Tax

Technical brief: Tax credits for science, research and development

Scientific research and experimental development (SR&ED) often evokes images of laboratory technicians and test tubes, but even basic development work — done by many business owners and taxpayers in Canada — may qualify for SR&ED tax incentives. Even if research work is done outside of Canada, recent tax policy changes to the SR&ED investment tax […]

By Vik Sachdev |March 16, 2009

4 min read

U.S. pensions and RRSP transfers

In both Canada and the United States, many employers are reducing their workforce numbers. If you have clients who have left jobs in the U.S. to resettle in Canada, you may be able to help them amalgamate their cross-border retirement plans. Under the right circumstances, this can simplify retirement planning and reduce or eliminate the […]

By Carol Bezaire |March 9, 2009

4 min read

Helping clients invest tax-efficiently

No one ever said that choosing investments is a simple business. For any investor, several factors need to be considered, including age, investment objectives and one’s willingness and ability to tolerate risk. There’s also the impact of taxes on investment returns — the focus of this column. Tax treatments can enhance or diminish returns from […]

By Michelle Munro |March 2, 2009

5 min read

No credit

As tax season begins, the issue of interest deductibility comes once again to the top of mind of both tax advisors and their clients. Just over a decade ago, the tax law changed so that the interest expense on student loans, while not actually tax-deductible, became eligible for federal and provincial non-refundable tax credits, which […]

By Jamie Golombek |March 1, 2009

3 min read