Watts Advisors Accounting & Tax Blog
First-time home buyers’ tax credit 0
June 15, 2012Starting in 2009 first-time home buyers’ are eligible to claim a $5,000 tax credit in the year that their home is purchased. Many people are not aware of this, and I have even encountered people who do their own taxes and have missed out on the credit because they were not ...
Read MoreStarting a New Business 0
June 14, 2012Starting a new business can be an overwhelming process; there are so many considerations which makes it easy to overlook something. Not only is it important to not overlook anything, it is important to do things in the correct order. In my time assisting clients go through this process I ...
Read MoreInterest and Penalties 0
May 30, 2012For those of you who did not manage to file your personal tax return on time, you may be wondering what the consequences are for failing to file the return as well as failing to pay the balance owing on the return. The consequences come in the form of Interest ...
Read MoreLifetime Capital Gains Exemption 0
April 20, 2012The Lifetime Capital Gains Exemption is one of the biggest tax breaks or incentives offered by the Canadian Revenue Agency (CRA), most people are not aware of it and it is seldom used. This tax break offers Canadians an exemption to paying tax on capital gains of up to$750,000 (was ...
Read MoreDeductible Employment Expenses 0
March 27, 2012There are a few instances where you are able to deduct expenses against employment income. The content of this blog will just cover the most common expenses of standard employment arrangements. There are specialized rules for commission employees and other unique circumstances as well as more specialized expenses that will ...
Read MoreCRA Giving Out 20% Penalty for Missing Information 0
March 20, 2012Most people aren’t aware of one of the harshest penalties that the CRA (Canada Revenue Agency) gives out. This penalty doesn’t necessarily relate to fraud or tax evasion, but can occur if someone is simply forgetful or unorganized. Over the last couple of years the CRA has started charging a 20% ...
Read MorePersonal Tax Return Checklist 0
March 6, 2012Below is a checklist that I have put together to help my clients organize and compile the information needed to complete their personal tax return. Slips All information Slips (T4, T3, T5, T4E, T4A, T4AP, T4RSP, T4RIF, T5013) Old Age Security and CPP benefits Other Pensions and Annuities Employment insurance benefits Social assistance payments Workers compensation Benefits RRSP ...
Read MoreEmployee vs. Contractor 0
February 10, 2012Employment Income vs. Business Income One question that I often get from clients is related to whether individuals are considered employed or self-employed. This determination has a significant impact on taxable income, the ability to deduct certain expenses, and the requirement to make payroll remittances such as CPP and EI. Regardless ...
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