Entries by Dowco Financial

2021 Personal Year-End Tax Tips

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The end of 2021 is quickly approaching – which means it’s time to get everything in order, so you’re ready when it comes time to file your taxes.

We’ve broken this article into the following sections to make it easy to find the tax tips you’re looking for:

• Individuals, including details on COVID-19 benefits and important tax credits.
• Investment considerations, including how to best contribute to TFSAs, RRSPs, and RDSPs.
• Families, including how to claim childcare expenses and make the most of RESPs.
• Retirees, including essential details about applying for CPP and OAS.

2021 Year-End Tax Tips for Business Owners

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We’re approaching the end of the year, so it’s time to review your business finances. We’ve put together an article highlighting the most critical tax-planning tips you need to know as a business owner.

We’ve focused on:
• How to determine the right salary and dividend mix.
• The best ways to handle compensation.
• How to make sure you can take advantage of the small business deduction.
• What you need to know about depreciable assets and charitable donations.
• How to make the most of Covid-19 relief programs.

Importance of a Buy-Sell Agreement

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Working as a partnership between 2 or more individuals is never an easy task, and the situation only gets more complicated when one or more of them exits the business. Protecting not only the business, but your personal interests, as well as your family’s future are very important objectives for any business owner, and should not be overlooked.

“Final Pivot” – COVID-19 Emergency Benefits expire October 23rd, replaced by targeted supports

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On Thursday, October 22nd, Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland announced the “final pivot in delivering the support needed to deliver a robust recovery.” This “Final Pivot” means several existing pandemic support programs for individuals and businesses will expire on October 23rd, 2021:

–  Canada Recovery Benefit (CRB) 
–  Canada Emergency Rent Subsidy (CERS) 
–  Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS) 

Why Should I Review My Life Insurance?

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It’s important to review your life insurance regularly to ensure your policy is up-to-date and see if you require any coverage changes. Here are some reasons you may need to update your life insurance:
• You’ve gotten married or divorced or had a baby.
• You’ve changed jobs.
• You’ve taken on some debt.
• You’re supporting additional family members.
• You’ve bought a new home.
• A loved one has a change in their health.

Life Insurance after 60- is it necessary?

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You may have had life insurance for as long as you can remember. You knew it was important to make sure that your family would be taken care of and be able to pay their bills if anything happened to you.

But now that you’re over 60, your children are grown, and your mortgage is paid off, you may feel you don’t need life insurance anymore. However, there are some circumstances under which it may still make sense for you to have life insurance:

• You still have substantial debt.
• You have dependent children or grandchildren.
• You want to be able to leave a financial legacy.

Salary vs Dividend

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As a business owner, you have the ability to pay yourself a salary or dividend or a combination of both. In this article and infographic, we will examine the difference between salary and dividends and review the advantages and disadvantages of each.