credit Score Calculation Canada

Credit score, also called as the Beacon score or FICO score is a credit scoring model proposed by Fair Isaac and Company. FICO scores are calculated based on information in your credit report which resides with the three major credit bureaus. The information contained in your file is compared to the information that exists in other consumer credit reports and derives a numerical score called the FICO score.credit score calculation canada

FICO Scores are calculated from a lot of different credit data in your credit report. This data can be grouped into five categories Payment History, Amount Owed, Length of credit history, new credit and the Types of credit used.

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Moving Expenses -Let Canadian Taxman pay for it

Let Canadian Taxman or your Employer pay your Moving Costs

moving expenses

Being a Canadian Professional Real Estate Investor, you need to educate themselves about Canadian taxes. We pay taxes from the day we are born till our death. Majority of Canadian Professional Real Estate Investors do not pay attention to the taxes. Canadian taxes can be two way street. We also need to learn how to claim all our eligible expenses when we move?moving expensesContinue reading

Tax Saving Tips for Real Estate Investors in Canada

Tax Saving Tips for Real Estate are as important as Real Estate investments.There are two things certain in life, death and taxes. Majority of Canadians do not understand the complexity of taxation.” A major portion of your earning goes toward your taxes which can be as big as 46-80% of your total earnings. Knowing a little about taxes can save you huge amount of money” says Navtaj Chandhoke, founder of Professional Real Estate Investors Group (PREIG) Canada.

Here is brief description of top ten tax saving tips. These are simple guidelines and are not rendered as professional advice. Your Chartered accountant can assist you professionally.

In its T4036 Guide to Rental Income, the Canada Revenue Agency provides a number of questions you can ask yourself to help determine whether an expense is current or capital in nature. For example, you replace wooden steps with concrete steps, it’s a capital expense. But if you simply repair the wooden steps, the expense is currently deductible.

Dont exaggerate your home office expenses. This is a red flag for the CRA. There are always exceptions, but a good rule of thumb is a maximum of 25 per cent as the business share of heat, hydro, property taxes and so on.

Keep a careful log of car expenses. This is another red flag for CRA.

If you run into trouble or make a mistake, call the CRA. Most times they will be very helpful, especially if you call before the crunch.

Whatever you do, dont ignore communications from the CRA, respond promptly and make notes of your conversation right on the letter for future reference.

Unless you are incorporated you are required to complete a Statement of Business and Professional Activities (T2125) at the same time as you file your personal taxes.

Dont wait until the last minute. Its impossible to get yourself properly organized under eleventh-hour time pressure and its difficult to make good decisions to minimize your taxes.

Make an estimate of your expected tax bill. If your revenue is going to be high, you might consider making that machinery or computer purchase before years end. Youll defray some of the expense through capital cost depreciation.

You should set aside 30 to 40 per cent of your gross income to cover income tax and CPP. Even if you are the only employee of your business, you are responsible for paying the employee and the employer CPP contributions.

Keep proper records differentiating business from personal If you cant prove it, the CRA will likely assume the expense is personal. Use the categories provided by CRA on the T2125.

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Principal Residence Canada Capital Gains

Principal residence Canada capital gains, How does the Canada Revenue Agency view it. A very common question asked by Canadian Real Estate investors about their principal residence. How their property does qualifies as principal residence and what is Canada Revenue Agency’s parameter.

Principal Residence Canada Capital Gains

Principal Residence Canada Capital GainsPrincipal residence Canada capital gains depends upon  always about the size, usage and ownership. It is important for one to know because this is only tax loophole available for Canadians.

A property qualifies as your principal residence In Canada for any year if it meets all of the following four conditions:

1. It is a housing unit, a leasehold interest in a housing unit, or a share of the capital stock of a co operative housing corporation you acquire only to get the right to inhabit a housing unit owned by that corporation.

2. You own the property alone or jointly with another person.

3. You, your current or former spouse or common-law partner, or any of your children lived in it at some time during the year.

4. You designate the property as your principal residence.

The land on which your home is located can be part of your principal residence. Usually, the amount of land that you can consider as part of your principal residence is limited to 1/2 hectare (5,000 square meters), which converts to about 1.24 acres (53,819 square feet).
Since these are requirements are based by Canada Revenue Agency, they intend to apply across Canada. If you have further questions, you should speak directly to Canada Revenue agency or your accountant

However, if you can show that you need more land to use and enjoy your home, you can consider more than this amount as part of your principal residence. For example, this may happen if the minimum lot size imposed by a municipality at the time you bought the property is larger than 1/2 hectare.

World Wealth Builders offers many unique, practical, out of the box real estate investor apprenticeships which offers the student hands on, in the trenches style instruction to facilitate both a different mindset as well as a successful and lucrative real estate investment business. To find out more, please go to www.WorldWealthBuilders.com/live.html

The above information is provided as a guideline and is not intended to give a professional legal advice. Please consult a real estate lawyer for their opinion on your particular case.

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