Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Businesses are charged a fee when their customers pay by credit card. The credit card processing fee is called a merchant fee and is a percentage of the total purchase amount. The amount of the fee also varies by the type of card you use; the more perks for the cardholder, the higher the fee for the business.Over the years, businesses have seen these fees risen, especially smaller businesses who often pay much more than larger companies to accept credit cards making it more difficult for them to compete with large companies. After consultation with several major credit card companies, on October 6, 2022, the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) announced that businesses are now allowed to charge a processing fee for payments by credit card.

As long as you are turning 19 before April 1 of next year, you are eligible to apply for GST credit on your Tax Return for this year. You must also file last year’s tax return. If you have not done that yet, come to the nearest Unity Financial Services location and we’ll file it for you

You do not need to be single, divorced, separated or widowed throughout the year, but only at some time in the year and at that time you had a dependant living with you. You may qualify for an additional credit if any time in the year, you were Single, Divorced, Separated or Widowed. The “amount for an eligible dependent” is reduced by the income of the dependant for which the claim is made.

Your daughter needs form T2202A from her school. She must file her tax return and, based on other information, the tuition fees could be transferred to you.

Child care expenses have to claimed by person with lower income – in this case your wife. These expenses could be claimed by the person with higher income in some exceptional circumstances.

You can claim moving expenses to the extent of your income that you earned after your move. If you moved but could not claim all the moving expenses on the return for that year, you may be able to claim the remaining expenses on your return in a future year. In addition you can carry forward unused Moving Expenses amounts until you have enough income to claim them.

No you cannot claim Private School tuition fees.

No, you can use simplified method to claim meal expenses. You can claim three meals per day and $23 per meal. If you go to US then you can claim US $17. You need a signed copy of TL2 form that is signed by your employer.

EFILE is a service by CRA for professional EFilers. Efiler must register with CRA and get an agent number. Efiler can update the address and banking information for their clients and can do batch processing of tax returns. NETFILE is a service by CRA for individuals to file their personal tax returns over the internet. The individual must have a Web Access Code (WAC) to netfile their tax return using CRA certified software.

No, the traveling cost from home to work and work to home is considered personal expenses.

You need a signed T2200 from your employer to claim employment expenses. You should keep all the receipts and detailed log sheet of kilometers driven for business and personal.

You will need signed T2200 form, “Declaration of Conditions of Employment” from your employer. There are also additional requirements, based on the types of expenses you incur.

Yes, you may claim additional expenses, which may not be allowed to salaried employees such as property tax and insurance for home office expenses. Employment expenses are limited to commission income plus capital cost allowance and interest on car loan.

A passenger vehicle is an automobile purchased or leased after June 17, 1987. Most cars, station wagons, vans, and some pick-up trucks are passenger vehicles. Passenger vehicles are subject to the limits for capital cost allowance, interest, and leasing costs.

Since leasing cost exceeds $800 per month limit, the lease formula must be used to calculate allowable deduction.

You should take following factors into account.

How many miles are you expecting to travel? If you expect to have a lot of mileage then most leasing companies, charge additional fees over certain mileage. This information should be specified in leasing contract. You have to determine how much extra you have to pay over specified mileage. Then it might not be to your advantage to lease a car.
How often do you change a vehicle? Are you the type of person who changes a vehicle after two to three years or do you like to keep the same vehicle for five to ten years. It is better to lease if only keeping the vehicle for a short period of time.
Cash flow? Do you have enough cash to purchase a vehicle. If not, it may be better for you to lease. Since leasing a vehicle is easier for a person with bad credit rating.
Legal Issues: Do you have any court order against you, i.e. owe money to other people or in the course of divorce settlement. If so, then any of your assets may be seized or distributed. Then it might be better for you to lease a vehicle.
Tax Point: From a tax point of view, the difference between buying and leasing is minimal.
You have to look at other factors to determine what is the best decision for you.

You can claim the cost of supplies to repair the rental property. However, you cannot deduct the cost of your own labor. You can claim reasonable expenses incurred to transport tools and material to rental property.

You cannot claim the cost of appliances on the tax return. However you can claim the capital cost allowance on appliances. Capital cost allowance cannot be used to create or increase rental loss.

You can rent minor part of your house, however you should not claim capital cost allowance on your house.

You would have deemed disposition at FMV at the time of transfer. You will have to pay tax on capital gain if any. If this is depreciable property there may be recapture or terminal loss.

Yes, you would receive taxable benefit at the time of exercising. Taxable benefit will be calculated difference between fair market value at the time of exercise minus option price. However, you can file an election form T1212 to defer taxes until the disposition of shares.

On filing your previous year Tax Return, you would receive a Notice of Assessment from the Canada Revenue Agency. Your RRSP limit is calculated and shown on it. At the same time, you will have to consider any ‘undeducted amount’ on the same Notice as well as your obligation under Home Buyers’/Life-long Learning Plan(s). If you require any assistance in this connection, please visit any Unity Financial ServicesLocation.

If your father is 65 or older and his income is less than $17,363,either of you can claim caregiver amount for him. Maximum claim is $3,933 and income threshold is $13,430.He must be living with you (may be sometime during the year) and not sharing rent or engaging himself as caretaker for any of your children.

On filing your previous year Tax Return, you would receive a Notice of Assessment from the Canada Revenue Agency. Your RRSP limit is calculated and shown on it. At the same time, you will have to consider any ‘undeducted amount’ on the same Notice as well as your obligation under Home Buyers’/Life-long Learning Plan(s). If you require any assistance in this connection, please visit any Unity Financial ServicesLocation.

If your father is 65 or older and his income is less than $17,363,either of you can claim caregiver amount for him. Maximum claim is $3,933 and income threshold is $13,430.He must be living with you (may be sometime during the year) and not sharing rent or engaging himself as caretaker for any of your children.

Between you and your spouse medical expenses have to be claimed by the person whose income is lower. Certainly, either of you can claim for self, spouse and dependant child who is under 18 years old. However, the lower of $2397 and 3 % of your net income is not allowed. As far as claim on behalf of your daughter is concerned, you can claim her portion of expenses, only if she was dependent upon you for support. It has to be reduced by lower $2397 and 3 % of her income. Your claim is restricted to $ 10,000 per dependant. You can claim prescription drugs, dental treatment, eyeglasses; premium paid for private health coverage etc. For more guidance on the subject matter, visit any Unity Financial Serviceslocation near to you or call 905-273-4444.

Incorporation does make sense due to limited liability concept, splitting income, lower tax burden etc. In case you require assistance as to how to incorporate/tax implications as a result of incorporation, please drop-by at any Unity Financial Services location or call us at 905-273-4444. Our experienced, courteous staff will be happy to assist you.

Withdrawn amount has to be repaid over a 15-year period, starting with the second year after the withdrawal. Canada Revenue Agency notifies every year the date by which it has to be repaid and yearly instalment. If repayment through investment in RRSP (even if no room to invest) does not happen before the stipulated date, it is added as income for that year.

U.S. citizens are taxed on their worldwide income, no matter where they work. Some taxpayers may qualify for the foreign earned income exclusion and some other deductions, if their principal residence is in Canada and they lived in Canada for at least 330 days. If the taxpayer is temporarily away from his or her principal residence in the United States on business (less than a year), the taxpayer may qualify to deduct away from home expenses (for travel, meals, and lodging ) but would not qualify for the foreign earned income exclusion.

The foreign tax credit is intended to relieve U.S. taxpayers of the double tax burden when their Canadian income is taxed by both the United States and Canada. Generally, only income taxes paid in Canada qualify for the foreign tax credit. You can choose to take the amount of any qualified foreign taxes paid during the year as a foreign tax credit or as an itemized deduction.

You may not take either a credit or a deduction for taxes paid on income you exclude under the foreign earned income exclusion or the foreign housing exclusion. There is no double taxation in this situation because the income is not subject to U.S. tax.

Under Canada – U.S. tax treaty, the Canadian and US governments agreed to a residence-based system under which social security benefits are taxable exclusively in the country where the recipient resides. As a result, there is no tax on US Social Security benefits in US for you.