Sometime ago, I wrote a post about the taxation of gains realized at the poker table. I said that the CRA might not be focusing on auditing poker players because the average player loses money. I quoted an article by…
Form matters, again
In David Anthony v Canada (National Revenue), 2016 FC 955, the taxpayer applied for judicial review of a decision of the Minister. The taxpayer had requested that the Minister adjust his return for 2001 to permit the deduction of lease…
Splitting income for PCs
I’ve written before concerning my doubts about the advisability of issuing shares that are redeemable for a nominal amount but that are entitled to unlimited dividends. Robin MacKnight does not share these concerns: he appears to have no qualms about…
Otteson and the capital gain exemption
The provisions of the Income Tax Act governing when a taxpayer can claim the capital gain exemption in respect of farm property are complex. Otteson v R, 2014 TCC 250, is an interesting case that navigates the provisions in the context of a rather complex set of facts.
163(1) Due Diligence
A taxpayer can avoid the rather harsh penalties potentially applicable under subsection 163(1) of the Income Tax Act (the “missing T-slip penalty”), if the taxpayer can show that the error in question—the failure to report income—occurred despite the taxpayer’s due…
Housing Loans
Owner-managers and their advisers need to be wary of housing loans made to a private corporation’s controlling shareholder. In Mast v R, 2013 TCC 309, the Tax Court concluded that the exception to subsection 15(2) of the Income Tax Act…
Paying dividends, again
Neal Armstrong makes note of a recent CRA technical (French only), which confirms that the CRA might not recognize an amount supposedly “paid” as a dividend if it is supported only by accounting journal entries. The well-established principle, per Hickman…
Tax schemes
Two recent cases address unsuccessful attempts to avoid tax by dubious means.
Point in time due diligence
A director of a corporation that fails to remit source deductions might be duly diligent to a point in time, and therefore not liable for the failure to that time, but not diligent after that time, and therefore liable for…
Income averaging?
Mark Hunter pointed out to me that paragraph 20(1)(j) of the Income Tax Act (Canada) doesn’t work well as an income-averaging tool if used in circumstances where the person taking the loan can’t repay it any time soon or will do so in a year without much income.