Insights

Effective February 12, 2021, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has begun receiving 2020 tax returns in the U.S. In 2020, the American have moved to Canada in record numbers. Whether you have recently moved to Canada or have been living here for a while, there are a couple of things to know when it comes to your tax...

Many businesses in Canada have taken advantage of Canada Emergency Business Account (CEBA). The initial program offered $40,000 with 1/4 i.e. $10,000 is forgivable if certain conditions are met. Later on, the program expanded and offered an additional $60,000 with an additional $10,000 forgivable. The forgivable portion...

Have you recently received a contract offer from a business that has asked you to incorporate yourself? By the way, this is very trendy in the IT and transportation industry! We receive a couple of requests every day for such incorporations. Most of the time, because the “employer” (yes, the word used by...

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) issues an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) for federal tax purposes. If you have the U.S. tax filing requirement and do not have a Social Security Number (SSN), you need an ITIN to file your income tax return. The IRS does not issue ITIN to whoever applies for it....

A lot of people have claimed CERB for the full 28 weeks period, totalling up to $14,000. Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) has issued letters to the taxpayers who they think might not have been eligible. The confusion came because the CRA did not mention the word “Net” while explaining the self-employment for...

The year 2020 is approaching an end! This is the time of the year when you should not forget important tax planning to best optimize your 2020 income taxes in Canada. We have compiled a brief list for the end of year tax planning for individuals in 2020. Income Tax Effects of COVID-19 Benefits Received in 2020 Many...

There are many ways small business owners can optimize their corporate income taxes for 2020. This post is for the small to medium-sized businesses operating in the corporate form. Further, we do not recommend relying solely on this post for corporate tax planning purposes. It is always better to consult your corporate...

Property flipping is an increasingly common practice to buy a property and then reselling it for a quick profit. Property flipping also includes assignment sales a.k.a. shadow flipping. Shadow flipping is the sale of a property before taking possession, mostly in cases of new constructions with builders. Property...

Canada Emergency Business Account (aka CEBA) has been the most talked-about government support program for small businesses. Since its launch, it has helped many small businesses with the liquidity pressures faced during the pandemic. Many small businesses find the ease of access and a waiver of $10,000 out of $40,000...

Canada Emergency Rent Subsidy (CERS) applications are open now. CERS provides much-needed support to Canadian businesses struggling with rent payments during the pandemic. If you have already applied for Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS) you will find the process quite familiar. In the below post, we are going to...

As we are in the final quarter of 2020, many wonder if they are subject to U.S. Income taxes due to the travel restrictions earlier in the year! Good News: Yes, there is an exception available! Generally, if you meet the substantial presence test (SPT), you are subject to U.S. income tax filing requirements. May...

Pitching is about hitting the bull’s eye to get that ‘YES’ from investors. But it’s not that simple! Did you know 90% of start-ups fail? Yes, and, it’s the percentage of pitches that fail more. Avoiding common pitfalls while preparing your pitch deck can save plenty of things right off the...

For a while, Silicon Valley in the United States has been a Research and Development hub in the world. Well, that may change soon. According to the 2019 global technology innovation report, the US and China grab the topmost place in the list of emerging research and development hubs. 58% of respondents to the survey...

Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS) has been providing significant support to Canadian jobs by covering 75% of employee’s wages (sometimes up to 85%, see new CEWS rules). A total of $35.31 billion has been paid under CEWS to unique applicants of 312,750 against 1,094,330 applications made by them (see updated...

The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) has introduced additional reporting requirements for T4 Information returns of 2020. The purpose of these additional requirements is to validate the benefit payments to Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB), Canada Emergency Students Benefits (CESB) and Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy...

10 Reasons to Invest in Canada Planning to start a business or looking to expand internationally? Well, Canada is the place for you. Investing in Canada offers plenty of opportunities in terms of everything right from the urban infrastructure to political stability. Did you know that Canada has the soundest banking...

NOTE: the Government is proposing to extend the CEWS further until June 2021. Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS) has undergone major changes in July 2020. Extension of CEWS until end of 2020 Wage subsidy has been split into two parts; Base Subsidy and Top-up Subsidy Inclusion of more eligible employees CEWS access...

It is not unusual for Canadian businesses to expand into the United States. U.S. and Canada have two different tax systems and such a decision needs careful planning and consideration. In this post, we are going to have a quick overview of different structures that can be adopted by Canadian businesses to operate in the...

In Canada, there are different types of corporations for tax purposes. Canadian Controlled Private Corporations (CCPC) enjoy lower income tax rates on corporate profits because of small business deduction. In order to qualify for the CCPC status, certain requirements need to be met. For example, the control of the...