Maybe you have you recently moved to a new location? Did you know that you can often deduct certain moving expenses on your next Canadian Federal income tax return, including the costs of transportation, packing and storage costs.
Many people never realize these tax benefits because they don't know what can be deducted. If you are preparing to move, it's best to be informed beforehand so you know which receipts to keep.
You may find it worthwhile during a move to pay for various services that are tax-deductible rather than doing them yourself.
The typical move involves a number of costs including hiring a company to transport personal effects and furniture, hotel stays and meals (if the move involves driving a long distance to a new home), and service fees to disconnect and reconnect utilities. In addition, renters who leave on short notice may have to pay the cost of breaking a lease.
Homeowners will incur closing costs and commissions on the sale of their home as well as legal and other fees on the purchase of their new home. This article will enrich your information about some tax deductible moving expenses.
To be able to claim moving expenses on your Canadian Federal income tax return, your move has to meet the following conditions:
There are two groups are eligible to deduct a portion of their moving expenses: students moving away from home to attend school and people moving to a new area for a job or relocation by their employer.
There has been a challenge to the rules regarding eligibility for the self-employed as you'll read later in this article.
Students must fulfill two main qualifications: the distance between your home and school must be at least 40km (by the shortest public route) and you must be a full-time student. A full-time student is defined as someone who regularly attends a college, university, or other educational institution in a program at a post-secondary school level (whether in Canada or not) and is taking at least 60% of the usual course load during each semester.
As a student, you can only deduct eligible moving expenses from award income (scholarships, fellowships, bursaries, prizes, and research grants) that you report on your return. Your moving expenses must be greater than your award in order to deduct any moving expenses. As Revenue Canada's website reads, "If your moving expenses are more than the award income you report for the year, you can deduct the unused portion of those expenses from the award."
Although many students will not earn award income and will therefore not be able to deduct moving expenses, tuition fees themselves are a tax deduction. If a student has a part-time job, tuition can reduce taxes paid on those earnings.
Students who meet the qualifications and have received award income can deduct the costs of travel, shipping and transportation of belongings, as well as items listed below under 'Expenses you can deduct'.
If you are moving for work (e.g. a company relocation or new job), are employed and establish a home at least 40 km closer to a new job than your old home, then you qualify to deduct moving expenses. Similarly, if you are self-employed, and you establish a home at least 40km closer to your new operational business than your old home, you also qualify to deduct moving expenses.
According to Revenue Canada, you must establish your new home as the place where you and members of your household ordinarily reside. For example, you have established a new home if you have sold or rented (or advertised for sale or rent) your old home.
Until recently, employees who work from home and move have faced some restrictions regarding moving expenses. In the court decision Gary Adamson v. the Queen, Mr. Adamson had incurred moving expenses as an employee who was required to provide his own office in his home.
When your old residence is sold as a result of your move, eligible moving expenses also include:
Don't forget to keep recipient and documents supporting your claims, you do not have to include those document in you tax claim but Canada Revenue Agency may want to see them at a later date.
The tax laws are frequently modified, we recommend that you visit the Canada Revenue Agency's website for specific details about which moving expenses you can claim or consult a professional accountant to maximize your tax return. Please not that this article is for information only, you must contact your accountant or CRA to confirm that all of the above information is still applicable in your area and/or province.
Thank you and enjoy!
Mark
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