Canadian Tax Laws
|
Account - A formal record of transactions involving a particular item or person
Accountant - professional whose job is to keep and check financial account, calculate taxes
Accountant Quebec - professional whose job is to keep and check financial account, calculate taxes in the province of Quebec
Accounts payable - Debts you have as a result of purchasing assets or receiving services on an open account or on credit
You have accounts payable when you have not yet paid for the assets or services you have received
Accounts receivable -Amount of money you are owed
Generally, you are owed this amount because you sold assets or provided services
Accrual method of accounting - With this method, income is reported in the fiscal period it is earned, regardless of when it is received
The expenses are also deducted in the fiscal period they are incurred, whether they are paid or not
This method is generally used by businesses or professionals
Appeal - A process by which you ask a Court to review the decision the Appeals Division made on behalf of the Minister of National Revenue
Articles of incorporation - Legal document filed with a provincial or territorial government, or the federal government, which sets out a Corporation 's purpose and regulations
Assessment - A formal determination of taxes to be paid or refunded
An assessment includes a reassessment
See notice of assessment
Assets - Any property owned by a person or business
Assets include money, land, buildings, investments, inventory, cars, trucks, boats, or other valuables that belong to a person or business
They also may include intangibles such as goodwill
Bad debt - Money owed to you that you can't collect
Balance - The amount remaining in an account after recording all deposits and withdrawals
Balance sheet - Statement of the financial position of a business
It states the assets, liabilities, and owners' equity at a particular point in time
Budget - A plan outlining an organization's financial and operational goals
Business expenses - Certain costs that are reasonable for a particular type of business, and that are incurred for the purpose of earning income
Business expenses can be deducted for tax purposes
Personal, living, or other expenses not related to the business cannot be deducted for tax purposes
Business Number (BN) - A number you get when you register to do any business with us
It is a single number that replaces the numbers that Canadian businesses previously needed to deal with the federal government
Calendar year - The twelve-month period beginning January 1 and ending December 31
Depending on your business circumstances, you may or may not use the calendar year as your fiscal period
Canada Pension Plan (CPP) - An insurance program to help Canadians provide income for their retirement
It also gives them income if they become disabled
Contributions are directly related to annual earnings
Canada tax advise - Sum of advise of Canadian government
Capital cost allowance (CCA) - A yearly deduction or depreciation on the cost of certain assets
You can claim CCA for tax purposes on the assets of a business such as buildings or equipment, as well as on additions or improvements, if these assets are expected to last for some years
Capital gains - The amount by which proceeds of disposition less outlays and expenses exceed the adjusted cost base of capital property
Capital loss - The amount by which the adjusted cost base and outlays and expenses of capital property exceeds proceeds of disposition
Capital property - Generally, any property of value, including depreciable property
Common types of capital property include principal residences, cottages, stocks, bonds, land, buildings, and equipment used in a business or rental operation
Cash method of accounting - With this method, you report income in the year it is actually received
Similarly, expenses are deducted in the year they are actually paid
Farmers, fishers, and certain salespeople who work on commission may use the cash method
Charted Accountant – professional responsible to keep and check financial accounts, calculate taxes etc
Confidentiality - The privacy of income tax and GST/HST returns and other related tax information
The only people with access to this information are those who are authorized by law or those to whom the taxpayer has given permission in writing
Complete victory in tax case - having total success in tax case
Cost of litigation – Cost that your case is worth
Corporation - A form of business authorized by federal, provincial, or territorial law to act as a separate legal entity
Its purpose and regulations are set out in its article of incorporation
One or more persons may own a corporation
Cost of goods sold - The actual cost of the items sold in the normal course of business during a specific period
Dealing with (CRA) Canadian Revenue Agency – Federal perception office
Dealing with Revenu Quebec – Provincial perception office
Debt - An amount that is owed
If you borrow money or purchase something on credit, you have created a debt
Deemed - A legal term used when something is considered to be something else for certain purposes
Depreciable property - Property that wears out as it is used over the years
For example, cars, farm equipment, and business machines are depreciable
See capital cost allowance
Depreciation - A decrease in the value of an asset through age, use, and deterioration
In accounting terminology, depreciation is a deduction or expense claimed for this decrease in value
Disposition - Generally, the disposal of property by sale, gift, transfer, or change in use
Election - A formal choice among specific options on how tax laws are applied to a taxpayer's financial affairs
Usually you make an election on your tax return
Employment income - See salary
Employment Insurance (EI) - A federal program that provides financial assistance to people who are temporarily out of work
It is an insurance program, with employers and employees making payments into the Employment Insurance Fund
Employment Insurance premiums - Deductions that an employer must make from employees' paycheques and forward to the Receiver General for Canada
Employers must also contribute Employment Insurance payments
Estate – all of someone's property and money
Estate accountant - person dealing with an estate
Estate fiscalist – person dealing on estate tax matter
Examiner - person responsible for tax department
Excise - Taxes on the manufacture, sale, or use of goods and items
Expense refused - Expenses not accepted from ARC or Revenue Quebec
Expert in tax law – Specialist in tax situation
Fiscalist – related to fiscal (Tax) situation
Filed tax petition – procedure in tax filing
Fiscal period - This is the twelve-month period over which a business or profession reports its income-earning activities
The fiscal period may or may not coincide with the calendar year
The business usually establishes its fiscal period when it files its first income tax return
Fiscal Pardon – Program that ca
Goodwill - The excess of the purchase price of a business over the fair market value of the net assets of the business
Guide through Audit and litigation process – help that we can get trough a tax problem
Gross profit - Sales minus cost of good sold
Half-year rule - A provision in the Income Tax Act that allows you to claim only half of the capital cost allowance available on an asset in the year you purchased the asset
House seized - property seized by governments
Income - The sum of revenues earned in a specific period of time
It includes revenues from salaries, wages, benefits, tips, and commissions, profits from operating a business or profession, and investments earned
Income statement - A financial statement that summarizes the results of business activities (income and expenses) for a given period of time
Sometimes called a profit and loss statement
Income tax payroll deductions - Employers must deduct income tax from their employees' salaries or wages
They must base these deductions on the income tax deductions tables, which reflect each province's rates
Income tax Laval – Laval tax office
Income tax Quebec T
V
Q
– Income tax from Quebec province
Information circulars - Publications that we issue to give detailed explanations on a variety of tax subjects
Information slips - Forms that employers, trusts, and businesses use to tell taxpayers and the CRA how much income was earned, and how much tax was deducted
Inheritance – to receive money, property from someone after they have died
Input tax credit - A credit GST/HST registrants may claim for GST/HST paid or payable on purchases relating to a commercial activity
Instalment - A partial payment of a tax debt
The debt is divided into parts that are paid at different times within a certain period
Interpretation bulletins - Publications that give our interpretation of parts of the Income Tax Act
Inventory - Generally, the total value of the goods on hand that a business intends to sell, uses for manufacture, or use to render a service
In certain cases, inventory can also include services
Investment - expenditure to acquire property that yields or is expected to yield revenue or services
Lawyer Fiscals - professional on tax
Lease - A contract under which a property is rented from one person or business to another for a fixed period of time at a specified rate
Liability - debt owed by a person or business
Litigating your case – process of taking claims to tax board or court
Loss - The amount by which expenses exceed revenues
Negotiating settlement for your taxes - negotiating for a settlement with the goverment
Net income - Income subject to taxation after allowable deductions have been subtracted from gross or total income
Notice of Assessment - A form that we send to all taxpayers after we process their returns
It tells taxpayers or GST/HST registrants if we made any corrections to the returns or rebate applications and, if so, what they are
It also informs taxpayers or registrants if they owe more tax or what the amount of their refund will be
Objection - A statement of facts and reasons detailing why a taxpayer or registrant disagrees with an assessment
Operating expenses - The routine costs of running a business
They include expenses for gasoline, electricity, and office supplies
They do not include the cost of buildings or machinery that are expected to last for several years
See capital cost allowance
Payroll deductions - Income tax deductions, Canada Pension Plan or Quebec Pension Plan contributions, and employment insurance premiums which are deducted from an employee's wages or salary and sent regularly to us
Employers also make their own contributions to the Canada Pension Plan or Quebec Pension Plan, and Employment Insurance
Penalties - Amounts taxpayers or registrants must pay if they fail to file returns or remit or pay amounts owing on time, or if they try to evade paying or remitting tax by not filing returns
Penalties must also be paid by people who knowingly, or under circumstances amounting to gross negligence, participate in or make false statements or omissions in their returns, and by those who do not provide the information required on a prescribed form
Personal tax credit return (Form TD1) - The first income tax form a person has to complete when starting a new job
It tells an employer how much income tax to deduct from the employee's pay
PHD in Taxes - knowledge in taxes
Prepaid expense - An expense you pay for in advance; an expense you incur for goods and services you will receive in a later fiscal period ; amounts you pay in interest, income taxes, municipal taxes, rent, dues, or insurance for later fiscal periods
These amounts are included as assets on the balance sheet at the end of a fiscal period
Proceeds of disposition - Usually, the selling price of property when it is disposed of
Proceeds of disposition also include compensation received for property that has been destroyed, expropriated, stolen, or damaged
It is also the fair market value of property when it is transferred to another person, or when there is a change in its use
Professional dues - Membership fees paid to maintain a professional status recognized by law, such as lawyers' annual law society fees
Profit and loss statement - Same as an income statement
Proprietorship - A non-incorporated business entirely owned by one person
Same as a sole proprietorship
Quebec Pension Plan (QPP) - A pension plan equivalent to the Canada Pension Plan (CPP) but maintained by the province of Quebec
The provincial government handles the contributions
Quebec tax advise - Sum of advise of Quebec government
Quebec tax court cases – Sum of cases in Quebec courts
Rates of tax - Percentages of income that must be paid as tax
The Department of Finance sets the basic income tax rates, which vary progressively with the amount of income received
For GST/HST purposes, the GST rate is 7%, while the HST rate is 15% (Effective July 1st, 2006, the GST rate will be reduced to 6% and the HST rate to 14%)
Records - Documents such as account books, sales and purchase invoices, contracts, bank statements, and cancelled cheques
You must keep records in an orderly manner at your business or residence in Canada for at least six years from the end of the last taxation year to which the records relate
You must make these books and other documents available to our officers for audit purposes
Refund - The overpayment of income tax returned to a taxpayer after we assess the return
Registrant - A person who is registered or required to be registered under GST/HST legislation
Remittance - A payment of CPP or QPP, EI, income tax, or GST/HST that is paid to us through a financial institution, or that a business or individual sends directly to us
It also includes the employer's share of CPP contributions and EI premiums
Responding to information request - information requested by a government agency
Request from government - information asked by government
Request technical advise – help you can get to solve your tax problem
Research grants - Amounts of money given to individuals to explore areas in various fields of study
The grants cover the cost of research plus the researcher's income
These amounts are taxable but some of the researcher's expenses may be deductible for tax purposes
For more specific information, refer to Interpretation Bulletin IT-75, Scholarships, Fellowships, Bursaries, Prizes, and Research Grants
Revenu Quebec – provincial jurisdiction in Canada
Reserves - Funds set aside to cover future expenses, losses, or claims
Revenue Canada TPS,TVQ Montreal – Information received for TPS,TVQ in Montreal
Seizure – to take hold of something suddenly and violently
Seize for taxes – assets seized for taxes
Salary - The amount an employer pays an employee for work done
Each employer records this type of employment income on T4 slips
Same as employment income and wages
Self-employment - The operation of your own business
Social insurance number (SIN) - A number given to each contributor to the Canada Pension Plan, Quebec Pension Plan, and Employment Insurance Plan
It helps record the contributions and premiums paid into and the benefits paid out of the plans
Since these social insurance programs are connected to the tax system, the SIN is also used as an identifier for federal income tax purposes
Everyone who files an income tax and benefit return must provide a SIN
Sole proprietorship - An unincorporated business entirely owned by one person
Same as a PROPRIETORSHIP
Spouse - For purposes of the Income Tax Act , starting in 2001, the term spouse will mean only a married partner
The term common-law partner will include partners of the same sex or opposite sex, who meet certain conditions
For more information, see your General Income Tax and Benefit guide
Statement of income and expenses - Form that summarizes revenue, income, and expenses for a specific period
Statement of remuneration paid (T4 slip) - Information slip that shows the income that an employer pays to an employee
Taxable allowances and benefits, such as payments made on the employee's behalf to a provincial health care plan, are included as income
A T4 slip also shows how much the employer deducted for income tax, CPP or QPP contributions, employment insurance premiums, and contributions to the employer's pension plan
Supply - For GST/HST purposes, this generally means the provision of property or a service in any manner, including sale, transfer, barter, exchange, licence, rental, lease, gift, or disposition
Seizure - action to seize
Tax assessment Montreal – paper from federal or provincial government in Montreal
Tax assessment – paper from federal or provincial government
Tax centers - Offices in different regions of Canada and provincial regions where we process tax returns
Tax controversy – serious argument about tax situation
Tax Court of Canada - A court that hears appeals about income tax and GSTs/HST assessments
In addition, the Court has jurisdiction to hear appeals under the Canada Pension Plan, Employment Insurance Act and several other acts
The Tax Court maintains four offices ( Vancouver , Ottawa , Toronto , and Montreal) and regularly conducts hearings in major centres across Canada
Tax litigation – process to claim Tax against someone
Tax payable - The amount of income tax that you must pay on taxable income for the taxation year
It is also the amount of tax payable on a taxable supply (for GST/HST purposes)
Tax payers overseas – Canadian working in a fore ign country
Tax problems – problems coming from taxes
Tax problem – problems coming from taxes
Tax services offices - Offices across the country that provide main point of contact for the public
Tax specialist – specialist in taxation
Tax treaties - Government agreements signed between countries
They help citizens who earn foreign income avoid double taxation
Taxable benefits - Amounts of money, or the value of goods or services, that an employer pays or provides in addition to salary
For example, the part of a health insurance plan that the employer pays is a taxable benefit
Taxable income - The amount of income left after all allowable deductions have been subtracted from NET INCOME
This amount is used to calculate the tax payable
Taxation year - The calendar year or fiscal period for which income tax is to be paid
Tax help Canada - Sum of help you can get from specialist of taxes
Tax help Quebec - Sum of help you can get from specialist of taxes
Trough discovery and negotiation – fact finds out about tax case
Unfiled income report – income tax not filed
Undeclared income – income not declared
Workers' compensation - Money paid to compensate a person injured on the job
It is an insurance plan paid for by employers and administered by the Workers' Compensation Board
Winning tax case - have gain in Tax litigation
With the government – together with the goverment
|
|