2017 Tax Season Changes
What’s new for 2017?
Amount for Children’s Arts:
•No credit available after 2016Education & Textbook Amounts:
•Eliminated education and textbook amount starting 2017•Tuition credit will continue to provide 15% non-refundable tax credit on eligible fees for tuition/examination fees paid to a qualifying educational institution
•Unused amounts can be transferred to qualified supporting individuals
Children’s Fitness Tax Credit:
•No credit available for tax years after 2016Canada Child Benefit:
•CCB will not be indexed until the 2020 benefit yearDisability Amount:
•2017 moving forward – Nurse Practitioners are considered eligible practitioners for the purpose of certifying disabilities within the scope of their practice•They are eligible to sign FORM T2201 Disability Tax Credit Certificate
Medical Expenses:
•Expenses incurred for medical treatments to conceive a child will now be eligible medical expenses, even if there is no medical condition causing the infertility•Retroactive to the 2007 tax year
Public Transit Passes:
•The claim for public transit passes was eliminated as of July 1st 2017.•Any passes purchased prior to July 1st 2017 are eligible.
E.I. Compassionate Care Coverage:
•Increased from 6 weeks to 6 monthsClaims for Infirm Dependants:
The following non-refundable credits for 2017 & subsequent tax years have been eliminated:
1.Family Care Giver Amount
2.Amount for Infirm Dependants over 18
3.Caregiver Amount
** They have been replaced with the Canada Caregiver Amount
Canada Caregiver Amount:
2-part credit with different rule and amounts for different classes of infirm dependants
1.Spouses, common-law partners, eligible dependants and minor children: the credit is $2,150.00 (for 2017) if the dependant is infirm
2.Other infirm dependants – parents, grandparents, brothers/sisters, aunts/uncles, nieces/nephews, adult children of the claimant or the claimants spouse/common-law partner: the claim is $6,883.00 (for 2017) and is reduced by the dependant’s net income in excess of $16,163.00 (for 2017)
** Tax payers who are required to pay support for a dependant may NOT claim the Canada Caregiver Credit for the same dependant**