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Tax on transfer bonuses

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288 views 34 replies 9 participants last post by  saver777  
#1 ·
There's a lot of promotions going on where institutions are competing to get clients and offer a transfer bonus which can be 1% to 2% of the value of assets transfered. Some of these offers can get you up to $20k bonus from transferring $1M.

I've seen people debating whether this was taxable.

People were arguing that gifts are non-taxable (unless it came from the employer). But others pointed out 12(1)(x):

12 (1) There shall be included in computing the income of a taxpayer for a taxation year as income from a business or property such of the following amounts as are applicable

Inducement, reimbursement, etc.

(x) any particular amount (other than a prescribed amount) received by the taxpayer in the year, in the course of earning income from a business or property, from

(i) a person or partnership (in this paragraph referred to as the “payer”) who pays the particular amount

(A) in the course of earning income from a business or property,

(B) in order to achieve a benefit or advantage for the payer or for persons with whom the payer does not deal at arm’s length, or

(C) in circumstances where it is reasonable to conclude that the payer would not have paid the amount but for the receipt by the payer of amounts from a payer, government, municipality or public authority described in this subparagraph or in subparagraph (ii), or

(ii) a government, municipality or other public authority,

where the particular amount can reasonably be considered to have been received

(iii) as an inducement, whether as a grant, subsidy, forgivable loan, deduction from tax, allowance or any other form of inducement, or

(iv) as a refund, reimbursement, contribution or allowance or as assistance, whether as a grant, subsidy, forgivable loan, deduction from tax, allowance or any other form of assistance, in respect of

(A) an amount included in, or deducted as, the cost of property, or

(B) an outlay or expense,

to the extent that the particular amount

(v) was not otherwise included in computing the taxpayer’s income, or deducted in computing, for the purposes of this Act, any balance of undeducted outlays, expenses or other amounts, for the year or a preceding taxation year,

(v.1) is not an amount received by the taxpayer in respect of a restrictive covenant, as defined by subsection 56.4(1), that was included, under subsection 56.4(2), in computing the income of a person related to the taxpayer,

(vi) except as provided by subsection 127(11.1), 127(11.5) or 127(11.6), does not reduce, for the purpose of an assessment made or that may be made under this Act, the cost or capital cost of the property or the amount of the outlay or expense, as the case may be,

(vii) does not reduce, under subsection 12(2.2) or 13(7.4) or paragraph 53(2)(s), the cost or capital cost of the property or the amount of the outlay or expense, as the case may be,

(viii) may not reasonably be considered to be a payment made in respect of the acquisition by the payer or the public authority of an interest in the taxpayer, an interest in, or for civil law a right in, the taxpayer’s business or an interest in, or for civil law a real right in, the taxpayer’s property, and

(ix) was not received by the taxpayer as an excluded loan;

Wealthsimple has a disclaimer regarding this:

Tax Implications. There are tax implications to bonuses and rebates of this nature in most instances. Please consult with an accountant or tax professional for additional guidance. Wealthsimple will not be issuing clients a tax slip to report any Bonuses paid to a chequing account. Clients are solely responsible for any required tax reporting.
 
Discussion starter · #3 · (Edited)
I believe there's a confusion because for instance cashback rewards on credit cards aren't taxable. But that's because these are considered a discount as it's a reward on spending.
 
Discussion starter · #7 ·
So I guess that people jumping yearly on these 1%-2% reward for transfers which can mean 5 figures in some case but not getting any T5 as I've never heard of an institution providing a T5 for these rewards are doing some tax fraud yet maybe the CRA as clear on that matter as in the US.
 
Discussion starter · #14 ·
It's not the institution committing fraud. They have no requirement to issue tax slips for this case but an individual receiving income has to claim that income regardless of whether a slip was issued.
Yes I meant the reward receiver who doesn't declare it, maybe I wasn't clear. My reference to them not receiving a T5 was to say that most likely they aren't aware that these rewards are taxable (as most people declare their income based on the tax slips they receive).
 
Discussion starter · #21 ·
Otherwise CRA would arguably be getting into territory of taxing you on the fair value of goods you purchase instead of the actual cash paid.
Yet if I have a principal residence which is 2 floors: main floor and basement, and I rent to a friend/family the full basement for 1$/month, then I could deduct 50% of mortgage interest, taxes, utility bills, internet, etc, reducing my income.

But CRA wouldn't like this because I'm not charging the fair value market value, right?

So the CRA in this case would debate the fair market value.

Now, how do I know that I'm not charging too low to get into trouble? I mean, what if I charge $100/month? Still too low? $200/month? ...