When to declare common law?

[Traditional_Ale]

Originally Posted by ken0042

Because taxes are based on household income. Fewer people in the household means a greater percentage of the household income goes to paying the bills.

I think that is total BS. So what if I simply paid for everything while she worked and didn't and we just happen to like smashing pelvis every night?

[Ace]

Just an FYI, once you file as common law, you can never again file as single. You will be divorced/separated should you ever go back to being single.

I don't think it matters to the bottom line, but some people might not like the labeling.

[Ace]

nm

[Deegee]

Originally Posted by Locke

When you've been living together for at least a year, or instantly upon having a child together.



I dont want to rag on you, but in my line of work I see this all the time and it should go in the WGMG thread, but there it is.

People pick and choose how and when to file like this, and in Britain these people are referred to as 'Benefits Cheats.' Collecting benefits and credits to which they are not entitled.

So if the government found out I would imagine they would claw back all of the benefits would they not?

I think my friend had some child tax clawed back.

[bizaro86]

Originally Posted by Deegee

So if the government found out I would imagine they would claw back all of the benefits would they not?

I think my friend had some child tax clawed back.

Yes.

I didn't notify the gov't soon enough for their liking when I got married, and they took back some GST rebates, and assessed a penalty/interest.

[cSpooge]

Originally Posted by Ace

Just an FYI, once you file as common law, you can never again file as single. You will be divorced/separated should you ever go back to being single.

I don't think it matters to the bottom line, but some people might not like the labeling.

Incorrect. You go back to single when you stop living common-law. You can only never file single again if you have been married.

FYI single, separated, divorced, widowed are all treated the same for tax purposes.

[cSpooge]

Originally Posted by Deegee

So if the government found out I would imagine they would claw back all of the benefits would they not?

I think my friend had some child tax clawed back.

They do and a lot of people don't realize it. It is something that is quite easy for the CRA to track down. If they are questioning it they send out a 5 page questionnaire that has to be filled out and sent with supporting documentation to prove that you are not living together and it a giant pain in the ass to deal with.

[Ace]

Originally Posted by cSpooge

Incorrect. You go back to single when you stop living common-law. You can only never file single again if you have been married.

FYI single, separated, divorced, widowed are all treated the same for tax purposes.

Thanks, looks like you are right. I was trained by CRA in about the year 2000 to do volunteer tax returns, and they heavily emphasized that "You can only ever be single once", I suspect they changed things from then as i'm sure that rubbed people the wrong way...that or the person that trained me didn't have a clue what they were talking about.

[GP_Matt]