Blog by Irene Wong & Mike Mulligan

HST Letter Writing Campaign & Info

August 21st, 2009
The British Columbia Real Estate Association (BCREA) has posted a very informative page on their website about the upcoming Harmonized Sales Tax (HST) that comes into effect July 01, 2010.  Included is a letter writing campaign template called Speakout aimed at assisting those that are interested in ensuring that they are heard by the Provincial Government.  You are urged to utilize this cam ...

Read More

Posted in General

Harmonized Sales Tax (HST)

August 13th, 2009
The ABCs of the HST On July 1, 2010, the HST combines the 7% PST and the 5% GST into one harmonized 12% tax. The proposed HST will apply to the same goods and services as the GST, with some limited exceptions. A rule of thumb is if you now pay the 5% GST on goods and services, you will pay the 12% HST on the same goods and services. The PST will be eliminated on July 1, 2010. There wil ...

Read More

Posted in General

Estate Planning for Canadians

August 10th, 2009
Canada is generally viewed as a country with no estate tax. While that's true, what many people don't realize is that a "deemed disposition tax," which is similar to an estate tax, applies when you die. In this article, we'll provide tips on minimizing your estate’s exposure to this tax as well as structuring your estate plan to ensure your beneficiaries get the assets you intend for them.   ...

Read More

Posted in General

Leaky Condo Loan Program Discontinued

August 4th, 2009
The provincial government is discontinuing its Reconstruction Loan Program for owners of leaky condominiums built before July 1, 1999. The last day applications for loans were accepted was July 31, 2009. Building permits for eligible repair projects will have to be obtained by January 31, 2010. Administered through the Homeowner Protection Office (HPO), the program was originally designed ...

Read More

Posted in General

Privacy Policy Sitemap Real Estate websites for Agents