CRA doesn't think they have to 'mother' you...

Earlier this week, several senior staff in a meeting at Surrey Tax Office informed those in attendance they don't feel they should have to 'mother' taxpayers about how to calculate instalments if they are new at being self-employed.

Something snapped. I've been working on individuals tax compliance for over 25 years now, and it's galling, it's pathetic, it's insulting that this particular calculation isn't highlighted. Those of us in public practice can tell you, taxpayers get trapped into a sense of complacency in their first two years of business that costs them the rest of their financial future happiness. I'm really tired of the attitude that someone just came right out and said it, only made me more determined to do something.

Then there's the BC Education curriculum, and in the tax arena, they include an extremely basic payroll, T4 and T1 calculation for a simple, employed, single individual, but only if teacher's have time and inclination. That's it.  There are 7 mentions about tax in the entire curriculum, and only 3 related directly to income tax.

Doesn't anyone realize that our self-assessing system is so complex there is no way, that without help and 'mothering' there's no way taxpayers can figure out how to comply anymore?  Even I need my hand held to figure out some things, because folks, tax is complicated and it's not getting any easier any time soon.  So how do you prepare your children for the world we live in?  We need to teach them about how taxation works, and not just the basics of being employed, because that simply is NOT enough.

Do you want your children to learn about tax?  If you do, I've put together a Student WorkBook, with case studies, and videos to explain how to use TurboTax (TurboTax online is free, create up to 20 sample files) to learn how about tax.  I've put resource links to reading about each case, and some Questions and Solutions to cement the learning. 

This is just the beginning.  Like I said, something snapped.