Plain-language articles about Canadian tax law.
Find out whether adding an adult child to your bank account or home creates a bare trust in Canada, and what CRA reporting may apply from 2026.
Read the article →Find out how the adjusted cost base of inherited property is set in Canada, how it ties to date-of-death value, and what exceptions apply to heirs.
Read the article →Sold a home you owned for under 365 days? Learn how the Canadian anti-flipping rule treats the gain as business income and which exceptions may apply in Canada
Read the article →Lost at the Tax Court of Canada? Learn the 30-day deadline to appeal to the Federal Court of Appeal and the limits on informal procedure appeals.
Read the article →Find out when the 90-day wait lets you appeal to the Tax Court of Canada if the CRA has not decided your objection, plus the GST/HST differences.
Read the article →See whether CRA's relief for bare trusts covers 2025 in Canada, what still applies, and what changes for taxation years ending in 2026 and later.
Read the article →Who can claim the federal GST/HST new housing rebate when a pre-construction purchase agreement is assigned in Canada, and how tax applies to the assignment.
Read the article →Find out who reports the gain when property in a bare trust is sold, how CRA treats it, and how the principal residence exemption may apply in Canada.
Read the article →Can the beneficiary of a bare trust claim the federal GST/HST new housing rebate in Canada? See the individual, residence and co-owner rules to check.
Read the article →Can a corporation claim the federal GST/HST new housing rebate in Canada? See why companies are shut out, and what rental and personal-name options exist.
Read the article →Find out whether a common-law partner can be a TFSA successor holder in Canada, how the federal definition works, and what to gather to show you qualify.
Read the article →Learn how the one-property-per-family-unit rule works in Canada, who counts as family, and how spouses can split years between two homes.
Read the article →Learn which trusts can claim the principal residence exemption in Canada, what Form T1079 is for, and why who lives in the home matters.
Read the article →Can an executor guarantee tax payment to distribute an estate sooner? See how security, instalments and holdbacks work with CRA in Canada.
Read the article →Learn when section 159 of the Income Tax Act can make an executor personally liable for a deceased person's unpaid taxes in Canada, and how to limit it.
Read the article →Find out when an executor can shift RRSP death income from the final return to a spouse or dependant using refund of premiums rules in Canada.
Read the article →Find out how an RRSP can pass to a spouse or common-law partner tax-free in Canada, the deadlines, the conditions and the rules for a RRIF.
Read the article →Learn how net capital losses can be used on a deceased person's final return in Canada, including offsetting other income and estate loss elections.
Read the article →Find out when the CRA can use a requirement to pay to take money from your bank account or wages in Canada, and what limits and options apply to you.
Read the article →Thinking of a voluntary disclosure but not ready to give your name? Learn how the CRA's anonymous pre-disclosure discussion works in Canada and its limits.
Read the article →Learn what protection an accepted CRA Voluntary Disclosures Program application gives in Canada, what it doesn't, and how audits can still happen afterward.
Read the article →Learn why the Tax Court of Canada generally cannot review a refused CRA taxpayer relief request, and when Federal Court review or an interest appeal fits.
Read the article →Find out when you can appeal to the Tax Court of Canada after a CRA objection, the 90-day deadline, informal versus general procedure and costs risk.
Read the article →Learn which personal tax credits can be claimed in full on each return for someone who died, which must be split, and what is not deductible in Canada.
Read the article →Learn how a Canada notice of objection can dispute CRA penalties and interest, and how that differs from asking the CRA to cancel or waive them.
Read the article →Learn how settlement works once you have appealed to the Tax Court of Canada, how a written consent leads to reassessment, and how offers affect costs.
Read the article →Flipping property or trading often? Learn the factors the CRA weighs to decide if profit is a capital gain or fully taxable business income in Canada.
Read the article →Got a T3 or T5 showing capital gains but sold nothing? Learn why funds pass gains to you, how to report them and how they change your ACB in Canada.
Read the article →Find out how Canada taxes shares you give to your child: deemed sale at fair market value, attribution on minors, and the child's cost base.
Read the article →Inherited a house or investments? Learn the cost base you generally receive, how much gain is taxable when you sell, and what to report in Canada.
Read the article →Learn how to carry a net capital loss back three years in Canada using Form T1A, what it changes, and the exceptions that can affect your claim.
Read the article →Learn how executors claim charitable donations on a deceased person's final T1 in Canada: the 100% limit, carry-back, gifts by will and the estate's T3 limit.
Read the article →Learn how a CRA clearance certificate relates to an estate's T3 returns, graduated rate estate years and final distribution in Canada.
Read the article →Got a CRA audit proposal letter in Canada? Learn what it is, the 30-day response window, your options, and how objections and appeals work after it.
Read the article →See what the CRA can and cannot do to collect disputed tax while your objection or Tax Court appeal is open, and the exceptions that apply in Canada.
Read the article →Learn what a Notice of Confirmation means, the 90-day Tax Court of Canada appeal deadline, the two court procedures, and further appeals in Canada.
Read the article →Filed a notice of objection and CRA has not answered? Learn when you can appeal to the Tax Court of Canada without waiting, and the limits that apply.
Read the article →Got a CRA letter and unsure whether it is a review or a full audit? Learn how to tell them apart and what to do first, explained for taxpayers in Canada.
Read the article →Step by step, learn how to ask the CRA to cancel penalties and interest in Canada using Form RC4288, what circumstances qualify, and what happens next.
Read the article →Learn the 90-day deadline to appeal to the Tax Court of Canada after the CRA confirms or reassesses, the exceptions, and what to do if you miss it.
Read the article →Find out whether a bare trustee must file a T3 return and Schedule 15 in Canada, which years are relieved, when 2026 filings are due, and penalties.
Read the article →Find out whether you must pay CRA-assessed tax while an objection is pending in Canada, how interest works, and when collection can still continue.
Read the article →Find out why the CRA requires payment of tax owing with a voluntary disclosure in Canada, and what to do if you cannot pay the full balance now.
Read the article →Learn whether you must report the sale of a fully exempt home on your tax return in Canada, how to do it, and how a late designation works.
Read the article →Find out whether an executor of a modest estate can skip a CRA clearance certificate in Canada, what the personal risk is and what the options are.
Read the article →Can you appear alone at the Tax Court of Canada? See who may represent you in each procedure and when professional help matters most to your case.
Read the article →Learn when inherited TFSA money is tax-free, when post-death earnings are taxable, and which slips (T4A, T5, NR4) to expect in Canada.
Read the article →See how holding a home through a bare trust affects the Canadian principal residence exemption, CRA reporting, and which family arrangements are excluded in Canada
Read the article →Executor of a business owner's estate? Learn how GST/HST, CPP, EI and payroll fit with a CRA clearance certificate in Canada, and what to confirm first.
Read the article →Find out what an RRSP beneficiary designation does and does not change for federal tax in Canada, and why probate and creditors are separate questions.
Read the article →Wondering if the CRA checks home sales reported as exempt? See what you must report, what the CRA looks for, and what records to keep in Canada.
Read the article →Learn how CRA interest on unpaid tax works in Canada, the current prescribed rate, and when interest and penalties may be cancelled or waived.
Read the article →Learn how Canada taxes a gain on property an estate sells after death, which return reports it, and how the date-of-death value sets the cost base.
Read the article →Own a home and a cottage? Learn how the Canadian principal residence exemption works for a second property, which to designate and how years can be split in Canada
Read the article →Learn how CRA treats a bare trust, who reports gains, when moving title may matter for tax, and the 2026 filing rules that apply across Canada.
Read the article →Learn how successor holder rules work in Canada, what happens to a surviving spouse's own TFSA contribution room, and the exceptions to know.
Read the article →Find out when a Canadian executor can be personally liable to the CRA for a deceased person's taxes, and the practical steps that help reduce that risk in Canada
Read the article →Learn how fair market value at the date of death drives the final tax return in Canada, why it sets the heir's cost, and what records an executor should keep.
Read the article →Learn how the federal first-time home buyers' GST/HST rebate works in Canada: who qualifies, the price limits, and which contracts it covers.
Read the article →If someone in Canada died before filing last year's tax return, learn the deadline, why two returns are needed, and what late filing can cost.
Read the article →Learn the CRA final return deadline when a self-employed person dies in Canada, why the payment date does not move, and how penalties and relief work.
Read the article →If someone died in November or December in Canada, see how the six-month final T1 deadline works, when any balance is due and what exceptions apply.
Read the article →Learn the final T1 filing and payment deadline when someone died between January and October in Canada, plus exceptions, penalties and relief.
Read the article →Form T400A was replaced by Form RC592. Learn what a Canada notice of objection must contain, how to file it with the CRA, and where to send it.
Read the article →A plain-language Canada checklist of the forms and slips for a deceased person's final T1 return, including what replaced guide T4011 and the authority forms.
Read the article →Find out who can claim the federal GST/HST new housing rebate in Canada, how the price limits work, and how the first-time buyer rebate fits in.
Read the article →Find out whether claiming home office expenses puts the principal residence exemption at risk when you sell your home, under Canadian federal tax rules in Canada
Read the article →Learn the normal CRA reassessment period, the exceptions that extend it, and when there is no time limit on reassessing a tax return in Canada.
Read the article →See how income earned in a TFSA after the holder dies is taxed in Canada, how it is reported, and how the 2026 exempt contribution change may apply.
Read the article →Executors: learn what fair market value means for a TFSA at death, why later earnings are treated differently, and what slips and forms apply in Canada.
Read the article →Understand how an inherited cottage is taxed in Canada: the deemed gain at death, the one-property exemption choice, and ways to defer or fund the tax bill.
Read the article →Learn how long a CRA notice of objection usually takes in Canada, what slows Appeals down, and what you can do while you wait for a decision.
Read the article →Waiting on a CRA voluntary disclosure decision? See the stages of the process in Canada, what can slow it down and what to do while you wait.
Read the article →Understand the steps and time limits in a Tax Court of Canada appeal, from the 90-day filing deadline to judgment, in the informal and general procedures.
Read the article →Find out how long CRA takes to process a clearance certificate request, what can slow it down, and how to follow up if you are waiting in Canada.
Read the article →Learn what a Tax Court of Canada appeal can cost, how costs work in the informal and general procedures, and the risk of paying the Crown's costs.
Read the article →See how the federal GST/HST rebate works on a $1,000,000 new home in Canada: the base rebate, the first-time buyer top-up, phase-outs and a worked example.
Read the article →Understand the half-hectare rule, when extra land is taxable and how to report a sale of a large lot or acreage under Canada's home sale exemption.
Read the article →Learn when the full RRSP or RRIF value is taxed on a deceased person's final return in Canada, and when a spousal or other rollover avoids it.
Read the article →Learn how the Canadian capital gains reserve spreads a gain over up to five years, the minimum amount taxed each year, and how to claim it on Form T2017 in Canada
Read the article →Step-by-step guide for executors on Form TX19: when to apply, what to attach, how to submit online or by mail, and where to send it in Canada.
Read the article →Learn how adjusted cost base works in Canada: purchase costs, commissions, reinvested distributions, averaging and adjustments, and how it sets your gain.
Read the article →A plain-language walk through Form T2091(IND) and Schedule 3 in Canada: designating your home, calculating any gain, and what to gather first.
Read the article →A surviving spouse can move inherited TFSA funds into their own TFSA without using room. Learn the Canada deadlines, Form RC240 and the exceptions.
Read the article →Learn how to name a TFSA successor holder in Canada, who qualifies, where to record it, and the common errors that can cost your partner tax-free status.
Read the article →Learn how to tell the CRA that someone has died in Canada, what information and documents to send, and which benefits stop or continue afterward.
Read the article →Learn how a GST/HST objection works in Canada: the 90-day deadline, filing, collection, interest, extensions, Tax Court timing and how it differs from income tax.
Read the article →Step-by-step guide to completing and sending CRA Form RC199 for a voluntary disclosure in Canada, including attachments, payment and who signs.
Read the article →Interest, dividends and rent that arrive after death can belong on different returns. See how Canada's rules split them between the final T1 and the T3.
Read the article →Learn how a surviving spouse or common-law partner in Canada can move inherited TFSA money into their own TFSA as an exempt contribution using Form RC240.
Read the article →Learn how Canada sets your adjusted cost base on inherited shares, a cottage or other capital property, and how your gain is worked out when you sell.
Read the article →Find out when a joint bank account between a parent and adult child can count as a bare trust for Canadian tax and CRA reporting, and what to check in Canada
Read the article →Parent on title to help a child get a mortgage? Learn how Canada's bare trust reporting rules apply, the exception that may cover you, and when T3 filing starts.
Read the article →Find out when a TFSA is taxable on death in Canada, who pays, what happens to growth after death, and what executors should check before paying out.
Read the article →Learn how a TFSA is treated at death in Canada: no TFSA income on the final return, successor holders, designated beneficiaries and Form RC240.
Read the article →Learn how Canada's Income Tax Act s. 159 can make an executor personally liable for estate tax if property is distributed without a CRA clearance certificate.
Read the article →Is an RRSP taxable on death in Canada? See how the full value is added to the final return, the federal rates that apply and when the tax can be deferred.
Read the article →See how the CRA decides whether crypto profits are capital gains or business income in Canada, and how trades, swaps and spending crypto are taxed.
Read the article →Find out how much interest the CRA may cancel under the Voluntary Disclosures Program, how relief differs by year and by tax type, and what still must be paid in Canada.
Read the article →Missed the CRA objection deadline? Learn when and how to apply for an extension of time, the one-year outer limit and what the Tax Court can do in Canada.
Read the article →See the Canada lifetime capital gains exemption limit, the qualified small business corporation share tests, and the 24-month holding rule.
Read the article →Learn how unprompted and prompted VDP relief work in Canada, what replaced limited relief, and how much penalty and interest relief you may get.
Read the article →Learn how the 24-month window works for medical expenses on a deceased person's final return in Canada, what the threshold is, and how to split claims.
Read the article →Missed the CRA's 90-day objection deadline? See how extension requests, adjustment requests and relief requests work in Canada, and their time limits.
Read the article →Missed the 90-day deadline to appeal to the Tax Court of Canada? See how to apply for an extension, the one-year limit and what the Court requires.
Read the article →Learn how the subsection 45(3) election in Canada can postpone the deemed sale when a rental becomes your home, its deadline, four-year rule and limits.
Read the article →Bought a pre-construction condo to rent out? See whether the federal owner rebate, the rental rebate or neither applies to your GST/HST in Canada.
Read the article →Did you buy a new unit to rent out? Learn who qualifies for the federal GST/HST new residential rental property rebate in Canada and how it differs.
Read the article →Who must file a T3 for an express trust in Canada, which trusts are exempt, what Schedule 15 adds, and the penalties for filing late or incomplete.
Read the article →Understand how a CRA notice of assessment differs from a notice of reassessment, when CRA can reassess, and the objection rights each triggers in Canada.
Read the article →Learn when the CRA's 90 days to file a notice of objection start, how they are counted, and when individuals get a longer deadline in Canada.
Read the article →Learn where a GST/HST notice of objection goes, who reviews it, the 90-day deadline and what happens next if you disagree, across Canada.
Read the article →Found excess contributions in a deceased person's TFSA? Learn how the 1% monthly tax works in Canada, who pays it, and how to report and deal with it.
Read the article →Built your own house or hired contractors? Learn who can claim the federal owner-built home GST/HST rebate in Canada, the limits and how to apply.
Read the article →Learn when a bare trust must file a T3 in Canada, how CRA late-filing penalties are calculated, and what to consider if a filing was missed or is late.
Read the article →Forgot to report the sale of your principal residence? Learn how the CRA late-designation penalty works in Canada, how it is calculated and how to fix it.
Read the article →Learn how the plus-one rule and the exemption formula work when your home was not your principal residence for every year you owned it in Canada.
Read the article →Find out whether renting out a home you once lived in ends the principal residence exemption in Canada, and for which years it can still apply.
Read the article →Learn how an executor designates the home on the final return, what deemed disposition means, and how the spousal rollover works in Canada.
Read the article →Find out whether the gain on a deceased person's home is taxable on the final return in Canada, how the principal residence exemption works, and what to file.
Read the article →How Canada taxes private company shares owned at death: the deemed sale, valuing the shares, spousal rollover, the capital gains deduction and deadlines.
Read the article →Learn how to convert US stock purchases and sales to Canadian dollars, work out the gain, and report it on your Canadian tax return. A Canada guide.
Read the article →Find out how RRSP or RRIF proceeds can move tax-deferred to a child's or grandchild's RDSP after a death in Canada, and the limits that apply.
Read the article →Learn how an RRSP or RRIF that falls in value after death can be deducted on the final return in Canada, using Form RC249, and when it can't be.
Read the article →Learn how Canadian executors can claim a decrease in an RRSP or RRIF's value after death on the final return, using Form RC249 and line 23200 in Canada
Read the article →Learn when a child or grandchild counts as financially dependent for an RRSP or RRIF rollover in Canada, and how the annuity rule works.
Read the article →Learn how Canada taxes an RRSP that loses value between death and payout, and how the executor can ask the CRA to reduce the final return.
Read the article →Learn how each co-owner designates a jointly owned home for the principal residence exemption on a Canadian tax return, and when an owner cannot claim in Canada
Read the article →Learn whether an heir can claim the principal residence exemption on an inherited house in Canada, and how death, ownership dates and the final return fit.
Read the article →Selling property to a relative for less than it is worth? See how Canada's deemed proceeds rule works, why you could be taxed twice, and what to check first.
Read the article →Learn how the spousal rollover under s. 70(6) works in Canada, who qualifies, the 36-month vesting rule and when opting out of it can make sense.
Read the article →Learn how the spousal rollover lets capital property pass to a spouse without immediate tax in Canada, its conditions and how to opt out.
Read the article →Learn how the subsection 45(2) election works in Canada, how to file it when you rent out your home, how long it lasts and when it is unavailable.
Read the article →Learn what counts as a substantial renovation for the federal GST/HST new housing rebate in Canada, who can claim it, the price limits and the deadlines.
Read the article →Learn how naming a successor annuitant or a beneficiary on a RRIF changes the tax, the payments and who is in control after death under Canadian tax law in Canada
Read the article →Learn how Canada's superficial loss rule works, the 30-day window before and after a sale, who counts as affiliated, and how a denied loss is handled.
Read the article →See when an estate must file a T3 trust return in Canada, the 90-day deadline, year-ends, penalties and how it differs from the final T1 return.
Read the article →Compare the Tax Court of Canada informal and general procedures: dollar limits, formality, evidence, costs and appeal rights, so you can choose with care.
Read the article →Learn what happens in the Tax Court of Canada when more than $25,000 is in dispute, how capping your appeal works, and the special interest-only rule.
Read the article →Understand what a notice of appeal to the Tax Court of Canada is, how to file it on time, and what facts, issues and reasons to set out in it.
Read the article →Learn how a CRA taxpayer relief request differs from a notice of objection, what each can achieve, and the deadlines that matter across Canada.
Read the article →Learn how a TFSA successor holder differs from a beneficiary in Canada, including tax status, contribution room, exceptions and what to confirm first.
Read the article →Learn how a child or other non-spouse beneficiary receives a TFSA in Canada, how the money is taxed, and what contribution room rules apply afterwards.
Read the article →Received the Crown's reply in your Tax Court of Canada appeal? Learn what the assumptions of fact are, what the reply must set out and how to respond.
Read the article →Learn how Canada's underused housing tax treated bare trusts, who counted as the owner, and whether you still need to file for recent years.
Read the article →Learn how the CRA's Voluntary Disclosures Program treats unreported foreign income and offshore accounts, and why Form T1135 matters in Canada.
Read the article →See how capital losses offset capital gains in Canada, what they cannot be deducted against, how carrybacks and carryforwards work, and the superficial loss rule.
Read the article →See how a surviving spouse can keep TFSA money tax-free through a successor holder or an exempt contribution, and the deadlines that apply in Canada.
Read the article →Got a CRA letter or audit notice? Learn when a Voluntary Disclosures Program application still counts, what prompted means, and what relief to expect in Canada.
Read the article →Did you sell a home without reporting it? Learn how the CRA's Voluntary Disclosures Program and principal residence designation rules work in Canada.
Read the article →How a business owner can use the CRA's Voluntary Disclosures Program for unfiled GST/HST returns in Canada, including relief levels and what to file.
Read the article →Find out what happened to the proposed two-thirds capital gains inclusion rate in Canada, which rate applies to 2024 to 2026 gains, and what to do now.
Read the article →Learn the CRA conditions for a valid voluntary disclosure in Canada: voluntary, complete, involving a penalty, a year past due, and payment of tax.
Read the article →Learn what happens at a Tax Court of Canada hearing, from the pleadings and documents to testimony, cross-examination and the judgment.
Read the article →If the CRA denied or found your Voluntary Disclosures Program application invalid, learn the consequences, review options and next steps in Canada.
Read the article →Learn how a TFSA is treated at death in Canada: successor holders, tax on growth after death, contribution room, and the Quebec exception.
Read the article →See how an RRSP or RRIF is taxed on the final return in Canada, and when a spouse, common-law partner or dependent child can defer the tax by rollover.
Read the article →Find out which federal benefits stop after a death in Canada, which payments must be returned, and what the estate or a surviving spouse may receive.
Read the article →See what details Schedule 15 asks for on trustees, settlors, beneficiaries and controlling persons in Canada, and what happens if information is missing.
Read the article →Learn what a bare trust is in Canada, who the trustee and beneficiary are, how it differs from a regular trust, and how CRA treats it.
Read the article →Learn what a CRA clearance certificate confirms, when an executor needs one, and what it does not cover before you distribute an estate in Canada.
Read the article →Learn what a refund of premiums is when an RRSP annuitant dies in Canada, who qualifies, how it is taxed, and how to roll it over using a T4RSP.
Read the article →Understand the Canadian rights or things return for a deceased person: what qualifies, the deadline, how it can save tax and when it is not available in Canada
Read the article →Learn what the CRA Voluntary Disclosures Program is, who it can help, what relief it offers and how to apply if you missed income or filings in Canada.
Read the article →A plain guide to the returns an executor files in Canada: final return, T3 and others, their due dates, and the late-filing penalties that can apply.
Read the article →Learn how a CRA audit visit works in Canada: first contact, the records an auditor may ask for, your duties, limits on entry and how to prepare.
Read the article →Drafting your own CRA notice of objection? See the facts, reasons, documents and details to include, and how to file it, across Canada.
Read the article →Find out when the first T3 return is due for a reportable bare trust in Canada, what to fill in, and the penalties for missing the deadline.
Read the article →Find out when an executor in Canada can ask CRA for a clearance certificate after the final return and what must be filed, assessed and paid first.
Read the article →See which bare trust arrangements are excluded from T3 and Schedule 15 reporting in Canada under section 150(1.31), and what happens if none applies.
Read the article →Not every CRA letter can be objected to. Learn which Canada assessments and determinations carry objection rights, and which notices do not.
Read the article →Learn who counts as a legal representative for a CRA clearance certificate in Canada, including executors, administrators and informal estates.
Read the article →Understand how proof works in a Tax Court of Canada appeal: the Crown's assumptions in its reply, deemed admissions, documents and discovery.
Read the article →Find out whether the deceased's final return, the estate or the beneficiaries bear capital gains tax after a death in Canada, and when it is due.
Read the article →Learn how costs awards work in the Tax Court of Canada: informal and general procedure, settlement offers, and when the Crown or taxpayer pays.
Read the article →Learn who reports rental income, interest and capital gains from bare trust property in Canada, and how CRA's trust reporting rules fit in.
Read the article →Find out why CRA wants assessed returns before it issues a clearance certificate for an estate in Canada, and what to have in hand before you apply.
Read the article →Find out which penalties and interest the CRA may cancel through the Voluntary Disclosures Program in Canada, and which amounts you still have to pay.
Read the article →Learn how the CRA's Voluntary Disclosures Program relates to criminal prosecution, who is protected, and where the limits are, across Canada.
Read the article →What can CRA auditors demand, what can't they do without a warrant, and which Taxpayer Bill of Rights protections apply? A plain guide for Canada.
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