Income Tax Severed Letters - 2021-02-10

Technical Interpretation - External

15 January 2021 External T.I. 2020-0847781E5 - CEWS - remuneration / SSUC - rémunération

Unedited CRA Tags
125.7(1), 125.7(2)
non-cash taxable benefits are not “eligible remuneration” for CEWS purposes, but are “remuneration” for “eligible employee” purposes
non-cash taxable benefits are not “eligible remuneration”

Principal Issues: 1- Whether taxable benefits have to be taken into consideration for purposes of determining whether the 14 day remuneration condition is met for an individual to be considered an “eligible employee” and if so, which portion of the remuneration is received or enjoyed in respect of particular days in a qualifying period? / Est-ce que les avantages imposables doivent être pris en considération aux fins du test d'au moins 14 jours consécutifs sans rémunération dans la définition d'un employé admissible et si oui, comment déterminer la période visée par un tel avantage?
2- Does the payment of a commission, earned in a previous period, have an impact on the 14 days without remuneration test to qualify as an “eligible employee”? / Est-ce que le paiement d'une commission gagnée au cours d'une période antérieure affecte le test d'au moins 14 jours consécutifs sans rémunération dans la définition d'un employé admissible?
3- Is there a difference between the remuneration that has to be taken in consideration for the 14 day remuneration condition for an individual to qualify as an “eligible employee” and the “eligible remuneration” paid to an employee to calculate the CEWS? / Est-ce qu'il y a une différence entre le concept de rémunération utilisée pour la définition d'un employé admissible et la rémunération admissible utilisée pour calculer la SSUC?

Position: 1- Yes / Oui 2- No / Non 3- Yes / Oui

Reasons: 1- Taxable benefits are remuneration and therefore, an employer must take these benefits into consideration for purposes of determining whether the 14 day remuneration condition is met . Whether remuneration received by an individual is in respect of a specific day in a qualifying period is a question of fact that can only be determined on a case by case basis. / Un avantage imposable fait partie de la rémunération d'un employé et, par conséquent, doit être pris en compte lorsqu'un employeur détermine si un employé admissible a été sans rémunération pour une période d'au moins 14 jours consécutifs. La période à laquelle se rapporte un avantage imposable est une question de fait qui doit être analysé au cas par cas.
2- The moment when a commission is paid to an employee is not necessarily relevant for the determination of whether an individual is an “eligible employee.” / Le moment où une commission est payée à un employé n'est pas nécessairement pertinent pour déterminer si un particulier est un "employé admissible".
3- Remuneration for the purpose of the "eligible employee" includes non-cash taxable benefits. For purposes of computing the CEWS, the value of such benefit is not eligible remuneration paid to an eligible employee. / La rémunération prévue dans la définition d'un "employé admissible" inclut les avantages imposables non monétaires. Pour calculer la SSUC, de tels avantages ne font pas partie de la rémunération admissible payée à un employé admissible.

3 December 2020 External T.I. 2019-0823751E5 - Lifetime Benefit Trust

“mental infirmity” requirement for a Henson trust
Words and Phrases
mental infirmity

Principal Issues: (1) Are there any tests, or standard guidance, issued by the CRA to determine eligibility for mental infirmity? (2) What are the tax implications of annual distributions from a lifetime benefit trust which are immediately deposited into a separate discretionary trust? (3) What are the tax implications of the final distribution from the trust to the other beneficiaries, after the death of the primary beneficiary?

Reasons: (1) The term “mental infirmity” is not defined in the Act; determination is a question of fact. (2) Relevant provisions of the Act for distributions from a personal trust; certain payments made from the trust may jeopardize the status of a lifetime benefit trust – subject to the conditions of paragraph 60.011(1)(b). (3) Relevant provisions of the Act for distributions from a personal trust.

29 September 2020 External T.I. 2018-0757501E5 F - Crédit pour intérêts sur les prêts étudiants

Unedited CRA Tags
20(1)c); 20(1)d); 118.62
capitalization of interest on a novation would constitute its payment – but novated loan would be a new non-student loan
capitalization of unpaid interest by way of novation constituted its payment
capitalization of interest on a novation under Quebec law would constitute its payment

Principales Questions: Les intérêts ajoutés au principal d’un prêt étudiant suite à l’échéance de la période d’exemption partielle accordée en vertu de l’article 23 de la Loi sur l’aide financière aux études sont-ils éligibles au crédit pour intérêts sur les prêts aux étudiants prévu à l’article 118.62 de la Loi de l’impôt sur le revenu? / Whether interest added to the principal of a student loan following the expiry of the partial exemption period granted under section 23 of the Act respecting financial assistance for education expenses is eligible for the credit for interest on student loan under section 118.62 of the Income Tax Act?

Position Adoptée: Question de fait / Question of fact

Raisons: Commentaires généraux. Il doit y avoir un paiement des intérêts. Il peut y avoir paiement lorsqu’il y a tradition d’argent entre le débiteur et le créancier ou lorsqu’il y a novation par changement de dette.../ General comments. There must be an interest payment. There can be payment when there is a handing over of money between the debtor and the creditor or when there is a novation by change of debt.

Technical Interpretation - Internal

21 December 2020 Internal T.I. 2020-0866491I7 - CRB and Section 87 Exemption

Unedited CRA Tags
81(1)(a) of the Income Tax Act and subsections 8(2) and 8(3) of the CRBA

Principal Issues: 1. If the CRB received by an individual is exempt from tax under section 87 of the Indian Act, should it be included in the individual’s income determined under Part I of the Income Tax Act (the Act)?
2. If an individual was in receipt of the CRB in 2020 or 2021 and their entire income for 2020 or 2021 is exempt from tax under section 87 of the Indian Act, will the individual be subject to the repayment in that year?
3. If an individual was in receipt of the CRB in 2020 or 2021 and has both exempt income and other income that is not exempt from tax in that year, will the individual be subject to the repayment in that year?

Position: 1. No
2. No
3. It depends on the facts.

Reasons: 1. Paragraph 81(1)(a) of the Income Tax Act excludes income exempt under section 87 of the Indian Act
2. The definition of “income” in subsection 8(3) of the Canada Recovery Benefits Act (the CRBA) ties into Part I of the Income tax Act which excludes income exempt under section 87 of the Indian Act and does not have a specific provision to include the section 87 exempt income for the purpose of calculating the income for repayment in subsection 8(2) of the CRBA.
3. If the individual has other income that is not exempt from tax that exceeds the stated amount of $38,000, they will be subject to the repayment of the CRB regardless of whether or not they have exempt income. On the other hand, if the individual’s other income that is not exempt from tax is less than or equal to $38,000 for 2020 or 2021, the individual will not be subject to the repayment of the CRB in that year.