Capital gains exemption limit increased to $750,000

As of March 19, 2007, the capital gains exemption has been increased to $750,000 from its previous $500,000 limit. This means that if you haven’t already taken advantage of the tax preferred treatment of capital gains on qualified small business shares, you should do so while the getting’s good. If you have already maxed outContinue reading “Capital gains exemption limit increased to $750,000”

8 quick facts about the principal residence exemption

Continuing the series of “quick facts” posts (see prior ones about the capital gains exemption and the new financial instruments standards), today is all about the principal residence exemption in Canada. Any residence may be designated a principal residence as long as you “ordinarily inhabit” the home. Ordinary inhabitation includes seasonal living such as yourContinue reading “8 quick facts about the principal residence exemption”

Rolling assets into a corporation and deferring the capital gain

Generally when a disposition of capital property occurs, a gain or loss is recognized. Occasionally the disposition results in no real change to the economic interest of the property, like when an individual transfers property to a corporation they own. A rollover provides a way to defer the gain or loss. Section 85 of theContinue reading “Rolling assets into a corporation and deferring the capital gain”

6 quick facts about the capital gains exemption in Canada

Yesterday I was visiting my parents back home on the farm and enjoying a lazy Saturday afternoon away from the big city. In exchange for some really great ice cream, my Mom asked me for some tax advice related to the lifetime $500,000 capital gains exemption. Long story short, she was under the impression sheContinue reading “6 quick facts about the capital gains exemption in Canada”

AMT woes south of the border – what about us?

The Alternative Minimum Tax is getting a lot of coverage in the US since changes made by Reagan in the 80s are causing it to affect 80% of “families with an adjusted gross income of $75,000 to $100,000,” in other words, a lot of frickin’ families. When the tax was first introduced in 1969, itContinue reading “AMT woes south of the border – what about us?”