|
|
| Author |
Message |
AlanBaggett
Guest
|
 Posted: Wed May 21, 2008 6:28 am Post subject: CRA Ordered to Recognize London School of Economics : CRA SO |
 |
|
CRA Ordered to Recognize London School of Economics : CRA SOTW
This is an example of the CRA (ab)using your tax dollars when a little
common sense could have saved everybody involved both time and money.
DAD APPEALED DAUGHTER'S DEDUCTION
Taxman ordered to recognize London School of Economics
PAUL WALDIE
When Peter Shea's daughter Brigid enrolled in a master's program at the
London School of Economics a couple of years ago, he was thrilled she had
got into such a prestigious university.
The Canada Revenue Agency didn't see it that way.
The CRA disallowed tuition and education tax credits Mr. Shea had claimed
when he prepared his daughter's 2006 taxes. The agency said the LSE was
not an eligible university for the credits.
Mr. Shea was flabbergasted. "I couldn't believe it," he said from his home
in Montreal, where he runs a business that supplies testing equipment to
forest products companies.
He checked the CRA's list of more than 500 approved universities. It
included the University of Oxford, Cambridge, Harvard, Yale, and even
God's Bible School and College in Cincinnati, the Life Chiropractic
College in California and the University of Tartu in Estonia. But not the
LSE.
"They didn't recognize the London School of Economics even though half the
civil service in Canada probably went there at one time or another,
including past prime ministers Pierre Trudeau and Kim Campbell," Mr. Shea
said.
He called the CRA.
"I said, 'Well it's not on the list, there must be some mistake.' " He
explained that the Quebec government had approved a student loan for
Brigid to attend the university and he noted that the LSE was part of the
University of London, which was on the CRA's list.
Agency officials wouldn't budge. "It was absolute bureaucratic obfuscation
or stonewalling," he said.
After months of phone calls and appeals, he took the matter to the Tax
Court of Canada. The tax credits were worth only $1,700 to his daughter,
but Mr. Shea was on a crusade to get the LSE included on the CRA list.
During a hearing last month he guided Judge Louise Lamarre Proulx through
a list of 14 Nobel laureates and 39 heads of government who had attended
the LSE. The university is "one of the most important international
universities in the world," he argued.
A lawyer representing the CRA dug in and the hearing turned into a debate
about the status of the LSE and the definition of a university.
In a ruling made public yesterday, Judge Lamarre Proulx upheld Mr. Shea's
appeal. She ruled that the LSE is in fact "an educational institution
granting university degrees" and that it qualifies as "a university
outside Canada" for tax purposes.
The judge also questioned the CRA's list of approved universities, noting
that most of them are from the United States. In fact, the list includes
more than 400 American universities but only 37 in Britain, eight in
France, two in Germany and one in Spain.
The list "may be useful to the CRA's agents as a first and quick reference
regarding American universities, but care should be exercised with respect
to European universities," the judge said in her ruling. She suggested
that staff at Canadian embassies help determine the eligibility of foreign
universities for CRA purposes.
Catherine Jolicoeur, a CRA spokeswoman, said in an e-mail that the agency
is reviewing the decision "to determine the impact" and added that the
decision could be appealed.
She declined further comment on the case but said: "Court decisions serve
to clarify the law or resolve differences of opinion between the CRA and
taxpayers."
Mr. Shea said he is just happy his year-long battle may finally be over.
Brigid, his youngest of four children, graduated from the LSE last
December with a master of science degree. Her subject area? Conflict
studies.
A spokesperson for the LSE did not return calls for comment.
Recognized universities
A sampling of some of the schools that the Canada Revenue Agency does
recognize:
Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colo.
Conway School of Landscape Design, Conway, Mass.
God's Bible School and College, Cincinnati, Ohio
Maharishi University of Management, Fairfield, Iowa
Ohio College of Podiatric Medicine, Cleveland
Pontifical Gregorian University, Vatican City
Ukrainian Free University, Munich
University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Miss a Tax Tale Miss a lot!
Follow the link to the new Canada Revenue Agency Story Of The Week
index!
http://groups.google.com/group/can.taxes/browse_thread/thread/0423e5e9d997c87f/7586401d55b15b1a#7586401d55b15b1a
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alan Baggett
--
Message posted using http://www.talkabouttaxes.com/group/can.taxes/
More information at http://www.talkabouttaxes.com/faq.html |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
|
|
P.O.T.
Guest
|
| Posted: Wed May 21, 2008 9:21 am Post subject: Re: CRA Ordered to Recognize London School of Economics : CR |
|
|
I can only wonder why ANY tax deductions would be allowed at ANY foreign
university?
"AlanBaggett" <alanbaggett@@cra-arc.gc.ca> wrote in message
news:6259dc9f63b1b2606c64718354432ee8@localhost.talkabouttaxes.com...
| Quote: |
CRA Ordered to Recognize London School of Economics : CRA SOTW
This is an example of the CRA (ab)using your tax dollars when a little
common sense could have saved everybody involved both time and money.
DAD APPEALED DAUGHTER'S DEDUCTION
Taxman ordered to recognize London School of Economics
PAUL WALDIE
When Peter Shea's daughter Brigid enrolled in a master's program at the
London School of Economics a couple of years ago, he was thrilled she had
got into such a prestigious university.
The Canada Revenue Agency didn't see it that way.
The CRA disallowed tuition and education tax credits Mr. Shea had claimed
when he prepared his daughter's 2006 taxes. The agency said the LSE was
not an eligible university for the credits.
Mr. Shea was flabbergasted. "I couldn't believe it," he said from his home
in Montreal, where he runs a business that supplies testing equipment to
forest products companies.
He checked the CRA's list of more than 500 approved universities. It
included the University of Oxford, Cambridge, Harvard, Yale, and even
God's Bible School and College in Cincinnati, the Life Chiropractic
College in California and the University of Tartu in Estonia. But not the
LSE.
"They didn't recognize the London School of Economics even though half the
civil service in Canada probably went there at one time or another,
including past prime ministers Pierre Trudeau and Kim Campbell," Mr. Shea
said.
He called the CRA.
"I said, 'Well it's not on the list, there must be some mistake.' " He
explained that the Quebec government had approved a student loan for
Brigid to attend the university and he noted that the LSE was part of the
University of London, which was on the CRA's list.
Agency officials wouldn't budge. "It was absolute bureaucratic obfuscation
or stonewalling," he said.
After months of phone calls and appeals, he took the matter to the Tax
Court of Canada. The tax credits were worth only $1,700 to his daughter,
but Mr. Shea was on a crusade to get the LSE included on the CRA list.
During a hearing last month he guided Judge Louise Lamarre Proulx through
a list of 14 Nobel laureates and 39 heads of government who had attended
the LSE. The university is "one of the most important international
universities in the world," he argued.
A lawyer representing the CRA dug in and the hearing turned into a debate
about the status of the LSE and the definition of a university.
In a ruling made public yesterday, Judge Lamarre Proulx upheld Mr. Shea's
appeal. She ruled that the LSE is in fact "an educational institution
granting university degrees" and that it qualifies as "a university
outside Canada" for tax purposes.
The judge also questioned the CRA's list of approved universities, noting
that most of them are from the United States. In fact, the list includes
more than 400 American universities but only 37 in Britain, eight in
France, two in Germany and one in Spain.
The list "may be useful to the CRA's agents as a first and quick reference
regarding American universities, but care should be exercised with respect
to European universities," the judge said in her ruling. She suggested
that staff at Canadian embassies help determine the eligibility of foreign
universities for CRA purposes.
Catherine Jolicoeur, a CRA spokeswoman, said in an e-mail that the agency
is reviewing the decision "to determine the impact" and added that the
decision could be appealed.
She declined further comment on the case but said: "Court decisions serve
to clarify the law or resolve differences of opinion between the CRA and
taxpayers."
Mr. Shea said he is just happy his year-long battle may finally be over.
Brigid, his youngest of four children, graduated from the LSE last
December with a master of science degree. Her subject area? Conflict
studies.
A spokesperson for the LSE did not return calls for comment.
Recognized universities
A sampling of some of the schools that the Canada Revenue Agency does
recognize:
Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colo.
Conway School of Landscape Design, Conway, Mass.
God's Bible School and College, Cincinnati, Ohio
Maharishi University of Management, Fairfield, Iowa
Ohio College of Podiatric Medicine, Cleveland
Pontifical Gregorian University, Vatican City
Ukrainian Free University, Munich
University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Miss a Tax Tale Miss a lot!
Follow the link to the new Canada Revenue Agency Story Of The Week
index!
http://groups.google.com/group/can.taxes/browse_thread/thread/0423e5e9d997c87f/7586401d55b15b1a#7586401d55b15b1a
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alan Baggett
--
Message posted using http://www.talkabouttaxes.com/group/can.taxes/
More information at http://www.talkabouttaxes.com/faq.html
|
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
|
Alan Baggett
Guest
|
| Posted: Wed May 21, 2008 5:38 pm Post subject: Re: CRA Ordered to Recognize London School of Economics : CR |
|
|
On May 21, 12:21 am, "P.O.T." <pissedofftaxpa...@wits-end.ca> wrote:
| Quote: |
I can only wonder why ANY tax deductions would be allowed at ANY foreign
university?
"AlanBaggett" <alanbaggett@@cra-arc.gc.ca> wrote in message
news:6259dc9f63b1b2606c64718354432ee8@localhost.talkabouttaxes.com...
CRA Ordered to Recognize London School of Economics : CRA SOTW
This is an example of the CRA (ab)using your tax dollars when a little
common sense could have saved everybody involved both time and money.
DAD APPEALED DAUGHTER'S DEDUCTION
Taxman ordered to recognize London School of Economics
PAUL WALDIE
When Peter Shea's daughter Brigid enrolled in a master's program at the
London School of Economics a couple of years ago, he was thrilled she had
got into such a prestigious university.
The Canada Revenue Agency didn't see it that way.
The CRA disallowed tuition and education tax credits Mr. Shea had claimed
when he prepared his daughter's 2006 taxes. The agency said the LSE was
not an eligible university for the credits.
Mr. Shea was flabbergasted. "I couldn't believe it," he said from his home
in Montreal, where he runs a business that supplies testing equipment to
forest products companies.
He checked the CRA's list of more than 500 approved universities. It
included the University of Oxford, Cambridge, Harvard, Yale, and even
God's Bible School and College in Cincinnati, the Life Chiropractic
College in California and the University of Tartu in Estonia. But not the
LSE.
"They didn't recognize the London School of Economics even though half the
civil service in Canada probably went there at one time or another,
including past prime ministers Pierre Trudeau and Kim Campbell," Mr. Shea
said.
He called the CRA.
"I said, 'Well it's not on the list, there must be some mistake.' " He
explained that the Quebec government had approved a student loan for
Brigid to attend the university and he noted that the LSE was part of the
University of London, which was on the CRA's list.
Agency officials wouldn't budge. "It was absolute bureaucratic obfuscation
or stonewalling," he said.
After months of phone calls and appeals, he took the matter to the Tax
Court of Canada. The tax credits were worth only $1,700 to his daughter,
but Mr. Shea was on a crusade to get the LSE included on the CRA list.
During a hearing last month he guided Judge Louise Lamarre Proulx through
a list of 14 Nobel laureates and 39 heads of government who had attended
the LSE. The university is "one of the most important international
universities in the world," he argued.
A lawyer representing the CRA dug in and the hearing turned into a debate
about the status of the LSE and the definition of a university.
In a ruling made public yesterday, Judge Lamarre Proulx upheld Mr. Shea's
appeal. She ruled that the LSE is in fact "an educational institution
granting university degrees" and that it qualifies as "a university
outside Canada" for tax purposes.
The judge also questioned the CRA's list of approved universities, noting
that most of them are from the United States. In fact, the list includes
more than 400 American universities but only 37 in Britain, eight in
France, two in Germany and one in Spain.
The list "may be useful to the CRA's agents as a first and quick reference
regarding American universities, but care should be exercised with respect
to European universities," the judge said in her ruling. She suggested
that staff at Canadian embassies help determine the eligibility of foreign
universities for CRA purposes.
Catherine Jolicoeur, a CRA spokeswoman, said in an e-mail that the agency
is reviewing the decision "to determine the impact" and added that the
decision could be appealed.
She declined further comment on the case but said: "Court decisions serve
to clarify the law or resolve differences of opinion between the CRA and
taxpayers."
Mr. Shea said he is just happy his year-long battle may finally be over.
Brigid, his youngest of four children, graduated from the LSE last
December with a master of science degree. Her subject area? Conflict
studies.
A spokesperson for the LSE did not return calls for comment.
Recognized universities
A sampling of some of the schools that the Canada Revenue Agency does
recognize:
Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colo.
Conway School of Landscape Design, Conway, Mass.
God's Bible School and College, Cincinnati, Ohio
Maharishi University of Management, Fairfield, Iowa
Ohio College of Podiatric Medicine, Cleveland
Pontifical Gregorian University, Vatican City
Ukrainian Free University, Munich
University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Miss a Tax Tale Miss a lot!
Follow the link to the new Canada Revenue Agency Story Of The Week
index!
http://groups.google.com/group/can.taxes/browse_thread/thread/0423e5e...
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Well, the powers that be probably figure that by encouraging Canadians |
to increase their eduction & skill level it will increase their
productivity and value when they return to Canada.
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
|
|
|
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
|
|
Profile 
Log in to check your private messages | 
FAQ 
Search 
Memberlist 
Usergroups 
Log in
Register
