November 2010 Archives

Taxpayers' Ombudsman Report: Right to Know

Canadian Taxpayers may be interested in reviewing the Taxpayers' Ombudsman recently-released report entitled The Right to Know.

In the report the Ombudsman makes recommendations concerning which the Minister of National Revenue has asked the Canada Revenue Agency (the CRA) to develop a plan of action and make the necessary changes.

According to the CRA website, the Minister has stated:

"Our government is committed to ensuring the fair and equitable treatment of all Canadian taxpayers. That is why we developed and introduced the Taxpayer Bill of Rights and created the position of Taxpayers' Ombudsman to report to the Minister with recommendations on how the Canada Revenue Agency can better serve Canadians. The role of the Ombudsman is to ensure that the Canada Revenue Agency is respecting the rights of taxpayers as per the Taxpayer Bill of Rights, and I am pleased to accept and act on the recommendation in his report."

For more information, see the CRA news release at:
http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/whtsnw/tms/sttmnt1109-eng.html

or the Tax Ombudsman web site at:
www.taxpayersrights.gc.ca

Taxpayer relief deadline: December 31, 2010

In a news release on its website, the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) reminds taxpayers and all tax registrants that they have until December 31, 2010 to file requests under the taxpayer relief provisions for the 2000 tax year and any reporting period that ended during the 2000 calendar year.

According to the CRA news release, "taxpayer relief provisions of the Income Tax Act limit the discretion of the Minister of National Revenue to cancel or waive penalties and interest, accept certain late-filed, amended, or revoked income tax elections; and issue income tax refunds beyond the normal three-year period (for individuals and testamentary trusts only). This only applies to tax years that ended within the 10 calendar years immediately preceding the calendar year in which a request is made."

Taxpayers and registrants or their authorized representatives can make a taxpayer relief request by completing Form RC4288, Request for Taxpayer Relief, or by writing to their tax services office. For more information, please see:
http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/nwsrm/rlss/2010/m11/nr101108-eng.html?eml