In this week's edition

The ringing in of a new year signals the effective date for new or significantly revised tax legislation. Rudy Mezzetta has gathered the important stuff — from family business transfer rules to the revised alternative minimum tax — in one place. With MPs on break, it’s also a good time to check in on the status of tax proposals. Melissa Shin provides an update.

In the world of sales, as in the world of financial advice, understanding your customers is critical. However, this is hard when customers are unsure of what they want. Columnist Sam Sivarajan examines two case studies from the marketing world that show the importance of understanding clients’ needs and fears, and of providing them with a sense of control over the planning process.

The CRA has assessed $30.3 million of underused housing tax (UHT) so far, a figure well below the federal government’s revenue estimates for the new program. The amount is likely to rise as the CRA will continue receiving UHT returns for 2022 until April 30, after twice extending the filing deadline. Meanwhile, industry organizations and tax professionals are calling on Ottawa to extend its proposed UHT filing exemption relief back to 2022.

ETF assets under management in Canada ended 2023 at a new all-time high as markets rebounded and steady flows from investors continued, particularly into fixed-income funds. What does the new year hold for ETF investors? Reports from National Bank Financial and TD Securities examine the trends and market forces, including headwinds facing cash products.

Finally, there’s no better time than the first week of January to review the important tax figures for the year ahead. Here’s the 2024 edition of our essential tax numbers — you’ll want to bookmark this one and consult throughout the year.