All Income is Taxable in Canada
Income from all sources is taxable in Canada, including internet sourced income such as sales on Ebay, ride sharing income from Uber, or rental income from airbnb or flipkey, and has to be reported to CRA. Recent reports that CRA has conducted an income tax audit of Uber in Canada and has asked for Uber's books and accounting records is not a new development in CRA's ongoing campaign to target the underground economy. The Canadian tax department has identified the underground economy as a key target for income tax enforcement, and in the 2014-2015 CRA Annual Report to Parliament quotes from "The Underground Economy in Canada, 2012", Report by Statistics Canada, 2015 that the revised and updated estimates show the total underground activity in 2012 was equivalent to 2.3% of the gross domestic product. Income earned from operating a car ride share as an Uber driver, or rental income from flipkey or airbnb, is fully taxable and has to be reported to CRA, although expenses related to operating that vehicle, or rental expenses, such as insurance, gas or utilities and repairs and maintenance are fully deductible. If you have more than $30,000 in gross sales from any businesses, including multiple different businesses, you are also required to register for GST/HST and to collect and remit the GST/HST charged. If you do not report your internet sourced income or GST/HST you are committing tax fraud and can be sentenced to a fine as well as jail time.
Voluntary Disclosure Program - Toronto Tax Lawyer Tax Amnesty Application
If you are losing sleep because of unreported internet income, your income tax situation may not be as bad as you fear. Any Canadian taxpayers who have unreported internet income are subject to tax prosecution for income tax evasion as well as civil tax penalties for unreported income. However there is a way to avoid these tax penalties because the Canada Revenue Agency wants to promote voluntary compliance with Canadian tax laws, through a tax amnesty with the voluntary disclosure program (VDP). The purpose is to encourage taxpayers, such as airbnb renters or Canadian Uber drivers, to come forward to report any previously unreported GST/HST or unreported income or to file income tax returns that were not previously filed. The Canadian taxpayer who has not reported income has to initiate a voluntary disclosure with CRA through one of our Toronto tax lawyers before the tax man commences an income tax audit of unreported internet income. If the Canada Revenue Agency has begun audit or enforcement action, or has asked for information, the disclosure won't be considered to be made on a voluntary basis and all penalties and possible prosecution will be applicable. If the voluntary disclosure application is accepted there will be no civil penalties including gross negligence and late filing penalties or income tax fraud prosecutions. There will be a full waiver of all possible tax penalties and an interest reduction may sometimes be available as well. The income taxes that would otherwise have been owed will have to be paid, along with interest. In addition, the identity of any Ebay seller, airbnb or flipkey renter or Uber driver making a voluntary disclosure for unreported internet income will be held in confidence. This is unlike CRA's position with all other income tax fraud prosecutions where they seek the maximum publicity possible and issue press releases. It is important to emphasize that the voluntary disclosure program applies even to someone who has committed deliberate tax evasion, including failure to declare income, such as Canadian taxpayers with internet income who have not declared their income. If you have unreported income or unreported GST/HST, contact one of our top Toronto Income Tax lawyers now for assistance, before CRA contacts you.
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