Are you going to contact the CRA this tax season? Here are some of the services enhancements that the CRA announced for this tax season.  • CRA has hired additional agents and has contracted a third-party service provide to assist client service capacity issues. Additional agents will be able to answer general inquiries about emergency benefits, but they will not have access to taxpayers’ personal information. • New automated callback service lets callers ask for call-back instead of waiting on hold. Callers on the individuals tax enquiries, benefits enquiries and business enquiries lines may be given this option when wait times...

The Federal Government released the Fall Economic Statement 2020 on November 30, 2020. Here are the highlights of the Fall Economic Statement 2020:• The deficit is expected to reach $381.6 billion in 2020-21. In the next 2 years, the deficit is expected to fall to $121.2 billion in 2021-22 and to $50.7 billion in 2022-23. • The Federal Government plans to invest up to $100 billion over three years to jumpstart our economic recovery once the virus in under control. • The Federal Government will increase funding to provinces that are facing a year-over-year decline in non-resource revenues through the Fiscal...

The CRA announced it has resumed some business activities last September 2020. These activities include the following: • Appeals – The CRA’s dispute resolution and taxpayer relief programs are resuming operations. CRA is now contacting taxpayers who filed objections or CPP/EI appeals to the Minister or who applied for relief of penalties and interest. CRA will also start activating CPP/EI rulings this September. • Business Audits –The CRA’s business audit will focus on complex and aggressive tax planning arrangements using partnerships and trusts by sophisticated and high income earners and audits in the real estate sector to address non-compliance in Vancouver...

The CRA has released an update regarding the recent cyber attacks involving thousands of CRA accounts. Here is a summary: • CRA continues to cooperate with the RCMP in its ongoing investigations• Affected individuals will receive a letter from the CRA explaining how to confirm their identity and reactivate their account. Credit protection services will also be offered for free. • In some cases, applicants may be asked to call the CRA before receiving their next benefit payment and supporting documents may be requested. • The link between CRA’s My Account and My Service Canada Account continues to be disabled.• Updated...