What is a T1135 Tax Form: Foreign Income Verification
A T1135 Tax Form: Foreign Income Verification Statement reports all required foreign property owned by a Canadian resident taxpayer. If a taxpayer in Canada owns specified foreign property with a total cost of more than $100,000, they must fill out Form T1135, the Foreign Income Verification Statement in addition to their annual income tax return.
Presently, the T1135 Form has been redesigned to have the following two-tier information reporting structure for specific foreign property:
- Part A – Simplified Reporting method
- Part B – Detailed Reporting method
T1135: Do I Fill Out the Simplified or Detailed Reporting Method?
Taxpayers can fill out the Simplified Reporting method if they own specified foreign property which collectively costs $100,000, but less than $250,000 at any time of the year. Alternatively, if the foreign specified property is valued at more than $250,000, then the taxpayer must fill out the Detailed Reporting Method.
The distinguishing factor between the two forms is that the Simplified Reporting method allows the taxpayer to report the gross income from all specified foreign property they held during the year. For the Detailed Reporting Method, the taxpayer must provide the gross income from each type of foreign property. In other words, as the name says, the Detailed Reporting Method requires the taxpayer to give a more detailed response regarding the quantum and type of specified foreign property held. Categories in the Detailed Reporting method include:
- Funds held outside of Canada;
- Shares of non-resident corporations;
- Indebtedness owed by non-resident;
- Interests in non-resident trusts;
- Real property outside Canada;
- Other property outside Canada; and
- Property held in an account with a Canadian registered securities dealer or a Canadian trust company.
T1135: What is Specified Foreign Property?
When the term “foreign property” is used, rental property owned outside of Canada immediately comes to mind. However, the categories in the Foreign Reporting Method show that specified foreign property encapsulates a much broader term. For instance, a common mistake made by taxpayers is failing to realize that foreign stocks held in Canadian registered securities dealers must be reported. As such, if you invest in classic blue-chip stocks such as Apple, Disney, Microsoft or any other companies based in American stock exchanges, they must be reported (Over $100,000).
Regarding “specified foreign property” the term also includes but are not limited to the following:
- Foreign bank account balances;
- Shares of Canadian corporations on deposit with a foreign broker;
- Shares of foreign corporations;
- Foreign land and buildings;
- Interests in foreign mutual funds;
- Debts owed by non-residents and
- Interests or rights in specified foreign property.
T1135 Penalties
Failure to file T1135 forms can result in harsh penalties for the taxpayer. Specifically, taxpayers are charged a penalty of $25 per day for up to 100 days for failing to file the T1135 Form. The minimum penalty for failure to file is $100 and the maximum is capped at $2,500 per year. So if you have missed multiple years the penalty and interest amounts can be steep!
What if I have not Filed my T1135 Form?
Taxpayers who have not filed the T1135 form or otherwise have provided inadequate information can file a Voluntary Disclosure. The CRA encourages taxpayers who have provided incomplete information, omitted information, or who have not filled Form T1135 to come forward and correct their tax affairs through the program.
It is important to note that the period within which the CRA can reassess a taxpayer’s tax return is extended by three years if both of the following conditions have been satisfied:
- The taxpayer has failed to report income form a specified foreign property on their income tax return; and
- Form T1135 was not filed, was not filed on time, or was filed inaccurately.
Taxes involving foreign property always involve an added layer of complexity. If you have any questions about how to file a T1135 form or apply for a voluntary disclosure, call us today! We can help!
**Disclaimer
This article provides information of a general nature only. It does not provide legal advice nor can it or should it be relied upon. All tax situations are specific to their facts and will differ from the situations in this article. If you have specific legal questions you should consult a lawyer.
Jason Rosen