2018 Federal Budget Highlights for Business

The government’s 2018 federal budget focuses on a number of tax tightening measures for business owners. It introduces a new regime for holding passive investments inside a Canadian Controlled Private Corporation (CCPC). (Previously proposed in July 2017.)

 Here are the highlights:

Small Business Tax Rate Reduction Confirmed

Lower small business tax rate from 10% (from 10.5%), effective January 1, 2018 and to 9% effective January 1, 2019.

Limiting Access to the Small Business Tax Rate

A key objective of the budget is to decrease the small business limit for CCPCs with a set threshold of income generated from passive investments. This will apply to CCPCs with between $50,000 and $150,000 of investment income. It reduces the small business deduction by $5 for each $1 of investment income which falls over the threshold of $50,000. This new ­regulation will go hand in hand with the current business limit reduction for taxable capital.

Limiting access to refundable taxes

 Another important feature of the budget is to reduce the tax advantages that CCPCs can gain to access refundable taxes on the distribution of dividends. Currently, a corporation can receive a refundable dividend tax on hand (known as a RDTOH) when they pay a particular dividend, whereas the new proposals aim to permit such a refund only where a private corporation pays non-eligible dividends, though exceptions apply regarding RDTOH deriving from eligible portfolio dividends.

The new RDTOH account referred to “eligible RDTOH” will be tracked under Part IV of the Income Tax Act while the current RDTOH account will be redefined as “non-eligible RDTOH” and will be tracked under Part I of the Income Tax Act. This means when a corporation pays non-eligible dividends, it’s required to obtain a refund from its non-eligible RDTOH account before it obtains a refund from its eligible RDTOH account.

Health and welfare trusts

The budget states that it will end the Health and Welfare Trust tax regime and transition it to Employee Life and Health Trusts. The current tax position of Health and Welfare Trusts are linked to the administrative rules as stated by the CRA, but the income Tax Act includes specific rules relating to the Employee Life and Heath Trusts which are similar. The budget will simplify this arrangement to have one set of rules across both arrangements.

Ontario Budget 2017

Ontario Finance Minister Charles Sousa delivered the province’s 2017 budget on April 27, 2017. The province’s 2017 budget is balanced, with projected balanced budgets for 2018 and 2019.

Corporate Income Tax Measures

No changes to corporate taxes were announced.

Corporate Income Tax Rates- As of January 1, 2017
Ontario Combined Federal & Ont
General 11.5% 26.5%
M&P 10.0% 25.0%
Small Business* 4.5% 15.0%
*on first $500,000 of active business income
  • Review of tax planning strategies involving private corporations: Ontario intends to review tax planning strategies involving private corporations
    • Income splitting with family members
    • Passive investment portfolio inside a corporation
    • Converting regular business income to capital gains
  • Employer Health Tax Exemption: Changes to prevent the multiplication of Employer Health Tax exemption for CCPCs.
  • Small Business Deduction limit: Parallel changes made to the federal small business deduction by the same amount the federal business limit is reduced

Personal Income Tax Measures

No changes to personal taxes were announced.

Personal Combined Federal/Provincial Top Marginal Rates
2017
Interest and regular income 53.53%
Capital gains 26.76%
Eligible dividends 39.34%
Non-eligible dividends 45.30%
  • Caregiver Tax Credit: This new non-refundable 5.05% credit is available in respect of relatives who are infirm dependents, including adult children of the claimant or of the claimant’s spouse or common‐law partner
  • Ontario Seniors’ Public Transit Credit: Ontario Seniors’ Public Transit Tax Credit for all Ontarians aged 65 or older.
  • Property and land tax measures: Adjust the rules on land transfer tax including preventing qualifying purchasers from claiming their spouse’s interest for the first‐time homebuyers refund if the spouse is not a Canadian citizen or permanent resident of Canada.

Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any questions.

Federal Budget 2017 Families

Finance Minister Bill Morneau delivered the government’s 2017 federal budget on March 22, 2017. The budget expects a deficit of $23 billion for fiscal 2016-2017 and forecasts a deficit of $28.5 billion for 2017-2018. Find out what this means for families.

Read more

Federal Budget 2017Business

Finance Minister Bill Morneau delivered the government’s 2017 federal budget on March 22, 2017. The budget expects a deficit of $23 billion for fiscal 2016-2017 and forecasts a deficit of $28.5 billion for 2017-2018. Find out what this means for businesses.

Read more