Calgarians claim government rejecting more children's fitness tax receipts
原始发布日期： 2015-12-07 发布者：虫子字变大 字变小
 Jill Sully Letal had her entire children's fitness tax credit claim rejected because receipts did not include required information (Jennifer Lee/CBC)  Jennifer Lee Reporter Jennifer Lee is a CBC News reporter based in Calgary. Like many parents, when Jill Sully Letal enrolled her children in dance, swimming and soccer classes, she paid, collected her children's fitness tax credit receipts and didn't give it a second thought.After all, the paperwork was issued by credible and well-known organizations, from a local dance studio and community associations to the City of Calgary and the University of Calgary. So the Calgary mother of four was shocked when — after being asked by Canada Revenue Agency to submit her receipts — she received a letter from the agency stating that her entire $2,835 claim had been rejected. I think it's kind of government bureaucracy gone crazy. - Kathie Bernard, Freehouse Dance Plus "We were surprised because ... we've always taken the programs from the same businesses. So it seems like this year was totally different," said Sully Letal. According to the CRA, all of her receipts were missing required information. While they included the amount she had paid, the CRA wanted them to include the words "eligible amount" paid. "I feel irritated because it's a lot of time," said Sully Letal, who says she has spent hours trying to sort out the problem and has yet to get all of her receipts re-issued. Accountant sees more rejectionsCalgary-based accountant, Mike Lenzin, says in the past the federal government was a bit more lenient with receipts as long as they looked legitimate."It just seems that Canada Revenue Agency is being a bit more strict in what they're allowing for receipts this year versus prior years," Lenzin said. While the CRA hasn't changed its requirements for what it wants on the receipts, Lenzin says it appears the agency is simply cracking down. "This year they're rejecting more of them if they don't meet the criteria specifically," he said. "The fitness receipts have been all over the map ... everyone issues them differently. So it could be Revenue Canada trying to get everyone to issue a standard receipt like they do for donations or medical expenses." Local businesses stumpedThe rejections are affecting organizations from the very big to the very small.Freehouse Dance Plus is hearing from parents who've had receipts rejected. Some of the Calgary dance school's customers are asking for revisions for the first time this year, according to director Kathie Bernard. 
Kathie Bernard, director of Freehouse Dance Plus, says some of her customers are asking for revised receipts for the first time this year. (Jennifer Lee/CBC) She says the CRA is demanding the paperwork include "eligible expenses" even though her receipts include an amount paid and itemize costs such as registration, administration, evaluation and performance fees."I think it's kind of government bureaucracy gone crazy," said Bernard. "I'm not sure if they're looking for ways to bring in more revenue, or if they think people are all trying to scam the government." Large agencies see paperwork rejected tooThe City of Calgary and the University of Calgary say they get a couple of requests to have receipts re-issued every year.The city has adjusted its receipts to include a child's date of birth in the past. But it does not include the term "eligible expenses" in its paperwork, according to Jarret Hoebers, project lead with City of Calgary Recreation. While the department has not seen an increase in rejections, it was contacted by Sully Letal to revise her receipts. Hoebers says the department checked with the CRA and was told it is in compliance. They're not providing financial relief...so why provide a tax credit? - Jill Sully Letal, mother of four "The way we present the information on this receipt fully meets the standard that they expect," said Hoebers. The city has no plans to change its receipts to include the term "eligible expenses." The University of Calgary says as a rule it does not include all of the required information in its receipts — for privacy reasons and because of the cost involved in upgrading its software. It will manually issue receipts to include required information, upon request. All this has left Sully Letal feeling caught in the middle of a bit of a bureaucratic tug-of-war, as she works to have the paperwork straightened out. "I feel like the spirit of the tax credit isn't being carried out...they're not providing financial relief. So why provide a tax credit?" |