VIDEO LEGACY: What Message Am I Leaving?

VIDEO LEGACY: What Message Am I Leaving?

When conducting our estate plans, we are often focused on the distribution of assets (such as homes, bank accounts, investments, and interest in private corporations), providing for dependents, and ensuring overall family harmony. However, softer issues may be overlooked. For example, some suggest that it may be useful to leave a video legacy for surviving family members to view after a loved one passes.

One app, RecordMeNow, allows users to make a video legacy through targeted question-prompting and video recording. Users can create a video library organized into different subject areas for the surviving loved ones. As an individual’s death can rarely be predicted with certainty, the founder advises recording a legacy due to the risk of an untimely death.

The service was originally developed such that children who lost parents at a young age would have something to connect with their deceased parent(s); however, it can be used by individuals of all ages.

For further information see the BBC article (If you die early, how will your children remember you?, Shaw, Douglas), or go to www.recordmenow.org.

 

ACTION ITEM: What would happen if you were to pass away unexpectedly? Is everything in place such that in the days and years following, the desired results would be achieved? Consider revisiting your estate plan, will, and any other communications you would like to leave for your family.

 

The preceding information is for educational purposes only. As it is impossible to include all situations, circumstances and exceptions in a newsletter such as this, a further review should be done by a qualified professional.

No individual or organization involved in either the preparation or distribution of this letter accepts any contractual, tortious, or any other form of liability for its contents or for any consequences arising from its use.

TAX TIPS AT A GLANCE

  • Guidance from the Government of Canada on the new CPP regime, with a specific focus on the age to start your CPP retirement pension is now available. The website provides commentary on changes commencing in 2019, estimating future receipts, and determining past contributions. It also contains an explanatory video and links to the Canadian Retirement Income Calculator. For more information, see https://www.canada.ca/en/employment-social-development/campaigns/cpp-choice.html.

 

  • Interest rates on Canada Student Loans and Canada Apprentice Loans will be lowered starting in 2019-20. The floating rate will be reduced to prime (from prime plus 2.5%), and the fixed rate will be reduced to prime plus 2% (from prime plus 5%). Also, the Canada Student Financial Assistance Act will be amended so that student loans will not accumulate any interest during the six-month grace period after a student leaves school, during which repayments are not required.

 

  • Resolving objections with CRA can take a long time! For example, formal income tax objections resolved in April that were considered “medium complexity” (which includes many that we deal with) were completed by CRA in an average of 224 days from the date the objection was submitted.

 

The preceding information is for educational purposes only. As it is impossible to include all situations, circumstances and exceptions in a newsletter such as this, a further review should be done by a qualified professional.

No individual or organization involved in either the preparation or distribution of this letter accepts any contractual, tortious, or any other form of liability for its contents or for any consequences arising from its use.

GST/HST NEW HOUSING REBATE: Meeting the Conditions

GST/HST NEW HOUSING REBATE: Meeting the Conditions

In a December 18, 2018 Tax Court of Canada case, the Court considered whether the new housing rebate was available where the taxpayer sold a newly developed property shortly after taking possession. The taxpayer entered into an agreement to purchase the land in 2012, took possession of it two years later when the building was completed, and then sold it three months later.

To qualify for the rebate, the purchaser, or a person related to the purchaser, must, at the time they become liable for the purchase, intend to use the property as their primary place of residence. Also, the taxpayer or a related person must either be the first individual to occupy it, or sell the property as an exempt supply before it was occupied by any person (normally meaning that it is simply sold before anyone moves in).

 Condition 1: Initial Intention

The Court noted the following as a non-exhaustive list of factors to evaluate when considering original intention:

  1. demarcation of primary place of residence by change of address;
  2. the relocation of sufficient personal effects to the rebate property;
  3. if the buyer never moved in, was there cogent evidence that the original plan to live in the property was frustrated?;
  4. permanent occupant insurance versus seasonal or rental coverage;
  5. disposition of previous primary residence; and
  6. if dual occupancy continues, then the rebate property must be more frequently occupied, more convenient to third party locations such as work, have more convenient amenities, and be more suitable to the needs of the taxpayer.

The taxpayer argued that there was a frustration of original intent as listed in c) above. In particular, the taxpayer noted that the purchase occurred as a result of a divorce. The ex-spouse did not want his children to live in the same house as the taxpayer’s new partner. Therefore, a new residence was required. However, this requirement was later waived, which frustrated the taxpayer’s original intent.

The Court found conflicting testimony and insufficient proof of this separation requirement (and subsequent removal of the condition) and, therefore, was not able to find that the original intent was to live in the location.

Condition 2: Occupy or Eligible Sale (exempt supply)

Although it was argued that the taxpayer originally occupied the home, there were no receipts for moving expenses, the property sale listing described it as “unoccupied and never used”, and it was listed for short-term rental on Airbnb two months after possession. Further, the Court noted that the taxpayer was living at the new spouse’s residence at the time of acquisition and that there was insufficient evidence that a move had been made. As such, the Court determined that it was not first occupied by the taxpayer.

The Court also found that the property was not sold as an exempt supply before it was occupied by any person but did not give any specific reasons. While the Court did not specifically list it as a reason for not meeting the exempt sale possibility in condition 2, it did mention that there was at least one rental of the property on Airbnb prior to sale. It is uncertain whether this offended the exempt supply possibility.

 

ACTION ITEM: In order to make the claim, ensure that both conditions are, or will be, met. If one will not be met, consider whether the GST/HST new residential rental rebate will be available instead.

 

The preceding information is for educational purposes only. As it is impossible to include all situations, circumstances and exceptions in a newsletter such as this, a further review should be done by a qualified professional.

No individual or organization involved in either the preparation or distribution of this letter accepts any contractual, tortious, or any other form of liability for its contents or for any consequences arising from its use.

Marsha MacLean Professional Corporation