Category: Personal Tax Tips

Canadian Income Tax Rates for 2021

Posted on by Terra Cameron

Excerpt from CRA Website

Federal tax rates for 2021

  • 15% on the first $49,020 of taxable income, plus
  • 20.5% on the next $49,020 of taxable income (on the portion of taxable income over 49,020 up to $98,040), plus
  • 26% on the next $53,939 of taxable income (on the portion of taxable income over $98,040 up to $151,978), plus
  • 29% on the next $64,533 of taxable income (on the portion of taxable income over 151,978 up to $216,511), plus
  • 33% of taxable income over $216,511

Provincial and territorial tax rates for 2021

Tax for all provinces (except Quebec) and territories is calculated the same way as federal tax.

Form 428 is used to calculate this provincial or territorial tax. Provincial or territorial specific non-refundable tax credits are also calculated on Form 428.

Provinces and territoriesRates
Newfoundland and Labrador8.7% on the first $38,081 of taxable income, +
14.5% on the next $38,080, +
15.8% on the next $59,812, +
17.3% on the next $54,390, +
18.3% on the amount over $190,363
Prince Edward Island9.8% on the first $31,984 of taxable income, +
13.8% on the next $31,985, +
16.7% on the amount over $63,969
Nova Scotia8.79% on the first $29,590 of taxable income, +
14.95% on the next $29,590, +
16.67% on the next $33,820, +
17.5% on the next $57,000, +
21% on the amount over $150,000
New Brunswick9.68% on the first $43,835 of taxable income, +
14.82% on the next $43,836, +
16.52% on the next $54,863, +
17.84% on the next $19,849, +
20.3% on the amount over $162,383
QuebecGo to Income tax rates (Revenu
Québec Web site).
Ontario5.05% on the first $45,142 of taxable income, +
9.15% on the next $45,145, +
11.16% on the next $59,713, +
12.16% on the next $70,000, +
13.16% on the amount over $220,000
Manitoba10.8% on the first $33,723 of taxable income, +
12.75% on the next $39,162, +
17.4% on the amount over $72,885
Saskatchewan10.5% on the first $45,677 of taxable income, +
12.5% on the next $84,829, +
14.5% on the amount over $130,506
Alberta10% on the first $131,220 of taxable income, +
12% on the next $26,244, +
13% on the next $52,488, +
14% on the next $104,976, +
15% on the amount over $314,928
British Columbia5.06% on the first $42,184 of taxable income, +
7.7% on the next $42,185, +
10.5% on the next $12,497, +
12.29% on the next $20,757, +
14.7% on the next $41,860, +
16.8% on the next $62,937, +
20.5% on the amount over $222,420
Yukon6.4% on the first $49,020 of taxable income, +
9% on the next $49,020, +
10.9% on the next $53,938, +
12.8% on the next $348,022, +
15% on the amount over $500,000
Northwest Territories5.9% on the first $44,396 of taxable income, +
8.6% on the next $44,400, +
12.2% on the next $55,566, +
14.05% on the amount over $144,362
Nunavut4% on the first $46,740 of taxable income, +
7% on the next $46,740, +
9% on the next $58,498, +
11.5% on the amount over $151,978

Doing your 2020 Taxes

Posted on by Terra Cameron

Excerpt from CRA Website

For individuals

The due date for filing an income tax and benefit return and paying any related tax balance due is April 30, 2021.

Filing on time helps to avoid having any of your benefit and credit payments interrupted or stopped.

For self-employed individuals

If you are self-employed or have a spouse or common-law partner who is self-employed, you both have to file a return by June 15, 2021.

To avoid late-filing penalties, pay any amount you owe by April 30, 2021. After this date, the CRA charges interest on what you owe until your balance is paid.

For a deceased person

If you are filing a return for a deceased person, the due date depends on the date of death and if the person owned a business in 2020.

If you are the surviving spouse of a deceased person or common-law partner and you were living with the deceased, the due date for filing your return is the same as the due date for the deceased person’s return. However, if you have a balance owing, you must pay it on or before April 30, 2021.

Home Office Expenses for Employees

Posted on by Terra Cameron

As found on CRA Website

As an employee, you may be able to claim certain home office expenses (work-space-in-the-home expenses, office supplies, and certain phone expenses).

This deduction is claimed on your personal income tax return. Deductions reduce the amount of income you pay tax on, so they reduce your overall income tax liability.

See changes to this for the 2020 Taxation Year!

COVID-19 Benefits

Posted on by Terra Cameron

As found on CRA Website

T4A slips for 2020 tax year

The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) is committed to putting people first and providing the income support that Canadians need during the COVID-19 pandemic.

You will get a T4A slip from the CRA, if you received any of the COVID-19 emergency or recovery benefits from the CRA before December 31, 2020:

  • Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) with the CRA
  • Canada Emergency Student Benefit (CESB)
  • Canada Recovery Benefit (CRB)
  • Canada Recovery Caregiving Benefit (CRCB)
  • Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit (CRSB)

Quebec residents will get both a T4A and RL-1 slip.

The CRA will provide T4A slips starting in January 2021. You should receive your T4A slip before March 10, 2021.

The COVID-19 benefit payment amounts on your T4A slip are taxable and must be reported as income on line 13000 of your 2020 income tax and benefit return.

You did not receive a T4A slip

If you received COVID-19 benefit payments in 2020, you should receive your T4A slip before March 10, 2021. You may also get your T4A information from CRA My Account.

After March 10, 2021, if you still do not have your T4A slip information, contact the CRA.

Situations where you would not get a T4A slip:

  • If you applied for the CERB with Service Canada or any Employment Insurance (EI) benefit payments, you will receive a T4E slip.
  • If your employer received the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS) to cover part of your wages, the income you earned will appear on your regular T4 slip.

Issues with your T4A slip

Each COVID-19 benefit will have its own box number (Box 197 to 204) on your T4A slip. If you received more than one benefit with the CRA in 2020, check that each amount you received or repaid is correct.

To confirm the COVID-19 benefit amounts you received, you can review “COVID-19 Support Payment Application Details” in CRA My Account.

Call the CRA right away if:

  • Your T4A slip shows incorrect amounts
  • You repaid benefit amounts before December 31, 2020, but the repayments are not reflected
  • Your T4A slip shows incorrect personal information
  • You did not apply for a COVID-19 benefit, but received a T4A slip

Telephone number: 1-800-959-8281

How to report T4A amounts on your tax return

You will need to enter all COVID-19 benefit amounts you received (Box 197 to 204) from your T4A slip and provide the total amount on line 13000 – Other income of your 2020 income tax and benefit return.

If you received a CRB, CRCB or CRSB, the CRA withheld a 10% tax at source on each payment. In addition to reporting the amounts on line 13000, you need to report the income tax deducted.

You can find the income tax deducted at source in Box 022 of your T4A slip. Enter this amount on line 43700 – Total income tax deducted on your 2020 income tax and benefit return.

When to expect your refund

Posted on by Terra Cameron

Excerpt from CRA Website

You can claim a refund if your net tax (line 109 of your GST/HST return) for a reporting period is a negative amount.

Generally, the CRA process a GST/HST return in:

  • 2 weeks if you filed electronically
  • 4 weeks if you filed a paper return

If you did not include all the necessary information but completed your return correctly, the processing of your refund could be delayed.

The CRA will hold any GST/HST refund or rebate you are entitled to until we receive all outstanding returns and amounts. This includes all amounts payable and returns required under other programs administered by the CRA. We can also use any GST/HST refund or rebate that you are entitled to receive to pay that outstanding amount.

You may receive your refund deposited directly into your bank account. To enroll for direct deposit, use My Business Account or fill out Form RC366, Direct Deposit Request for Businesses.

The CRA

The CRA pay refund interest according to the prescribed interest rate. Refund interest is compounded daily on an overpayment up to and including the day the overpayment is refunded, repaid, or applied. The calculation of interest we pay ends on the day the refund is paid or applied.

For more information, see GST/HST – Penalties and interest.