Canadians beware: The RCMP has issued yet another warning about Canada’s ongoing tax scams. It has come to light that there are people impersonating Canada Revenue Agency employees in an attempt to steal your hard earned money. According to Global News Edmonton, “in the months of July and August alone, there have been 17 reports […]

If you’re a Canadian who moves to a warmer country in the winter then beware of Canada’s new border exit-tracking system. CTV News reports that the federal government plans on cracking down on snowbirds that leave Canada for too long but still collect social benefits – benefits the Canadian government believes snowbirds aren’t entitled to. […]

If you are thinking of purchasing a franchise, it is imperative that you be protected and that you fully understand your rights and obligations prior to getting started.  Although there are many perks to entering into a franchise, there are also heavy restrictions and hidden pitfalls.    Before purchasing a franchise, it is important to […]

In 2000, a wealthy B.C. family invested approximately $26 million in a KPMG tax product in the Isle of Man, a self-governing territory. This tax product was targeted for high net worth Canadian residents, resulting in the family paying close to no tax over several years. As a result of this investment, the B.C. family […]

Donna Marie Stancer and Deanna Lynn Lavalley have been convicted of six fraud related charges after filing nearly $192-million in false expenses for themselves and 224 clients of their now closed Vernon tax preparation company, DeMara Consulting. Here at Barrett Tax Law we are already assisting a number of taxpayers who were defrauded by Demara […]

August 31, 2015 – Michael Citrome’s article ‘A Defective GST/HST New Housing Rebate Claim Can Lead to Costly Tax Trouble’ published in the Ottawa Business Journal touches on the issues that arise if you didn’t give a lot of thought to the GST/HST New Housing Rebate. “If you recently bought a newly-built home, you probably […]

Income Splitting is a tax planning strategy designed to shift income from a taxpayer paying a high rate of tax to another taxpayer paying tax at a lower rate. The Income Tax Act has many provisions attempting to limit income splitting, but you should be aware of the opportunities. Some of them can be found […]

This summer, a number of small and medium-sized business owners have been asked by the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) to participate in the Liaison Officer Initiative (LOI) – a part of the CRA’s 3-point plan to provide early tax compliance support to businesses. Through the LOI, selected businesses would receive in-person guidance and information to […]

Self-employed cab drivers are required by the Canada Revenue Agency to register, collect and remit HST/GST from their fares to the government. This requirement does not correspond to a certain amount of money being made by cab drivers. Rather, if you drive a cab as a self-employed individual, you must be registered. For others, the […]

August 7, 2015 – Michael Citrome’s blog post “Moving Provinces? Avoid Surprise Tax Bill” that was posted in the Ottawa Business Journal discusses the issues regarding income taxes and moving between provinces. “People move between provinces all the time. Here in Ottawa, we are constantly leapfrogging between Quebec and Ontario, whether it’s for a meeting, […]