Tax

When tax is a piece of cake

As I completed my tax return last month, I found myself amazed at how much the preparation and filing processes have changed since I first became a filer.

April 1, 2012

3 min read

Industry

Is Warren an exception to the “Buffett Rule”?

In August, Warren Buffett challenged the U.S. government with his claim that the rich, himself included, “have been coddled long enough by a billionaire-friendly Congress.”

March 27, 2012

2 min read

Tax News

U.S. tax law requires strategic planning

The U.S. investment reporting rules just got a whole lot more stringent. The IRS has been relentless in going after U.S. citizens owning foreign assets.

By Vikram Barhat |March 16, 2012

5 min read

Industry

Tax filing made easy

As the deadline approaches, efforts are mounting to make tax filing experience a little less burdensome for do-it-yourselfers.

By Vikram Barhat |March 13, 2012

1 min read

Tax planning for business immigrants

When my friend from the private banking division called to refer a new immigration tax client to me and said it was important to make time to see him within 24 hours because he was only here a short time before returning home, I sensed an upcoming formidable challenge.

By Lorne Saltman |January 9, 2012

4 min read

No sympathy

This past fall saw the release of six Federal Court of Appeal decisions (Stemijon Investments Limited v. A.G. Canada, 2011 FCA 299), involving the Asper Group of companies and their ongoing tiff with the Canada Revenue Agency over egregious penalties charged for the late filing of Form T1135, the “Foreign Income Verification Statement.”

4 min read

Have your cake and write it off

During the early years of my career, I worked in the educational conference field—initially in not-for-profit academia, and later in the very competitive one-day commercial conference segment—delivering tax, insurance and investment content to professionals. Much of this came back to me while reading a recent tax appeal of a CRA reassessment denying deductibility of certain catering expenses.

January 1, 2012