Financial health is serious, But we can still have fun

If you are a disabled person living in Canada, you are eligible for many government benefits. One of these benefits is the Disability Tax Credit (DTC). In order to qualify for these benefits, you will need to apply for them. So let's uncover more about the DTC and how it may help you or people you know who qualifies.

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What is the Disability Tax Credit?

The Disability Tax Credit (DTC) is among the most valuable tax credits available to individuals with disabilities. Canadians with a severe and sustained physical or mental impairment may be eligible for a tax credit that decreases their tax liability but is not refundable. However, why exactly is it one of the most crucial? Due to the fact that being DTC qualified not only gives you access to various federal, provincial, or territorial programs but also enables you to deduct a maximum federal amount of$8,662 plus a maximum supplement of $5,053 for someone under the age of 18 (for 2021). Canadian workers with disabilities get a Disability Supplement, while children with disabilities receive the Benefit.

Registered Disability Savings Plans (RDSPs) are made possible by the DTC as well. You may assist someone who is qualified for the DTC to feel more secure about their financial future by contributing to this tax-free savings plan. If a beneficiary loses DTC eligibility after 2021, there is no longer a temporal restriction on how long their RDSP may stay open.

If you are eligible for the federal DTC, you may also be eligible for a tax credit in your own province or territory. Requesting a change for up to ten years is possible if you did not include these sums in your tax returns in the past.

A doctor's statement on Form T2201, Disability Tax Credit Certificate, attesting to your disability and detailing how it has affected your life, is required to apply for the DTC.

Keep in mind that you may file for DTC benefits for either yourself or a family member who is very ill. You may give the unused portion of the credit to your spouse or another dependent if you don't need it to bring your tax liability to zero.

Applying for the Disability Tax Credit.

If you or your spouse/common-law partner/child has a qualifying disability, you may be eligible for a tax credit.

To apply, either the applicant with a disability or their legal guardian must fill out Section A of Form T2201. If you are applying for the DTC on behalf of someone else, such as a child, you may fill out Part A of the form as the applicant's legal agent.

Part B of the form has to be filled out by a medical professional. This might be done by a doctor, optometrist, audiologist, occupational therapist, psychologist, or speech therapist, depending on the nature of the impairment.

After completing the form, submit it electronically via your CRA My Account or by mail to your local tax office.

To learn how to claim this credit on your TP-1 provincial tax return in Quebec, please visit Revenu Quebec's website through the following link.

The CRA will evaluate your claim when they receive your completed Form T2201 - Disability Tax Credit Certificate.

The years for which you are eligible to submit a DTC claim will be specified in a notification sent to you by the CRA after your application has been accepted. The application for the DTC must be resubmitted at the end of the specified time frame.

If the CRA rejects your request, you may ask for another look by compiling further evidence from supportive medical professionals and submitting it again. If you disagree with the CRA's decision and want to do so formally, you have 90 days from the date the CRA sent your Notice of Determination to submit an objection.

How much can you claim?

The maximum value of the federal disability tax credit for the 2021 tax year is $1,299. The credit's value is calculated by multiplying the disability amount ($8,662 in 2021) by the individual's reduced tax rate of 15%. Inflation adjustments are made each year to this sum.

• The maximum amount of the credit for a resident of Quebec is $1,085 (after accounting for the abatement for Quebec residents).
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• An extra sum is charged for each kid under the age of 18 in Quebec. The maximum amount of the extra credit is $633, after taking into account the abatement for residents of Quebec.

In Quebec, for the 2021 taxation year, the maximum value of the credit for severe and protracted mental or physical handicap is $524 and corresponds to the multiplication of the specified amount for the year, i.e., $3,492 in 2021, by the rate of 15%. Credits for a kid under18 in Quebec might total $2,242 across the federal and provincial levels.

What if a kid or other dependent has no taxable income? Thereafter, under specific circumstances, a parent or other family member may apply for the DTC. See line 31800 – Disability amount transferred from a dependent on the CRA website for further details.

How to obtain Form T2201.

The T2201 Application for Certificate of Disability Tax Credit is available electronically. The fillable and downloadable PDF format should be used. Because of this, you may use a computer to fill out the form and store your answers. There are choices open to you even if you have low vision. It's also possible to print the form and submit a handwritten version.

How to complete the application for the disability tax credit.

To be clear, the form may be filled out either digitally or manually. There are two primary parts to the T2201 form. Information on the individual with the disability may be found in Section A. The questioned person completes this section. It is possible for a legal representative to fill out Section A on behalf of a person with a handicap. Disability specifics are described in Section B. The doctor completes this section. Make sure that there are no blanks in either Part A or Part B of the form before submitting it.

It is your responsibility to pay for any out-of-pocket medical costs incurred while completing Part B. You may write them off on your taxes as a medical cost. Receipts are important, so don't throw them away.

Where can I send the T2201 form?

Parts A and B of Form T2201 must be completed before they can be submitted for review and approval. It may be mailed or submitted online. If you submit online, you may do so via Canada Revenue Agency My Account or Represent a client, if you are a legal agent. If you do it by mail, you may file it at the local tax center.

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What happens if my disability tax credit application is denied?

If you are denied the Disability Tax Credit after submitting a T2201 form, you will not get any money from the government. Investigate the basis for the refusal first. It's worth another go if you think you can correct it and reapply. The DTC may not be available to you if your condition does not fulfill the requirements. If, however, the DTC is beyond your price range, you should look at other possibilities. Then, look into whether or not any further grants or tax breaks apply to your situation. Caregiver tax credits, dependent tax credits, medical expenditure credits, and so on are only a few examples.

Is There a Time Limit on the Disability Tax Credit?

The DTC does expire; however, most applications are accepted for a period of time that is many years away (often 4 or 6 years).The CRA may grant you DTC eligibility for a certain number of years if they believe your disability and/or personal circumstances will improve over time; nevertheless, you will need to reapply for DTC benefits before the end of the eligibility term.

The CRA may provide permanent DTC approval if it determines that the individual's disability and/or life circumstances are unlikely to change.

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How Do I Claim the Disability Tax Credit Refunds For Previous Years?

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Your doctor will inform the IRS in Section B of Form t2201 when your disability first manifested itself. However, the CRA may only evaluate for a period of up to ten years into the past, even if the DTC eligibility period might extend back in time indefinitely.

If you are unsure whether or not you claimed all of the credits for which you were qualified, you should file an adjustment request for all applicable prior years using your CRA account or by mailing in a T1ADJ form.

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What is the Disability Tax Credit FAQ

If I was denied the disability tax credit in the past, can I apply again?

Yes. A person may apply or reapply for the DTC as many times as they choose.

Following a denial, you may either reapply or submit a letter of appeal to the CRA.

The CRA recognizes that many qualifying impairments are progressive in nature, thus just because someone does not qualify at the present time does not indicate their disability cannot advance and worsen further, resulting in a loss of ability to do fundamental, life-sustaining activities. Applying repeatedly without showing any improve mentor offering fresh information is pointless.

The disability tax credit and you.

If you or a family member are struggling financially due to a disability, the DTC may be able to assist. The Disability Tax Credit (DTC) application procedure may seem intimidating, but it is well worth the effort. Get in touch with a pro right away if you need assistance with your personal finances, tax deductions, or forms.

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When you receive your paychecks, you may notice there are a few deductions. Some of the items that's being deducted are federal and provincial taxes. How are these amount determined? How much should be deducted? Are there other mandatory deductions other than taxes? Let's find out more below.

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To what extent does the provincial government of British Columbia take a percentage of each paycheck for taxes?

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Nearly 1.1 million jobs, or 44% of the province's total employment, were provided by small enterprises in British Columbia as of 2017.

If you are a small company owner in British Columbia who handles payroll in-house, you must ensure that your workers are paid accurately. Still, it's your responsibility to know how much money you should send to the Canada Revenue Agency through payroll deductions (CRA).

What follows are the essentials of understanding and remitting payroll deductions from your company's bank account on behalf of your employees.

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AS AN EMPLOYER, WHAT ARE YOUR DUTIES?

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When paying workers, it is your duty as an employer to withhold the correct amount for taxes and other required deductions. Timely transfer to the CRA is also your responsibility.

You can't do anything unless you get the worker's SIN and a properly filled out TD1 form. This info is used to calculate the taxable portion of their salary.

An additional provincial TD1BC (British Columbia) form must be filled out if an employee is claiming more than the federal basic personal amount. The CRA will not get your completed paperwork; you will keep them for your own records.

Social insurance number (SIN) validation issues? Use our SIN verification tool to check the legitimacy of your workers' SINs before using them.

You must also enroll your company in the CRA's payroll service. To register your business with the CRA and submit payroll tax payments, you'll need a payroll tax account.

The next step is to do the math and subtract what you need to.

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WHAT TYPES OF PAYROLL DEDUCTIONS MUST BEMADE?

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As part of the CRA's monthly payroll procedure, you will typically send the money that was deducted from your employees' paychecks to them.

You'll have to figure out:

• Contributions to the Canada Pension Plan (CPP)
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• Costs associated with paying for Employment Insurance (EI)
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• Tax breaks for income

HOW MUCH TAX IS DEDUCTED FROM PAY CHECK?

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Since these deductions are tied to a worker's salary, they will vary from one worker to the next.

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Contributions to the Canada Pension Plan

Those who pay into the CPP not only get a pension in their old age, but their relatives may also receive benefits in the event of the contributor's incapacity or death, helping to replace some of the income they would have otherwise lost.

The table of CPP contribution rates, maximums, and exclusions specifies the precise amount that must be withheld from each employee's pay in order to cover CPP obligations. You, as the employer, are expected to provide a matching contribution to the worker's pension fund.

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Employment Insurance (EI) Premiums

For workers in Canada, paying EI premiums entitles them to government aid in the event that they become disabled and unable to work for an extended length of time if you or a family member were gravely sick and needed your whole attention, for instance.

There is a rates and caps table that is used to determine the premium. You must match the amount taken out of each employee's paycheck plus an additional 1.4 times the amount.

Income Tax Deductions

Payroll tax withholding is another important aspect of employee compensation. Income tax rates at both the federal and provincial levels must be taken into account.

It's true that all Canadians pay the same federal tax rate, but provincial and territorial governments set their own. Incomes up to $131,220 in Alberta are subject to a provincial tax rate of 10%,while those up to $40,707 in British Columbia are subject to a provincial tax rate of 5.06%.

Your CPP payments, EI premiums, and income tax deductions may all be calculated with ease using a payroll calculator like the CRA's Payroll Deductions Online Calculator.

However, each year the CPP and EI contribution and earnings caps are reset. This data must be included in a payroll deduction calculator.

Reviewing the CPP and EI rates and maximum tables every December may help ensure compliance. This will have your company ready for any shifts in the new year and keep your numbers precise.

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Employer Health Tax

Small businesses in British Columbia with annual payrolls of $500,000 or more have been subject to the Employer Health Tax (EHT)as of January 1, 2019. To put it simply, the EHT is a payroll tax levied on wages. Go to the gov.bc.ca website for further details.

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WHAT OTHER TAX DEDUCTIONS ARE OUT THERE?

In British Columbia, there are many types of deductions from employees' paychecks that are legally required. There are more deductions you should be aware of besides CPP, EI, Income Tax, and Employer Health Tax.

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Deductions for Union Dues

You may be required to collect and remit union dues or other payments on behalf of your unionized employees. Bargaining agents determine the number of union dues, which may be either a flat fee or a percentage of the worker's annual income.

If workers have given you permission to do so, you should be ready to deduct dues from their salary automatically. You will send the agreed-upon sums to the negotiating representatives on a monthly basis.

If you are an employer that takes out union dues, you must also list the exact amounts withheld on each employee's paystub. When completing a T4 for a unionized worker, you must include the full amount of the yearly dues paid.

Union payments might have a convoluted tax structure. Get assistance from a payroll expert if your company operates in a unionized setting. Doing so guarantees that your company is properly collecting, reporting, and remitting union dues, union fees, and any applicable taxes.

Legal Deductions and Garnishment

One method for creditors to get their money back is via garnishment. If one of your workers has accrued debt and the creditor wants to pursue collection from you, they may do so via an intermediary. Garnishment is the legal term for what's happening here.

The first step in collecting debt is for the creditor to file a lawsuit and get a judgment requiring the debtor to pay the creditor back.

If you get a garnishing order from a creditor, you must forward a certain percentage of the debtor's earnings to the court, which will subsequently, once confirmed, re-assign the funds to the creditor.

The debtor is safeguarded by monetary demand cap statutes that limit the amount a creditor may request. Collections often cap out at 30% of a debtor's net income. However, if the debtor needs the money for child support, the percentage rises to 50 percent.

Employers in British Columbia cannot terminate an employee or treat them differently because of their debts or because they have been issued with a garnishing order, according to provincial and territorial legislation.

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Mandated Company Deductions

Business deductions are a prerequisite of employment and are mandated by company policy. Even though certain deductions are required by law, you cannot make them without the employee's written permission. You may be able to claim a tax break for some of these expenditures.

The following are some examples of mandatory corporation deductions:

• Health insurance rates at the provincial level
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• Contributions to an RPP(Registered Pension Plan)
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• Payments into a Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP)
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• Premiums for group insurance plans

Voluntary Deductions

Employees have the option of having a certain percentage of their pay sent directly to a charity. Any salaries that have been legally assigned must be sent to the appropriate charity within a month of the assignment request being submitted.

Although membership in the corporate social club does not qualify as a tax deduction, it does offer a deduction for the employee. Deductions are not permitted if the club's primary function is for amusement. Boards of trade and business organizations are two kinds of clubs whose membership dues are tax deductible.

WHAT ARE YOUR END-OF-THE-YEARPAYROLL DUTIES?

As part of the monthly payroll process, you will typically transfer employee payroll deductions and contributions to the CRA.

You need to check your payroll records and make sure you sent the right amount to the CRA by doing a reconciliation. One way to achieve this is by comparing the amount of taxes you paid in the past year to the amount you should have paid in the present using a T4 Summary. The CRA must be reimbursed for any underpayments, while any overpayments will be returned to the taxpayer.

T4 Slips, including each worker's year-end salary and other pertinent data, must also be generated. By the end of February in the year after the year of compensation, this must be completed and sent to all staff. For 2019, employers have till the end of February 2020 to submit and distribute T4 slips to their staff.

For additional information on mandatory payroll deductions and remittances in Canada, check out the government's Employer's Handbook.

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No one likes to pay tax and when you invest in Real Estates or Stocks, you may need to pay capital gains tax when you sell them. Are there ways to avoid paying capital gains tax? Though many require some set up, but there are a few ways where you can minimize your capital gains tax when you sell your investments.

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How To Avoid Canada’s Capital Gains Tax

1. Invest money in a tax shelter

You might think of tax shelters as a canopy for your assets. A tax haven is a place where your investments may grow without incurring any taxes. You are free to acquire and sell stocks at will without incurring any tax penalties. (That said, you can't deduct any capital losses from your overall income either.)

In Canada, RRSPs are among the most used forms of tax deferral. Unlike non-registered accounts, any earnings from an RRSP are not subject to taxation in the year they are made. Since you did not pay tax on your income when you made the contribution, the money you remove will be subject to tax at your full marginal rate.

When it comes to hedging against capital gains, a TFSA performs the same role as an RRSP. You get to retain all of the money you earn from trading inside your TFSA. Since you had paid tax on your donations, the CRA will not tax you again when you withdraw any amount. In other words, if you put away $6,000 a year after taxes, invest it for 30 to 50 years, and it grows to $1 million (which is doable, particularly when you don't pay capital gains tax), you can take out the whole amount without having to worry about paying any taxes on the growth.

A regulated retirement savings plan (RESP) is another vehicle for evading CGT. You should probably invest in low- to medium-risk assets since you will need the money for your child's schooling in the near to medium future. Your kid will have to pay some tax on the withdrawals, but the rate won't be too high, given that their income is likely to be rather modest while they're in school. Please be aware that the account must be closed 35 years after it was started.

2. Balance out your capital losses

If you sell $1,000 worth of ABC stock and $2,000worth of XYZ stock in the same calendar year, your net gain is $0 since the gains from the former are offset by the losses from the latter. There will beno capital gains tax to pay in such a case. Or, say you make a thousand dollars in profit but lose 500. Because of the loss, you were able to deduct, your after-tax gain is $500 instead of $1000. Only $250 of that gain is subject to taxation at your marginal rate.

Or, suppose you've had nothing but losses this year. If that's the case, your losses may be applied to future or previous years. They may be carried back for up to three years to reduce taxable profits or carried forward forever to build up. Capital losses may be offset by other forms of income in certain circumstances; nevertheless, you should consider this possibility with an accountant.

It's important to remember that you can't merely sell some stock and buy it back right away in order to avoid paying taxes on the profit you made on the sale in order to balance your capital losses. The same goes for trying to sell your spouse on a stock. The Canada Revenue Agency does not permit "superficial losses" like that.

However, there is a really ingenious technique to avoid this. Selling a losing investment and reinvesting the proceeds into a comparable but not identical venture is known as "tax-loss harvesting. "To illustrate, suppose you have complete faith in the cannabis market. You invested $1000 in a cannabis startup, only to see your investment shrink to $500. You cash out $500 in losses by selling the stock and promptly reinvesting in another cannabis security or exchange-traded fund. Because of this, you may reduce your taxable income while still having the chance to profit from an industry you believe will rise.

3. Defer capital gains

Only if you received shares from a spouse or parent upon their death or divorce would you be able to avoid paying capital gains tax on those shares. As such, if your husband purchased 100 shares of ABC stock and then gave them to you when you got divorced, neither of you would have to pay capital gains tax. You have to pay the capital gains tax when you sell the stock. Instead of using the value when your spouse or parent gave them to you, you should use the value when they were bought.

4. Enjoy the benefits of the lifetime capital gain exemption

When selling private qualifying shares or farm or fishery property, certain small company owners are eligible for a lifetime capital gains exemption. Eligible stocks are those of a corporation with both Canadian ownership and significant operations in the country. Also, the taxpayer or a close family must have held the shares for at least 24 months before the sale. There will be a $913,630 lifetime cap in 2022. A tax expert should be consulted since the laws are intricate. Stocks do not qualify for a lifetime capital gains exemption.

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5. Donate a percentage of your shares to charity

If you want to help out a good cause, why not give shares instead of cash? One of the benefits is that it minimizes the donor's taxable income. In addition to receiving a tax deduction equal to the shares' fair market value at the time of the gift, the "profit" from the shares is written off entirely.

6. Use capital gain reserve

If you sell an expensive piece of property, you may be able to pay for it with the money over a period of five years. It's true that we pay more in taxes as our income rises, but it's because of Canada's progressive tax system. Let's pretend you just made $250,000 via the sale of an investment unit to your kids. You would be subject to a marginal tax rate of 43.41 percent in Ontario. Alternatively, if you can stretch the gain out over five years at an annual rate of $50,000, your marginal tax rate would peak at only 20.05%, and you'll retain more of your hard-earned cash. There is an increased risk of nonpayment on the part of the buyer if you need them to make installment payments to you over a longer period of time. If you plan on leaving a farm to your kids or grandkids, for example, you may be able to defer the gain on that sale for up to ten years.

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The future of capital gains tax.

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There has been a significant increase in Canada's deficit as a result of the Covid-19 outbreak, with the government borrowing nearly $225 billion to provide emergency payouts. So that it can repay this vast money, many analysts believe that the government will start to hike taxes. A number of experts have expressed the view that the capital gains tax is an area where reform is most needed. There has never been a set rate for capital gains taxation. Ahead of 1972, it was nonexistent. The figure climbed to 50% by 1980, and then 75% by 1990. Since the year 2000 alone, the inclusion rate slipped back down to 50%. If the government needs more money to pay its debts, it would likely raise the capital gains tax again.

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Tips for paying less in capital gains tax.

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While it may be difficult to completely sidestep capital gains tax in Canada, there are a few strategies that may help you payless of it. As long as the funds remain in a tax-deferred account, the investor is exempt from paying capital gains tax on the profits. You may reduce your capital gains tax by offsetting them with capital losses; however, doing so precisely might be challenging. Giving shares to a good cause might also help you avoid paying CGT. If you want to sell a house that has appreciated in value, claiming it as your main residence for as long as feasible will help you pay less in capital gains tax when the time comes to sell.

The best way to avoid paying Canadian capital gains tax.

There are a number of legitimate loopholes one might use to avoid paying capital gains tax in Canada. Putting money away in a tax haven, offsetting gains with losses, postponing the realization of gains, making use of the lifetime capital gain exemption, donating shares to charity, and using the capital gain reserve are only six of the strategies discussed in this article.

How to Avoid Capital Gains Tax in Canada FAQ

How are capital gains taxed in Canada?

Gains in the value of a person's capital, such as stocks and real estate, are known as capital gains. As such, the government prefers to treat some of this profit as taxable income. Half of a Canadian resident's capital gains for the year are subject to income tax. That implies you have to add half of your capital gains to your income before taxing it. Based on your income and tax circumstances, a different percentage of your capital gains will be taxed as taxable income.

What qualifies for capital gains exemption in Canada?

More than half of the company's assets must have been actively employed in a Canadian business for at least 24 months before the sale may take place. In the preceding 24 months prior to the sale, neither you nor anyone linked to you may have possessed the shares.

In Canada, what kinds of income are subject to the capital gains tax?

Income from dividends, the sale of stocks or property (other than your primary home), and gifts of capital that generate income are all subject to capital gains tax in Canada. All of these forms of income are seen as taxable in some capacity, depending on the individual taxpayer's marginal tax rate for the year in issue.

How long must one stay in a Canadian home before capital gains are not incurred?

For as long as the house is used as the main residence, the owner is free from paying capital gains tax on any profit made from the sale of the property. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) does not specify a minimum period of ownership necessary to qualify for this exemption. The guidelines from the CRA only state that you need to "ordinarily occupy" the space for a "short amount of time," which might be interpreted in a number of ways.

How can I avoid paying Canadian capital gains tax on inherited property?

In Canada, converting an inherited property into principal home is the major method for avoiding capital gains tax. You or the estate wouldn't have to pay capital gains tax if the house was the decedent's principal residence when they transferred it on to you. The principal dwelling exemption is to blame for this. If you turn around and sell the property, though, you'll owe tax on half of the profit.

What is the lifetime capital gains exemption in Canada?

One restriction that affects certain small company owners is the lifetime capital gains exemption. If a person sells qualifying shares in a privately held company or agricultural or fishing property, they may defer capital gains tax on the sale up to a lifetime maximum. Shares in a privately held firm that is both operational and majority owned by Canadians are considered eligible. The taxpayer or a close relative of the taxpayer must have held the shares for at least 24 months before the transaction to be eligible for the exemption. There will be a $913,630 lifetime cap in 2022. A tax expert should be consulted since the laws are intricate. Stocks are excluded from the lifetime capital gains exemption.

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