Rishi and Amy Sharma in Gordon Head were shocked earlier this year when they received an adjusted tax bill for the 2016 tax year from Canada Revenue Agency that said they owed $8,943 and change.
The main problem was that CRA dismissed the SharmasB次元官网网址� childcare claims of more than $18,000, among other factors.
B次元官网网址淎my has two jobs, we try to ensure everything is by the book,B次元官网网址� said Rishi, a government manager. B次元官网网址淲hen we get a bill for $8000, IB次元官网网址檓 like, B次元官网网址楬oly shoot, you kidding me?B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址�
What really set the Sharmas over the top was the eight-month, back-and-forth rigmarole to try and prove their tax claims, Rishi said.
First, the couple had to prove their children existed. B次元官网网址淐hildren who have had SIN numbers since birth,B次元官网网址� Amy said.
B次元官网网址淭he process was ridiculous,B次元官网网址� she added. B次元官网网址淵ou call the number at the bottom of the letter, they answer, B次元官网网址榮orry, we donB次元官网网址檛 deal with this.B次元官网网址� YouB次元官网网址檙e constantly bounced from one place to another.B次元官网网址�
Eventually, CRA confirmed the Sharmas have children. But CRA still didnB次元官网网址檛 accept the childcare expenses, Rishi said.
B次元官网网址淏ut you canB次元官网网址檛 call anyone to get a straight answer, or just some help,B次元官网网址� Rishi added.
The childcare expenses came down to the use of in-house nannies that CRA needed better proof of.
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It was understandable, but took a long time and could have been easily explained, Rishi said.
B次元官网网址淲e hire locally, theyB次元官网网址檙e usually students who come and go, and they travel. So it was cumbersome. One was traveling in Australia and New Zealand, one was in Vancouver, we donB次元官网网址檛 keep in contact with the nannies after theyB次元官网网址檙e gone.B次元官网网址�
Each one submitted a signed letter that theyB次元官网网址檇 received the claimed money for child care.
As of last week, the tax bill had been reduced from $8,300 to a little more than $3,000 with the SharmasB次元官网网址� accountant telling them the rest of the bill should also be reduced, Rishi said.
At one point, Rishi was so frustrated with the process he called the office of the signatory whose name is on the letters they keep getting, Bob Hamilton, commissioner of the CRA.
Someone in his office answered but said, B次元官网网址淏次元官网网址楽orry, we donB次元官网网址檛 deal with that, why are you calling us, this is the wrong department.B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址� Rishi said. B次元官网网址淚 said, because B次元官网网址榟is name is on the letter.B次元官网网址� So something is completely screwed up here, itB次元官网网址檚 2018. Why is this so difficult.B次元官网网址�
All the while, however, interest was accumulating.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 very scary, very stressful, and very frustrating,B次元官网网址� Rishi said. B次元官网网址淎ll this information is due in a little amount of time, the letter is very threatening, it says we face penalties and interest.
B次元官网网址淲e need to fix the system so we can have more of a conversation with someone. Someone we can say, B次元官网网址榃eB次元官网网址檙e sorry, just explain what we need to do, so we can do it.B次元官网网址� This has taken eight months and we do end up with an accounting bill.B次元官网网址�
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