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Canadian Tax Laws
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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

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