We solve serious CRA tax problems

Capital Dividend Account (CDA) – CRA tax form T2054

CRA T1135 Form

Not all dividends are created equal. Some dividends, eligible dividends, are effectively taxed at a lower tax rate than other dividends in the hands of individuals. Some dividends, called capital dividends, are not taxed at all when received.

A dividend that qualifies as a capital dividend, for example because it represents the tax-free portion of capital gains resized on the sale of capital property, can be paid out free of tax. There are a few potential pitfalls. There two biggest are not having enough in your Capital Dividend Account when declaring and paying the capital dividend (there are various timing rules that apply), or not filling out an election form to have a dividend be a capital dividend.

The election form is Form T2054 and can be found on the CRA website. The form is three pages long and can be a bit confusing to fill out. Seek out a tax professional to make sure that the dividend you thought was tax-free is in fact tax-free.

ACCA-Logo
AICPA-Logo
Chartered-professional-accountant-logo
Chartered Professional Accountant in Canada, U.S. and U.K.

Testimonial

Sam Faris reduced the significant unreported income based on net worth audit to be nil. Sam’s approach in fighting these types of complex audits is unique and sophisticated. He found countless mistakes made by the auditor which were rectified when Sam appealed the audit decision. Instead of owing significant amount of taxes, Sam reduced it to zero. I highly recommend to hire Sam for this type of audits and any CRA problem.”

E.M., Ottawa
pro-tip

Pro Tip

ACCESSING THE SMALL BUSINESS DEDUCTION IN YOUR BUSINESS

The Small Business Deduction gives businesses a tax deduction on the first $500,000 of income. This saves an eligible corporation around up to $50,000 in income taxes. There are a number of conditions that have to be met to be eligible for this deduction.