Koroll & Company Blog

Generally speaking, and absent extraordinary circumstances, the federal government issues two major economic and fiscal documents each year. The first is the federal Budget, which is usually delivered in the late winter or early spring, and outlines the government’s plans and projections with respect to federal government revenues and expenditures for the upcoming (April 1 to March 31) fiscal year, along with any new tax measures which the government intends to implement. About halfway through the fiscal year, usually during month of October, the federal government releases its Economic and Fiscal Update. As the name implies, this release updates the information announced in the federal Budget, especially with respect to revenue and expense projections, the overall state of the Canadian economy, and whether a change is required to the surplus or deficit projection provided in the Budget for the current fiscal year.

The time of year is approaching when many Canadian employees look forward to something “extra” from their employer such as a Christmas or Hanukkah gift, a year-end bonus, or an invitation to the annual employer-sponsored holiday party. While it doesn’t necessarily fit well with the holiday spirit, it’s a fact that many such gifts (even, sometimes, attendance at the annual employee holiday party) may have tax consequences, sometimes in unexpected ways.

In the 2011 federal Budget, the federal government announced a hiring credit for Canadian small businesses, to provide an incentive for such businesses to take on new employees. That program provided small business owners with a tax credit equal to any year-over-year increase in EI premiums paid by the business. The maximum credit available was $1,000 and any amount receivable was automatically credited to the employer’s payroll account with the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA). There was no requirement for the business owner to apply for the credit, as any available credit amount would be calculated by the CRA from the T4 information filed by the business for the current and previous taxation years. For purposes of the credit, a small business owner was defined as one whose total employer EI premiums for the previous year was $10,000 or less. Employers who created a new business would also be eligible for the credit.

The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) has issued a Tax Tip reminding small business owners who are eligible for the Hiring Credit for Small Business (HCSB) for 2012 that they can receive that credit when they file their 2012 T4 information return later this month.