Basic Economics – audio book
Discrimination: show me the evidence (1981)
The Best of Thomas Sowell
September 28th, 2018Recovery International
February 18th, 2018Listen to a recording of a Recovery presentation by Burnaby Group Leader Gordon, member Ezra, and me, at the BC Humanist Society Meeting in Vancouver on Feb 18. Thanks so much to the Humanist Society for giving us the opportunity to speak. The podcast is 28 min in length.
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Feminism? How about Human Rights?
January 31st, 2017According to current feminist ideology, males are privileged in our society. However, many more men than women are dying by suicide, work accidents, and murder. More than 70% of missing and murdered Canadian Indigenous are men and boys, but Canada launched a national inquiry into only missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls. Women outperform men at all levels of education. Men who are falsely accused of sexual harassment are persumed guilty prior to trial by society at large, and sometimes convicted on just hearsay. It’s time to move away from identity politics, and mind individual human rights.
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The case for Basic Income Guarantee
August 18th, 2016The welfare system is a poverty trap (see previous post). The system won’t help you unless you’re destitute; it won’t cushion you if you happen not to have supporting parents, and if you didn’t land that permanent, full-time, decently paying job with sick leaves and benefits. It won’t provide security if you want to pursue higher education, if you want to leave an unsatisfying job and look for alternatives, or if you need time off to take care of ailing parents, or children.
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What is it like to be on Welfare in British Columbia?
August 10th, 2016Application requirements for a single adult:
- Two previous years in a row earning income of at least $7,000 per year.1
- No more than $2,000 in cash, including RRSP (you’ll have to use up your RRSP before you apply). You cannot refuse to accept assets, income, or other means of support. You cannot dispose of any asset for less than its worth. If the amount is more than $2,000 the Ministry may reduce or cut off your benefits.2
- You are allowed to own a car of up to $10,000 in worth. If your car is more valuable, the Ministry will instruct you to sell it and live off that money before you can apply for assistance.2
Charitable donation vs. Political contribution
July 14th, 2016When you donate $100, you don’t always have to donate $100. You can get back a portion of your donation by paying less tax. In order to encourage you to give money to a political party, our leaders will entice you with an even more generous tax cut. Forget the Red Cross and the fight to cure cancer, the fat cats want to keep their seat in the next election, and they get to vote on the tax rules.
My Donation: $
I’m a first time donor (well, I didn’t get a charitable donations tax credit for any year after 2007)
Province:
Year:
| Charity | Federal party | Provincial party | |
| Federal non-refundable tax credits | 0 | ||
| Provincial non-refundable tax credits | 0 | ||
| Total |
If your taxable income in 2016 or later exceeded $200,000, use the CRA calculator.
Further reading:
Donations Tax Credit on TaxTips.ca
Political Contribution Tax Credits on TaxTips.ca
The Canadian Election Expenses Act that subsidizes individual political donations originated in 1974. Its purpose was to reduce dependancy on large donors, and encourage small donations by a wider range of private citizens.
State subsidies and political parties by Harold J. Jansen and Lisa Young.
Medical expenses tax credits calculator
July 11th, 2016The equations spelled out, the meaning of the variables explained, with a simple calculator.
$ Medical Expenses
Province:
Year:
$ Net Income (income minus RRSP contribution and other deductions)
$ Spouse net Income
$ Universal Child Care Benefit (UCCB)
$ UCCB repayment
$ Registered Disability Savings Plan (RDSP) income
$ RDSP repayment
$ Disability supports deduction (line 215)
I was a Canadian resident for the tax year
I was 18 or older at tax year end
Province:
Year:
$ Net Income (income minus RRSP contribution and other deductions)
$ Spouse net Income
$ Universal Child Care Benefit (UCCB)
$ UCCB repayment
$ Registered Disability Savings Plan (RDSP) income
$ RDSP repayment
$ Disability supports deduction (line 215)
I was a Canadian resident for the tax year
I was 18 or older at tax year end
Federal non-refundable tax credits1:
[Medical expenses - min(2 or 3% of net income)] * %
Provincial non-refundable tax credits1: [Medical expenses - min(3 or 3% of net income)] * % = $
Refundable medical expense supplement:
min(4 or 25% of ) - 5% * (income + spouse income - )
1 Non-refundable tax credits are credits against taxes you would have had to pay otherwise. If your income is too low to pay taxes, you won't be getting any money back.
2 if your income exceeds $, your federal deductible is less than 3% of your net income.
3 if your income exceeds $, your provincial deductible is less than 3% of your net income.
4 The most you can get is $ for medical expenses of at least $.
Further reading:
Medical Expense Tax Credit Line 330, Provincial Line 5868 on TaxTips.ca
Line 452 - Refundable medical expense supplement on the CRA website
Should I defer paying my property tax?
June 27th, 2016BC property owners who are 55 or older may qualify to defer paying property tax. The interest charges are low, and they're not compounded. While this program is designed to help people with low means keep their home, even if you have the means it may be worth it to invest the money, earn compounded interest, and pay later. Or is it? Lets do the math.
Read the rest of this entry »Keeping money in the corporation
June 23rd, 2016You’re a sole, small business owner. Your corporation is making a profit. Should you keep the profits that exceed your living expenses inside the corporation, or pay it to yourself?
If you pay yourself, the money will be immediately taxed according to your personal income tax bracket.
If the money remains in the corporation beyond the end of the tax year, the principal will be taxed at a much lower rate (the Canadian Controlled Private Corporation tax rate). If the money is invested, any interest it may yield will be taxed at a much higher rate (the small business deduction is not applicable on passive income). But since the principal you invested is more substantial, would it be better to defer paying income tax and keep it invested inside the company?
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Paying yourself – taxation on salary vs dividends
June 22nd, 2016You’re the sole owner of a small business. Your business yielded a profit this year. If you pay yourself a salary1, the company will pay no taxes (salaries are deductible as company expense), and the the money paid to you will be taxed according to your personal tax bracket. If you pay yourself dividends, the corporation will be taxed; then, the dividends paid to you will be taxed. Canadian dividends are taxed at a reduced rate, since the company was already taxed on the earnings.
So which method of payment will leave more money in your pocket?
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