Tax Tips

KAG · Post by **KAG** » Thu Feb 10, 2005 7:56 am

Hello folks, its that time of year again. Don't forget to claim those TL2 - claims for meals and lodgeings. Here's the link.

http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/E/pbg/tf/tl2/tl2-04e.pdf

Also if your working out of country, that overseas Tax Credit.

You can also claim your subscription for your maps, charts, passport fees, and medical fees (sorry I forget the form #)

Heres a link for students
http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/E/pbg/tf/tl11b/tl11b-04e.pdf

If your getting a small return, before they send it off get them to recalculate it if you add say 5K in RRSP's. If it makes a big difference, it may be worth it to take out an RRSP loan (interest free), and pay it off with the return. I did that last year and it made a big difference.

If you have any other tax tips please share.

Cheers.

CClub · Post by **CClub** » Thu Feb 10, 2005 10:10 am

Anyone know if you can claim meals if you spend the whole summer away form base? What counts as a base when you spend 4 months living out of a hotel room?

groundtoflightdeck · Post by **groundtoflightdeck** » Thu Feb 10, 2005 10:13 am

I know there is an allowance for being away from home for extended periods, not sure of how to find that reference in the Tax Act. But if you were collecteing per diems I would imagine you you would not qualify for a deduction or credit.

CClub · Post by **CClub** » Thu Feb 10, 2005 10:15 am

I wasn't collecting per diems. HOtel was paid for, meals were my own problem.

CClub · Post by **CClub** » Thu Feb 10, 2005 11:03 am

Answered my own question. To anyone how has lived like me in the hotel room, you can claim up to $30/day with no receipts for any day away from base where you cooked your own meals. TL2 form works for this too.

LVLChange · Post by **LVLChange** » Thu Feb 10, 2005 11:08 am

I think it was 39/day last year... before it was 33.

wallypilot · Post by **wallypilot** » Thu Feb 10, 2005 11:42 am

I was not aware that you can claim passport fees....can someone give me low down on how to do this?

xsbank · Post by **xsbank** » Thu Feb 10, 2005 1:01 pm

If you're going to claim any costs for meals or mileage, use the same numbers that the feds use for their own reimbursement. Should be able to find in on the Treasury board site, where all the collective agreements are.

By the way, anyone looked at how much TC is paying these days? Peanuts=monkeys??

Remember, this is your money we are talking about and you should try as hard as you can to keep it. I really recommend an accountant - costs $200 or less and if the f*ckers at Revcan or whatever they're called now have a problem, the accountant will deal with it. Before I used one, I used to get audited every 4 years on average. Doesn't matter that I usually got money back. Pilot, dontcha know. Now the $#%^$#@ leave me alone.

Heard somebody say that only 5% of the population of Canada makes over $80,000 a year. Can that possibly be true?? No wonder we're so grumpy up here in the cold...

captainsweaty · Post by **captainsweaty** » Thu Feb 10, 2005 1:13 pm

I am also looking for information on claiming eyeglasses or prescrition sunglasses, if my medical requires it is there a way to claim the cost?

chipmunk · Post by **chipmunk** » Thu Feb 10, 2005 1:54 pm

I think you can claim your eyeglasses/contact lenses expenses in the "medical expenses" area. You can claim any 12 month period, I believe (i.e. Jan 2003 to Jan 2004 if you want).

KAG · Post by **KAG** » Thu Feb 10, 2005 5:19 pm

CClub, If your away from base fro the whole summer, you qualify for $45/day (minus 50%). The $30 (minus 50%) is if your provided a kitchen.
This works well with rotateing pilots even those that get a perdium. If the perdium is less than the prescibed amount then you just subtract it from the 45 or 30, take off 50%, and thats what you get back. That form usualy gives me 1K back, not bad.

There is a form to claim passpor fees, as well as maps/charts, and other work related expenses, but I cant remember whats its called.

Cheers.

ZBB118.10 · Post by **ZBB118.10** » Thu Feb 10, 2005 6:31 pm

Anyone know a weblink for checking which schools are accredited (HRDC?) for tax credit purposes? I checked the TC and HRDC websites, which of course are a complete load of confusing and contradictory sh*t...

Cheers y'all!

Rudy · Post by **Rudy** » Thu Feb 10, 2005 6:53 pm

Anything for guys that stay in a hotel without kitchen ie. buying meals in restaurants/grocery store? Company pays hotel but not meals. Also, define kitchen. I've made noodles in the coffee maker before.

Cat Driver · Post by **Cat Driver** » Thu Feb 10, 2005 7:34 pm

It's been a while since I had to file for employment in Canada, but can you still claim for condoms when away from home?

Cat

LH · Post by LH » Fri Feb 11, 2005 12:09 am

Over and above everything mentioned, there is another item that is hardly ever claimed. Anyone spending a 24hr period away from home is allowed a deduction for that period. It used to be $16 per 24 hr. period. The Act gives examples of loggers, travelling salesmen, etc as those that can claim. They use the salesman as an example and for him that amount is for dry-cleaning of a shirt suit, etc. Many companies that give an "Away pay", "Bush Pay" amount will give less than that and at the end of their business year THEY will use the difference between the two as a Corporate Tax deduction themselves. Neat trick, if they can get away with it and most do.

Also take special note that Canadian truckers took a class action lawsuit against the Feds to get their meal per diem increased back to somewhere where it was before. The first time the courts threw it out, but the second time they used the Civil Service meal per diem deduction as an example and the courts threw out the previous decision and increased it to $45. I say pay special attention to the truckers because they are planning to go after them again. The Civil Service per diem deduction is $65/day and the truckers want the same........and they'll probably get it because a lower court in Manitoba has already sided with a trucker that claimed just that on his Income Tax. The problem being that the Feds can't justify why the Civil Service per day meal deduction should be that high and the rest of the world much less. The courts aren't buying what they have to say so far. So stay tuned.

CLguy · Post by **CLguy** » Fri Feb 11, 2005 8:21 am

CClub the answer is yes you can claim the full amount of all your away from home expenses if you have receipts to back it up and never received any reembursement from the company, but Revenue Canada may try and balk it. I worked with a Canso Captain, named Bert Archer many years ago and he fought it in court and won so there is a legal precendent listed in the Canada Gazette.

A few years after that, I tried to do the same thing and it was refused. I got on the phone with some square head at Revenue Canada who thought he had all the answers. When I started quoting the Canada Gazette and the case Regina vs Archer he quickly changed his tune and said he would have to get back to me, just like a good little civil servant. Anyway that was the last I ever heard of it and everything processed promptly and went through just fine!!

phillyfan · Post by **phillyfan** » Fri Feb 11, 2005 9:44 am

Any idea if the rules apply to a pilot and his swamper cooking hot dogs on the propane BBQ at an outpost.

Flying Low · Post by **Flying Low** » Sun Feb 20, 2005 10:45 pm

For those of you having trouble with your taxes...Revenue Canada has created the simplified version!

Hope this helps!

Captain X · Post by **Captain X** » Tue Feb 22, 2005 10:46 am

did anyone find out what the form # is to claim.... medical fees..... maps/charts ect.??

can't find it on the website

groundtoflightdeck · Post by **groundtoflightdeck** » Tue Feb 22, 2005 12:02 pm

Employment expenses: T777, TL2 and T2200

co-joe · Post by **co-joe** » Tue Feb 22, 2005 4:41 pm

ZBB118.10 wrote:Anyone know a weblink for checking which schools are accredited (HRDC?) for tax credit purposes? I checked the TC and HRDC websites, which of course are a complete load of confusing and contradictory sh*t...

Cheers y'all!

If the school issues you a T2202A form, they are accredited. If not, you are up the creek...

As for a list, the department that handles accredition is in Edmonton for AB so if I remembers it right it is provincially regulated. It'll take a few phone calls to get the right person, but seriously, the school you trained at should tell you. Hint: If you qualified for student loans, then they are accredited. Hope this helps. CJ

co-joe · Post by **co-joe** » Tue Feb 22, 2005 4:52 pm

I got a question of my own.

Anybody know what's an acceptable total cost of Moving Expenses? I moved about a 5 hour drive for a new job.

I meet all the criteria, but not sure what they'll accept without sending up a red flag.

bush pilot · Post by **bush pilot** » Tue Feb 22, 2005 5:26 pm

I also heard that if your away from your base for more than x number of hours (3hrs i think) you can claim a cirtain amount?

lawndart · Post by **lawndart** » Tue Feb 22, 2005 5:34 pm

co-joe:

Moving expenses are T1-M, and outline exactly how much you can claim. Save your receipts, they will ask for them. Honest.

groundtoflightdeck · Post by **groundtoflightdeck** » Tue Feb 22, 2005 5:40 pm

I just did my taxes today and you can claim your moving expenses up to the amount you made at your job in the new location. Save recipts, for movers, gas, lodging and meals.