328 – CRA CERB Audit? CEWS Audit? What Should You Do?

Nearly 9 million Canadians applied for CERB in 2020 to deal with the financial effects of COVID-19. To distribute the benefit quickly, the Canadian government conducted very little eligibility verification up-front. Many people believed they were eligible to get CERB but are now discovering that that was not the case. So, what happens if you received CERB but were not eligible? Will you be audited by the Canada Revenue Agency? And if you are audited, how do you prove you were eligible? Enter Jason Rosen. Jason is an experienced tax lawyer and co-founder of Rosen Kirshen (RK) Tax Law. On today's podcast Jason shares his thoughts on how the CRA might treat ineligible receipt of CERB and CEWS for employers. He provides practical advice for how Canadians can prepare themselves in the event of a tax audit and explains what may happen to those who applied to CERB knowing they were not entitled to receive it. Tune in to the show for lots of guidance on this pressing issue.

Relevant Links:

Rosen Kirshen Tax Law Website: https://www.rktaxlaw.com/

CRA Collection Letters for CERB Ineligibility & Repayment: https://www.hoyes.com/blog/cra-collection-letters-for-cerb-ineligibility-repayment

CERB Eligibility: https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/benefits/apply-for-cerb-with-cra/eligibility-periods.html

CERB Statistics: https://www.canada.ca/en/services/benefits/ei/claims-report.html

New T4 Reporting Requirements for Employers: https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/campaigns/covid-19-update/support-employers-cra-covid-19.html

CERB Eligibility Criteria: https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/benefits/apply-for-cerb-with-cra/who-apply.html