Two quarterly newsletters have been added—one dealing with personal issues, and one dealing with corporate issues.

Two quarterly newsletters have been added—one dealing with personal issues, and one dealing with corporate issues.

They can be accessed below.

Corporate:

Issue #54 Corporate

Personal:

Issue #54 Personal

The Employment Insurance premium rate for 2021 is unchanged at 1.58%.

The Employment Insurance premium rate for 2021 is unchanged at 1.58%.

Yearly maximum insurable earnings are set at $56,300, making the maximum employee premium $889.54.

As in previous years, employer premiums are 1.4 times the employee premium. The maximum employer premium for 2021 is therefore $1,245.36.

The Quebec Pension Plan contribution rate for 2021 is set at 5.9% of pensionable earnings for the year.

The Quebec Pension Plan contribution rate for 2021 is set at 5.9% of pensionable earnings for the year.

Maximum pensionable earnings for the year will be $61,600, and the basic exemption is unchanged at $3,500.

The maximum employer and employee contributions to the plan for 2021 will be $3,427.90 each.

The Canada Pension Plan contribution rate for 2021 is set at 5.45% of pensionable earnings for the year.

The Canada Pension Plan contribution rate for 2021 is set at 5.45% of pensionable earnings for the year.

Maximum pensionable earnings for the year will be $61,600, and the basic exemption is unchanged at $3,500.

The maximum employer and employee contributions to the plan for 2021 will be $3166.45 each, and the maximum self-employed contribution will be $6,332.90.

Dollar amounts on which individual non-refundable federal tax credits for 2021 are based, and the actual tax credit claimable, will be as follows:

Dollar amounts on which individual non-refundable federal tax credits for 2021 are based, and the actual tax credit claimable, will be as follows:

                                                                 Credit amount                        Tax credit

Basic personal amount*                                   13,808                               2,071.20

Spouse or common law

   partner amount*                                          13,808                               2,071.20

Eligible dependant amount*                             13,808                               2,071.20

Age amount                                                    7,713                                1,156.95

Net income threshold for erosion of 

age credit                                                      38,893

Canada employment amount                           1,257                                  188.55

Disability amount                                           8,662                                 1,299.30

Adoption expenses credit                               16,729                                2,509.35

Medical expense tax credit

Income threshold amount                               2,421

*For taxpayers having net income for the year of more than $151,978, amounts claimable for the basic personal amount, the spousal amount, and the eligible dependant amount for 2021 may differ.

The indexing factor for federal tax credits and brackets for 2021 is 1.0%. The following federal tax rates and brackets will be in effect for individuals for the 2021 tax year.

The indexing factor for federal tax credits and brackets for 2021 is 1%. The following federal tax rates and brackets will be in effect for individuals for the 2021 tax year.

Income level                                          Federal tax rate

$13,808 - $49,020                                        15%

$49,021 - $98,040                                       20.5%

$98,041 - $151,978                                      26%

$151,979 - $216,511                                    29%

Over $216,511                                             33%

Each new tax year brings with it a listing of tax payment and filing deadlines, as well as some changes with respect to tax planning strategies. Some of the more significant dates and changes for individual taxpayers for 2021 are listed below.

Each new tax year brings with it a listing of tax payment and filing deadlines, as well as some changes with respect to tax planning strategies. Some of the more significant dates and changes for individual taxpayers for 2021 are listed below.

RRSP deduction limit and contribution deadline

The RRSP current year contribution limit for the 2020 tax year is $27,230. In order to make the maximum current year contribution for 2020 (for which the contribution deadline will be Monday March 1, 2021), it will be necessary to have earned income for the 2019 taxation year of $151,278.

Tax-free savings account (TFSA) contribution limit

The TFSA contribution limit for 2021 is unchanged at $6,000. The actual amount which can be contributed by a particular individual includes both the current-year limit and any carryover of uncontributed or re-contribution amounts from previous taxation years.

Taxpayers can find out their personal 2021 contribution limit by calling the Canada Revenue Agency’s (CRA) Individual Income Tax Enquiries line at 1-800-959-8281. Those who have registered for the CRA’s online tax service My Account can obtain that information by logging into that service.

Individual tax instalment deadlines for 2021

Millions of individual taxpayers pay income tax by quarterly instalments, which are due on the 15^th day of March, June, September, and December 2021.

The actual tax instalment due dates for 2021 are as follows:

Monday March 15, 2021

Tuesday June 15, 2021

Wednesday September 15, 2021

Wednesday December 15, 2021

Old Age Security income clawback threshold

For 2021, the income level above which Old Age Security (OAS) benefits are clawed back is $79,845.

Individual tax filing and payment deadlines in 2021

For all individual taxpayers, including those who are self-employed, the deadline for payment of all income tax owed for the 2020 tax year is Friday, April 30, 2021.

Taxpayers (other than the self-employed and their spouses) must file an income tax return for 2020 on or before Friday, April 30, 2021.

Self-employed taxpayers and their spouses must file a 2020 income tax return on or before Tuesday June 15, 2021.

Planning for – or even thinking about – next year’s taxes when it’s not yet even mid-December may seem more than a little premature. However, most Canadians will start paying their taxes for 2021 with the first paycheque they receive in January, and it’s worth taking a bit of time to make sure that things start off – and stay – on the right foot.

Planning for – or even thinking about – next year’s taxes when it’s not yet even mid-December may seem more than a little premature. However, most Canadians will start paying their taxes for 2021 with the first paycheque they receive in January, and it’s worth taking a bit of time to make sure that things start off – and stay – on the right foot.

For most Canadians, (certainly for the vast majority who earn their income from employment), income tax, along with other statutory deductions like Canada Pension Plan contributions and Employment Insurance premiums, are paid periodically throughout the year by means of deductions taken from each paycheque received, with those deductions then remitted to the Canada Revenue Agency on the taxpayer’s behalf by his or her employer.

Of course, each taxpayer’s situation is unique and so the employer has to have some guidance as to how much to deduct and remit on behalf of each employee. That guidance is provided by the employee/taxpayer in the form of TD1 forms which are completed and signed by each employee, sometimes at the start of each year, but certainly at the time employment commences. Each employee must, in fact, complete two TD1 forms – one for federal tax purposes and the other for provincial tax imposed by the province in which the taxpayer lives. Federal and provincial TD1 forms for 2021 (which have not yet been released by the Canada Revenue Agency but, once published, will be available on the Agency’s website at https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/forms-publications/td1-personal-tax-credits-returns/td1-forms-pay-received-on-january-1-later.html) list the most common statutory credits claimed by taxpayers, including the basic personal credit, the spousal credit amount and the age amount. Adding amounts claimed on each form gives the Total Claim Amounts (one federal, one provincial) which the employer then uses to determine, based on tables issued by the CRA, the amount of income tax which should be deducted (or withheld) from each of the employee’s paycheques and remitted on his or her behalf to the federal government.

While the TD1 completed by the employee at the time his or her employment commenced will have accurately reflected the credits claimable by the employee at that time, everyone’s life circumstances change. Where a baby is born, or a son or daughter starts post-secondary education, a taxpayer turns 65 years of age, or an elderly parent comes to live with his or her children, the affected taxpayer will be become eligible to claim tax credits not previously available. And, since the employer can only calculate source deductions based on information provided to it by the employee, those new credit claims won’t be reflected in the amounts deducted at source from the employee’s paycheque.

Consequently, it’s a good idea for all employees to review the TD1 form prior to the start of each taxation year and to make any changes needed to ensure that a claim is made for any and all credit amounts currently available to him or her. Doing so will ensure that the correct amount of tax is deducted at source throughout the year.

As well, it’s often the case that a taxpayer will have available deductions which cannot be recorded on the TD1, like RRSP contributions, deductible support payments or child care expenses. While such claims make things a little more complicated, it’s still possible to have source deductions adjusted to accurately reflect those claims, and the employee’s resulting reduced tax liability for 2021. The way to do so is to file Form T1213 - Request to Reduce Tax Deductions at Source (available on the CRA website at https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/forms-publications/forms/t1213.html) with the Agency. Once that form is filed with the CRA, the Agency will, after verifying that the claims made are accurate, provide the employer with a Letter of Authority authorizing that employer to reduce the amount of tax being withheld from the employee’s paycheque. 

Of course, as with all things bureaucratic, having one’s source deductions reduced by filing a T1213 takes time. While a T1213 can be filed with the CRA at any time of the year, the sooner it’s done, the sooner source deductions can be adjusted, effective for all subsequent paycheques. Providing an employer with an updated TD1 for 2021 as soon as possible, along with filing the T1213 with the CRA, will ensure that source deductions made starting January 1, 2021 will accurately reflect all of the employee’s current circumstances, and consequently his or her actual tax liability for the year.

During the month of December, it’s customary for employers to provide something “extra” for their employees, by way of a holiday gift, a year-end bonus or an employer-sponsored social event. And while the annual office holiday party definitely won’t be happening in 2020, employees may still be able to look forward to something additional in the way of compensation during the last month of the year.

During the month of December, it’s customary for employers to provide something “extra” for their employees, by way of a holiday gift, a year-end bonus or an employer-sponsored social event. And while the annual office holiday party definitely won’t be happening in 2020, employees may still be able to look forward to something additional in the way of compensation during the last month of the year.

It’s certainly the case that employers who provide such extras don’t intend to create a tax liability for their employees. Unfortunately, it’s also the case that a failure to properly structure such gifts or other extras can result in unintended and unwelcome tax consequences to those employees.

Trying to formulate and administer the tax rules around holiday gifts is something of a no-win situation for the Canada Revenue Agency. On an individual or even a company level, the amounts involved are usually small, or even nominal, and the range of situations which must be addressed by the related tax rules are virtually limitless. As a result, the cost of drafting and administering those rules can outweigh the revenue generated by the enforcement of such rules, to say nothing of the potential ill will generated by imposing tax consequences on holiday gifts. Notwithstanding, the potential exists for employers to provide what would otherwise be taxable remuneration in the guise of holiday gifts, and it’s the responsibility of the tax authorities to ensure that such situations don’t slip through the tax net.

There is, as a result, a detailed set of rules which outline the tax consequences of gifts and awards provided by the employer. The starting point for the rules is that any gift (cash or non-cash) received by an employee from his or her employer at any time of the year is considered to constitute a taxable benefit, to be included in the employee’s income for that year. However, the CRA makes an administrative concession in this area, allowing non-cash gifts (within a specified dollar limit) to be received tax-free by employees, as long as such gifts are given on religious holidays such as Christmas or Hanukkah, or on the occasion of a significant life event, like a birthday, a marriage or the birth of a child.

In sum, the CRA’s administrative policy is simply that non-cash gifts to an arm’s length employee, regardless of the number of such gifts, will not be taxable if the total fair market value of all such  gifts (including goods and services tax or harmonized sales tax) to that employee is $500 or less annually. The total value over $500 annually will be a taxable benefit to the employee, and must be included on the employee’s T4 for the year, and on which income tax must be paid.

It’s important to remember the “non-cash” criterion imposed by the CRA, as the $500 per year administrative concession does not apply to what the CRA terms “cash or near-cash” gifts and all such gifts are considered to be a taxable benefit and included in income for tax purposes, regardless of amount. For this purpose, the CRA considers anything which could be easily converted to cash as a “near-cash” gift. Even a gift or award which cannot be converted to cash will be considered to be a near-cash gift if, in the CRA’s words, it “functions in the same way as cash”. So, a gift card or gift certificate which can be used by the employee to purchase his or her choice of merchandise or services would be considered a near-cash gift, and taxable as such. It’s not hard to see that drawing a firm line between cash and non-cash gifts can be difficult. The CRA provides the following information and examples to help clarify that difference.

You give your employee a voucher (which may be a ticket or a certificate) that entitles the employee to receive an item for a set value at a store. For example, you may give your employees a voucher for a turkey valued up to $30 as a Christmas gift, and for convenience, you arrange for your employees to go to a particular grocery store and exchange the voucher for a turkey. The employees can only use the voucher to receive a turkey valued up to $30 (no substitutes). Such vouchers are generally considered non cash gifts.

You give your employee a $100 gift card or gift certificate to a department store. The employee can use this to purchase whatever merchandise or service the store offers. We consider the gift card or gift certificate to be an additional remuneration that is a taxable benefit for the employee because it functions in the same way as cash.

It may seem nearly impossible to plan for employee holiday gifts and other benefits without running afoul of one or more of the detailed rules and administrative policies surrounding the taxation of such gifts and benefits. However, designing a tax-effective plan is possible, if the following rules are kept in mind.

Any cash or near-cash gifts should be avoided, as they will, no matter how large or small the amount, create a taxable benefit to the employee. Although gift certificates or pre-paid credit cards are a popular choice, they aren’t a tax-effective one, as they will invariably be considered by the CRA to create a taxable benefit to the employee.

Where non-cash holiday gifts are provided to employees, gifts with a value of up to $500 can be received free of tax. The employer must be mindful of the fact that the $500 limit is a per-year and not a per-occasion limit. Where the employee receives non-cash gifts with a total value of more than $500 in any one taxation year, the portion over $500 is a taxable benefit to the employee.

While the rules around employer gifts aren’t complex, it is necessary to consider carefully the kinds of gifts which are given and to be mindful of the annual $500 per employee limit on non-cash gifts. At the end of the day, a gift which results in unintended and unwanted tax consequences to the employee will leave the employer looking a lot less like Santa and a lot more like Scrooge!

While Canadians benefit from a publicly funded health care system, there are nonetheless a significant (and increasing) number of medical and para-medical expenses which are not covered by provincial health care plans. As well, an increasing number of Canadians – who may work on contract or who hold several part-time jobs - do not have private insurance coverage for such costs through their employer.

While Canadians benefit from a publicly funded health care system, there are nonetheless a significant (and increasing) number of medical and para-medical expenses which are not covered by provincial health care plans. As well, an increasing number of Canadians – who may work on contract or who hold several part-time jobs - do not have private insurance coverage for such costs through their employer.

In many instances, therefore, Canadians have to pay for such unavoidable expenditures – including dental care, prescription drugs, ambulance trips and many other para-medical services, like physiotherapy, on an out-of-pocket basis. The good news is that where such costs must be paid for partially or entirely by the taxpayer, the tax system provides a medical expense tax credit to help offset those costs. The bad news is that the computation of such expenses and, in particular, the timing of making a claim for the credit, can be confusing. In addition, the determination of what expenses qualify for the credit and which do not isn’t necessarily intuitive, nor is the determination of when it’s necessary to obtain prior authorization from a medical professional in order to ensure that the contemplated expenditure will qualify for the credit.

The basic rule is that qualifying medical expenses (a lengthy list of which can be found on the Canada Revenue Agency website at https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/tax/individuals/topics/about-your-tax-return/tax-return/completing-a-tax-return/deductions-credits-expenses/lines-33099-33199-eligible-medical-expenses-you-claim-on-your-tax-return.html) over 3% of the taxpayer’s net income, or $2,397, whichever is less, can be claimed for purposes of the medical expense tax credit on the taxpayer’s return for 2020.

Put in more practical terms, the rule for 2020 is that any taxpayer whose net income is less than $79,900 will be entitled to claim medical expenses that are greater than 3% of his or her net income for the year. Those having income over $79,900 will be limited to claiming qualifying expenses which exceed the $2,397 threshold.

The other aspect of the medical expense tax credit which can cause some confusion is that it’s possible to claim medical expenses which were incurred prior to the current tax year, but weren’t claimed on the return for the year that the expenditure was made. The actual rule is that the taxpayer can claim qualifying medical expenses incurred during any 12-month period which ends in the current tax year, meaning that each taxpayer must determine which 12-month period ending in 2020 will produce the greatest amount eligible for the credit. That determination will obviously depend on when medical expenses were incurred so there is, unfortunately, no universal rule of thumb which can be used.

Medical expenses incurred by family members – the taxpayer, his or her spouse, children who were born in 2003 or later, and certain other dependent relatives - can be added together and claimed by one member of the family. In most cases, it’s best, in order to maximize the amount claimable, to make that claim on the tax return of the lower income spouse, where that spouse has tax payable for the year.

As December 31^st approaches, it’s a good idea to add up the medical expenses which have been incurred during 2020, as well as those paid during 2019 and not claimed on the 2019 return. Once those totals are known, it will be easier to determine whether to make a claim for 2020 or to wait and claim 2020 expenses on the return for 2021. And, if the decision is to make a claim for 2020, knowing what medical expenses were paid, and when, will enable the taxpayer to determine the optimal 12-month period for that claim.

It’s worth noting that, for many Canadians, 2020 has been a year in which income was reduced, owing to temporary layoffs or even permanent job loss. Where income is lower (assuming such income is below the $79,900 threshold), the extent to which qualifying medical expenses incurred during the year will be claimable for purposes of the medical expense tax credit increases. Take, for example, an individual who was laid off for three months during 2020 and who has incurred $2,500 in eligible medical expenses. If that individual’s income for 2020 is $30,000, he or she will be able to claim $1,600 of those expenses for purposes of the medical expense tax credit. If the individual returns to full employment in 2021 and earns $40,000, he or she will be able to claim only $1,300 of those eligible medical expenses on the return for 2021.

Finally, it’s a good idea to look into the timing of medical expenses which will have to be paid early in 2021. Where those are significant expenses (for instance, a particularly costly medication which must be taken on an ongoing basis) it may make sense, where possible, to accelerate the payment of those expenses to December 2020, where that means they can be included in 2020 totals and claimed on the 2020 return.

Canadian Emergency Response Benefit

In March of this year, in response to the pandemic, the federal government announced and rolled out a number of benefit programs to assist individuals who had experienced a pandemic-related interruption in earnings.

Canadian Emergency Response Benefit

In March of this year, in response to the pandemic, the federal government announced and rolled out a number of benefit programs to assist individuals who had experienced a pandemic-related interruption in earnings.

The most widely used of those benefits was the Canada Emergency Response Benefit, or CERB, which was received by over 8 million individual Canadians. That CERB benefit, of $500 per week, ran from mid-March until the end of September, meaning that those who were eligible for CERB for that entire period could have received as much as $14,000.

When the CERB program was launched, the priority for the federal government was getting the benefit into the hands of Canadian as quickly as possible. Consequently, although the CERB represented taxable income to those who received it, no tax was deducted from the benefits paid. As a result, anyone who received CERB (and did not repay it) will receive a T4A slip for that income, will need to report it on their income tax return for 2020 and will have to pay tax on that income when the return is filed in the spring of 2021.

While that filing and payment deadline is still months away, it would be prudent for CERB recipients to at least determine how much tax will be payable and to start to make provision for setting that money aside. The amount of tax owed on CERB benefits will depend, of course, on the amount of benefit received, but also on the taxpayer’s total income for 2020 and on the province or territory in which the taxpayer resides.

Taxpayers can arrive at a rough estimate the amount of federal tax payable on their CERB benefits as follows:

• For taxpayers having income for 2020 from all sources of less than $50,000, the percentage of tax payable on CERB received will be 15%.
• For taxpayers having income for 2020 from all sources of between $50,000 and $100,000, the percentage of tax payable on CERB received will be 20.5%.
• For taxpayers having income for 2020 from all sources of between $100,000 and $150,000, the percentage of tax payable on CERB received will be 26%.
• For taxpayers having income for 2020 from all sources of between $150,000 and $214,400, the percentage of tax payable on CERB received will be 29%.
• For taxpayers having income for 2020 from all sources of more than $214,400, the percentage of tax payable on CERB received will be 33%.

Of course, in each case, provincial or territorial tax must be added to arrive at the total tax payable on CERB amounts received. The provincial and territorial tax rates which apply for 2020 at different income levels can be found on the Canada Revenue Agency website at https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/tax/individuals/frequently-asked-questions-individuals/canadian-income-tax-rates-individuals-current-previous-years.html#provincial.

Home office expenses

One of the hallmarks of 2020 has been the number of Canadians working from home. A  work-from-home arrangement has many benefits, and one of the less known of those benefits is the ability to claim a tax deduction on the 2020 tax return for household costs that would have been incurred in any event.

In order to claim a deduction for costs related to a work from home space, employees must meet at least one of the following conditions.

• The home work space is where the individual mainly (more than 50% of the time) does their work; or
• the individual uses the workspace only to earn his or her employment income. He or she must also use it on a regular and continuous basis for meeting clients, customers, or other people in the course of his or her employment duties.

To establish that the required circumstances exist, and that the employee is not receiving an allowance or a reimbursement for home office expenses from the employer it’s necessary to have a particular form completed and signed by that employer. That form, the T2200, can be found on the CRA website at https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/forms-publications/forms/t2200.html.

Once the requisite criteria are met, and certified by the employer on the T2200, a broad range of costs become deductible by the employee. Specifically, a salaried employee can claim and deduct the part of specified costs that relate to his or her work space, such as the cost of electricity, heating and home maintenance.

Where an individual who qualifies under either of the criteria outlined above is a commission employee, an even broader range of costs become deductible. In addition to costs for electricity, heating and home maintenance, a commission employee can also deduct a proportionate share of costs incurred for property taxes and home insurance.

There is no specific formula provided for determining the proportion of eligible costs which can be deducted for qualifying home office expenses. The employee can determine that percentage based on the square footage of the workspace as a percentage of the overall square footage of the home, or he or she can make that calculation based on the number of rooms in the house or apartment relative to the number of rooms used for work-related purposes. Whichever method is chosen, the most important consideration is that the approach taken (and the expenses claimed) be reasonable. In all cases, the Canada Revenue Agency can ask the taxpayer to provide documentation and support for claims made.

In order to determine the amount of any deduction for eligible home office expenses which can be claimed on the return for 2020, it’s necessary to gather together bills and receipts for the various expense categories (utilities bills, property tax notices etc.). It’s a tedious and sometimes time-consuming task, but necessary both in order to determine the amount of any available deduction and to have the required documentation for that deduction available should the CRA ask to see it. The T2200 signed by the employer does not have to be filed with the return, but should also be kept as part of that documentation.

RRSP contributions to be made by the calendar year-end

Most Canadians, even those who aren’t particularly familiar with our tax system, know that contributions to one’s registered retirement savings plan (RRSP) must be made by the end of February to be claimed as a deduction on the return for the previous calendar year.

There are, however, two instances in which making an RRSP contribution before the end of the calendar year is either necessary or advisable.

The first such instance affects Canadians who turn 71 years of age during 2020. Each of those individuals must collapse their RRSP by the end of 2020 – usually by converting the RRSP into a registered retirement income fund (RRIF) or by purchasing an annuity. An individual who turns 71 during the year is still entitled to make a final RRSP contribution for that year, assuming that he or she has sufficient contribution room. However, in such cases, the 60-day window for contributions after December 31^st is not available. Any RRSP contribution to be made by a person who turns 71 during the year must be made by December 31^st of that year.

The other instance in which it is advisable to make the contribution before December 31 relates to spousal RRSP contributions. Under Canadian tax rules, a taxpayer can make a contribution to a registered retirement savings plans (RRSP) in his or her spouse’s name and claim the deduction for the contribution on his or her own return. When the funds are withdrawn by the spouse, the amounts are taxed as the spouse’s income, at a (presumably) lower tax rate. However, the benefit of having withdrawals taxed in the hands of the spouse is available only where the withdrawal takes place no sooner than the end of the second calendar year following the year in which the contribution is made. Therefore, where a contribution to a spousal RRSP is made in December of 2020, the contributor can claim a deduction for that contribution on his or her return for 2020. The spouse can then withdraw that amount as early as January 1, 2023 and have it taxed in his or her own hands. If the contribution isn’t made until January or February of 2021, the contributor can still claim a deduction for it on the 2020 tax return, but the amount won’t be eligible to be taxed in the spouse’s hands on withdrawal until January 1, 2024. It’s an especially important consideration for couples who are approaching retirement who may plan on withdrawing funds in the relatively new future. Even where that’s not the situation, making the contribution before the end of the calendar year will ensure maximum flexibility should the need for an unplanned withdrawal arise.

Adjusting the final individual income tax instalment

It’s also possible for some taxpayers to adjust the amount of remaining tax they will pay for 2020. The majority of Canadians pay their taxes by having those taxes deducted by their employer from their regular paycheque and submitted to the Canada Revenue Agency on their behalf. However, there are millions of taxpayers who pay income taxes by quarterly instalments, with the amount of those instalments representing an estimate of the taxpayer’s total liability for the year.

The final quarterly instalment for this year will be due on Tuesday December 15, 2020. By that time, almost everyone will have a reasonably good idea of what his or her income and deductions will be for 2020 and so will be in a position to estimate what the final tax bill for the year will be, taking into account any tax planning strategies already put in place, as well as any RRSP contributions which will be made on or before March 1, 2021. While the tax return forms to be used for the 2020 year haven’t yet been released by the Canada Revenue Agency, it’s possible to arrive at an estimate by using the 2019 form. Increases in tax credit amounts and tax brackets from 2019 to 2020 will mean that using the 2019 form will likely result in a slight over-estimate of tax liability for 2020.

Once an estimate of one’s tax bill for 2020 has been calculated, that figure should be compared to the total of tax instalments already made during this calendar year (that figure can be obtained by calling the CRA’s Individual Income Tax Enquiries line at 1-800-959-8281). Depending on the result, it may then be possible to reduce the amount of the tax instalment to be paid on December 15 – and thereby free up some funds for the inevitable holiday spending!

How to check: At the home page press “F2”. Just below “Product Information” you’ll see “Product” and the type of Quickbooks you are using. If at the end of the product type it says Release R5P that tells us that you are using the 2010 version and if it says R7P then it’s 2009.

FOR QUICKBOOKS “2009”

1. Go to “Lists” (at top of page) – then select “Sales Tax Code List” add new code H

2. Under “Sales Tax Code” (bottom) select “New”

3. Sales Tax Code would be “H” – Description would be “HST” – check off “Taxable” – under Taxable information in the “Tax Item for Purchases” type in HST on Purchases (ITC)

4. A box will come up “Item Not Found, Quickbooks does not have sales information for ‘HST on Purchases’. Would you like to add it now? If not, please go back and select an existing sales tax. – Choose “Yes”.

5. The a new box will come up “New Item”. The “Type” should be Sales Tax Item – under the Sales Tax Name, type in “HST on Purchases (ITC)” and in the “Description” box the “HST on Purchases (ITC) should automatically pop in. Under “Tax Rate (%) or Amt” change the “0.0%” to 13%, and under “Tax Agency (vendor that you collect for)” choose “Receiver General”. Then where it has “Sales Tax Line” choose the pull down and select “Line 106 Input tax Credits (ITCs) “. Then select “OK”

6. The “New Item” box will close and you will have the box “New Sales Tax Code” box showing. At the bottom where it says “Tax Item for Sale” choose the pull down and select “Add New”. Follow the instructions in #5 above with the following exceptions “Sales Tax Name” should be “HST on sales”, the Description should be “HST on sales” and the “Sales Tax Return Line” in the pull down you should select “Line 103 GST/HST collected or collectible” then select “OK”

7. The “New Sales Tax Code” box will now be visible, just select “OK”. Then you’ll see the “Sales Tax Code List” just exit from that.

8. On July 1, 2010 you must go to “Lists” – “Item List”, double click on the name of the 1st item. An “Edit Item” box comes up. Down near the bottom right you’ll see “Tax Code”. Change that to “H” as in “HST”. You will need to do this to each item in your Item List.

NOTE: If you have customers you sell to, who do not have the 13% HST as Ontario/BC you then need to create additional tax codes i.e. 0% (exempt). Then when you edit the “Item List” you would put the appropriate tax code with the item name.

FOR QUICKBOOKS “2010”

1. Go to “Sales Tax” (at top of page), select “Manage Sales Tax”

2. Click on “Change Tax Setup” on the right side under “Sales Tax Setup”

3. In the “Sales Tax Code Setup Wizard” tick on the last item “Set up for British Columbia and/or Ontario”. Select Finish

4. The “Convert your sales tax to HST” box will come up. Beside (1) Set up HST British Columbia , look down just a bit and you’ll see “Set up HST for Ontario” – click and a box “Sales Tax Code Created – A new sales tax code H, has been created for HST in ON.”, click on OK

5. Under #2 “Update default sales tax code, select the “H” from the pull down

6. Do not perform Item #3 “Change the sales tax codes for lists and accounts” if prior to July 1st. If it is July 1st then continue onto Step 7 below.

If Steps 2 to 5 was performed prior to July 1st then go to “Sales Tax”, “Manage Sales Tax”, click on “Assign Tax Codes” on the right hand side. Continue on

7. Select “Change the sales tax codes for lists and accounts”.

8. You’ll see “Items” beside “change tax codes for:” If you go to the pop down you’ll also see Vendors, Customers and Accounts. In each category you can change each listing individually or you can do a “Bulk Change”. If you are going to be using strictly HST you can do everything in bulk, but you may have to do it more than once in each category if you had previously used “S” Standard, “E” Exempt, or “P” PST. Even after the bulk change you can go and change an individual item. To perform the assigning of the tax codes, under “Items” press “Bulk Change”. A “Backup Company” warning will come up. We highly recommend that you create a backup at this point (Note this warning will come up each time you wish to perform the bulk change. It is your choice whether to do another backup or not). Click “Yes” if you wish to make that backup.

After back up is complete you’ll get a box called “Sales Tax Code Bulk Assignment”, with each listing of what needs to be changed. Recommend that you do each listing individually so that you can follow what is happening. Tick the first box “Sales Item”. If previously, you had a lot of “G”s for GST then pick G in the pull down and then select "H" for HST for the going “to”. Click “Next”. You’ll then get a warning telling you what you are about to do, with what and with the number of changes being made. You can then go back to review if you wish or press “Next”. If press next the changes will be made. You can then go and make additional changes to the “Sale Tax Code” or you then go on to the other listings: Purchase Tax Code, Vendors, Customers and Accounts.

9. When all have been performed, press “Close” and “Close”.