An overview of COVID-19 government support programs
Learn about the measures the federal government has introduced to help Canadians manage the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Learn about the measures the federal government has introduced to help Canadians manage the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
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The 25 per cent reduction in mandatory Registered Retirement Income Fund (RRIF) minimums for 2020 was one of a handful of tax relief measures the Canadian federal government implemented as part of its COVID-19 economic stimulus. The government has made similar changes in the past, with the RRIF minimums temporarily reduced by 25 per cent in 2008 amid the global financial crisis. RRIF minimums also came into focus in 2015, with the government lowering the prescribed factors it uses to calculate minimum withdrawals. Reducing RRIF minimums is aimed at increasing financial longevity for individuals in retirement who are living longer. The government has also changed the age at which Registered Retirement Savings Plans (RRSPs) mature several times over the years. Originally set at age 71, it changed to age 69 in 1996 and changed back to age 71 in 2007.
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Updated March 25, 2020
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The Thursday, April 30 tax filing deadline for individuals is coming up fast. Here’s a summary of new limits, new rates, tax changes and new services.
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Learn how to maximize long-term tax benefits using tax-sheltered or tax-deferred registered plans.
One of the biggest benefits of registered plans in Canada is the tax-deferral opportunity on the compound growth inside the plans. In other words, registered plans generally allow investors to avoid the periodic tax on investment income generated; non-registered plans, in contrast, expose investors to annual taxation of income distributions. Without the annual “tax-drag,” investments in registered plans can grow faster than investments in non-registered plans. Given that, which registered plan is best to use? Here are key factors to consider when deciding whether to invest in a Registered Retirement Savings Plan (RRSP) or a Tax-Free Savings Account (TFSA).
RRSP contributions are deductible against income, and RRSP redemptions are 100% taxable as income. TFSA contributions are made with after-tax money, and TFSA withdrawals are tax-free. Funds grow inside both plans on a tax-deferred basis.
RRSPs and TFSAs are, in fact, designed to be tax neutral, assuming a constant marginal tax rate (MTR). When an investor has a constant MTR throughout his or her working and retirement years, there should be no difference between an RRSP and a TFSA in net after-tax income.
As the year-end approaches, many investors with taxable accounts may be seeking to dispose of securities that have lost money. The strategy of tax-loss selling allows the investor to claim a capital loss, which offsets capital gains for the current year. Any unused net capital losses can then be applied against taxable capital gains in any of the three preceding years, or carried forward indefinitely to future years. To realize capital gains and losses in 2018, trades must be executed by Thursday, December 27 to ensure settlement by Monday, December 31, the last business day of 2018.
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On July 18, 2017, the Department of Finance Canada released a consultation paper and draft legislation on the use of various tax-planning strategies through private corporations (otherwise referred to as Canadian small businesses). During the consultation period, which ended on October 2, 2017, the public was given the opportunity to comment on the proposed changes. The Government received an astounding 21,000 submissions during this period. Further changes to the proposals were announced in October 2017 (see below) through to the Fall Economic Statement released on October 24, 2017. Below is an updated summary of the proposals.
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