Private Health Spending Plans for the Owner/Operator Business
Individuals who have incorporated their business such as consultants, contractors and professionals often find that providing affordable health and dental care coverage for themselves and their families can be an expensive proposition.
Take Bob for example. Bob had just left his architectural firm to set up on his own. In looking at the options available for him to replace his previous firm’s Extended Health and Dental coverage for he and his family, he discovered that the monthly premium would be between $400 and $500 per month. This was for a plan that didn’t provide coverage for all practitioners and procedures, had an annual limit on the benefits, and a co-insurance factor of 20% (only 80% of eligible costs were covered). There wasn’t even any orthodontia coverage although he could purchase that in limited amounts at an additional cost! He also had to move quickly to replace his lost coverage as he had a pre-existing condition that most likely would not be covered if he waited too long to implement the new plan. Read more 
Prepare in Advance for Next Year’s Tax Filing
Phew! Tax season is over! You have hopefully just filed your 2017 personal income tax returns. Was it a satisfying experience for you? Do you feel a sense of accomplishment or dismay? For many, the April 30th deadline seems to arrive way too soon. If this is the case with you, starting the process much earlier would seem to be the answer.
The process should include proper record keeping, taking advantage of the tax saving methods available to you, and, perhaps, finally getting a professional to complete and file your return on your behalf. The problem with handing your taxes alone is that often people don’t know what they don’t know. This results in paying more in taxes than was necessary. The cost of a professional completing your taxes potentially could be offset by the savings that might be gained.
Even if you earned little to no income, filing your return is a good idea and could prove to be advantageous. This is because there are a number of federal and provincial government programs that you might be eligible for if your declared income is below a certain threshold. You can refer to the Government of Canada website for the child and family benefits that might be available to you. Read more
The Healthcare Conversation You Need To Have Now
I came across this article in Forbes magazine and thought it was worth sharing. This is relevant to anyone with aging parents – it puts protection in place for them and gives you peace of mind.
Private Corporations Dodge a Bullet with the 2018 Federal Budget
The Liberal Government’s Federal Budget was delivered by Finance Minister, Bill Morneau, on February 27, 2018. There had been much concern and speculation about the direction the budget would take with respect to the taxation of private corporations. This was due to a release of the Department of Finance in July 2017 which contained private corporation tax proposals which addressed areas of concern to the government involving, among other things, business owners holding passive investments inside of their corporation. There was speculation that if these proposals were implemented the effective tax rate on investment income earned by a private corporation and distributed to its shareholders could increase astronomically. Thankfully, the concerns voiced by business and professional groups following the July proposals were effective in moderating the government’s actions.
