Almost half of Canadians enjoy filing their taxes but that’s not the only surprising tax fact, according to some of Toronto’s financial experts.
Here’s a list of some other interesting factoids about tax season.
1) 46 per cent of Torontonians actually enjoy organizing their taxes despite having to scour through thousands of old receipts, said a study released by the online tax software UFile.
2) Over 3,000 trees are being shredded off the ground just so people can prepare their taxes the old fashioned way, according to a report.
“Tax preparers still do a large number of the tax returns,” said the senior marketing director of UFile, Joanne Birtch. “Six-million people are still doing their tax return by hand.”
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3) The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) has put a stop to mailing out paper tax forms for people to fill now that over twenty per cent of Canadians are filing through the internet.
“The benefit of netfiling your tax return is you get your tax refund back as quickly as possible,” said Birtch. “Also, you don’t have to worry about all those slips.”
4) Six long years is the number you have to keep your records for. The CRA doesn’t normally want your old receipts, but will ask for them if you are being audited.
5) $1,600 is about the average tax refund this year.
6) 24 per cent of Canadians will use their tax refund and credits to pay down their debt. Meanwhile, 20 per cent will put their refunds in investments. And the rest? They’ll indulge their money in entertainment, home renovations or vacation getaways, said a report released by BMO Nesbitt Burns.
7) Everyone can claim expenses. Artists, for example, can claim things like art supplies, to rental space, down to ballet shows. The most they can claim is $1,000 or 20 per cent of their net income.
8) According to a recent report, UFile said people claim all sorts of weird things from marriage licenses to even an interest charge of 24 cents.
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