Article Surfing Archive

Confessions to CARP and 50 Plus and to all Canadian Seniors:

If the Ontario Securities Commission is still searching for the Culprit who leaked to the public, Finance Minister Goodale's "good news" information on taxing Income Trusts, they need look no further. I will fess up and take the blame. Rest vindicated CARP and 50 Plus. I believe you. You did nothing wrong. This I understand after reading your article published on the current CARP website: http://www.carp.ca by Judy Cutler and Bill Gleberzon, Directors. Here is the scoop. I listened to his Interview on CKNW with Bill Good, a Vancouver Radio Talk Show Host, a few days ago. It was a surprise but an obvious fact that Warren Kinsella is now a re-baptized Conservative who once backed the Liberals in previous Election Campaigns. Now he is sitting on the side lines in a staunchly conservative riding in North Vancouver, cooling his heels while all the political action swirls around him. What a feeling for a Guy who once was the centre of the Canada Elections Campaign Universe. His were the brains behind Jean Chr'tien's and the Liberal's phenomenal Election successes of the recent past.

Now his arch-rivals, the nameless Paul Martin's "Back Room Boys" (read Darrell Reid?) have ousted Kinsella from power as the "Eminence Grise" of the Liberals' Election Campaigns. So he must find a way back into the spotlight. Hence the Income Trust Taxation Tempest in a Teapot. In Vancouver, Kinsella was predicting a minority Conservative win based on dubious logic. Well Warren, I want a share of the Financial Spotlight too. Is there room for both of us in British Columbia?

While counselling Consumers to get rid of debt, from my Vancouver offices of Consumer Credit Solutions, I encouraged my Clients to increase their Income by using Income Trusts. Then one of my clients phoned and asked me to sell all Income Trusts because Ottawa was about to tax the Trusts down to Zero. Did I not read the News? That was some time in September. So I started to pay more attention to the Income Trusts and Dividend Tax Credit debates. A bit of research revealed the recommendations that were coming to me from Mutual Fund Companies and their Money Managers. I shared that information not only with Clients, but in an article published October 10, 2005 by ContentDesk.com titled Investing in Canadian Income Trusts. In fact, some time earlier, in September perhaps, I had created a blog on the subject. Its contents are readily available as evidence by clicking on this link: http://www.investinginincometrusts.blogspot.com.

When you read the contents of that Blog, more so than the published article, you will find out that the analyses, speculations and predictions, shared with those Financial Advisors who keep current with investing information, were that Dividend Tax Credit Rules were the heaviest tax burden likely to come down on income trusts. I do not recall which Mutual Fund Company's Consultant grabbed my attention on this one. But, now that there is Hell to pay, I will take the Blame if no one else will. I did publish these articles and I have been advising those of my Clients who would listen that this is a time to buy into Income Trusts, when Prices were low. Institutions have not yet entered this market in a big way. When they do, some time in the future, prices will shoot upwards.

Amid the debate over the safety and risk levels of Income trusts, I have discerned a considerable amount of mis-information. The biggest mistake is the lack of distinction between an investment in a single business organized as an Income Trust and a Mutual Fund organized as an Income Trust. Beginning Investors must seek professional advice before they act on these matters. I just hope, these Advisors understand the difference. I will now share my understanding of the good news that came from the Finance Minister's announcement on the eve of the Election Call. These comments are detailed further in the website: http://www.Mortgage-Freedom.com. But, let me quote the tax benefits of the Dividend tax Credits directly from the Content. Com article:

Income you derive from Interest on a Savings Account, for example, is very heavily taxed'. up to 100% in Canada. By comparison, only 50% of Income derived from Capital Gains is reported and taxed. As for the Dividend Income from Canadian Sources a complicated formula gives a tax deduction for the interest you paid as the cost of borrowed money. It also gives you a Tax Credit, the Dividend Tax Credit, which reduces the Taxes you would be required to pay normally. This is the best way to receive Income in Canada. The Canadian tax burden has least impact here.

It sits on my conscience that CARP AND 50 Plus, these Innocent Organizations that support and advocate the causes of Canadian Seniors have been blamed for what I may have done. In fact, I would be surprised if many a Mutual Fund Advisor did not do the same. Maybe I was the one who did the wrong and leaked the Finance Minster's Information, not just the day before, not just one week before, but at least one if not two months before the Minister's announcement of his Tax decision on Income Trusts. In fact, in my article, I did use the terms "good news" and "Insider Information". May be I will now receive the visit from the Ontario Securities Commission. May be the RCMP will come knocking on my door. I was hoping I would simply receive a flood of calls from Seniors and other Investors who needed sound advice on where to put their money in order to receive a steady Income from their hard earned savings.

Now I see that at least, I must receive the visit from a Priest in Confession because CARP is taking the blame for my action.

Copyright 2005 AAA Consumer Credit Solutions