Overview
For a number of years, provincial governing bodies of regulated health professionals (1) and other professional organizations (2) have allowed the incorporation of the professional practice. The major tax advantage of incorporation, is the ability to defer tax by retaining income in the corporation that would otherwise be taxed at a much higher personal tax rate if you earned the same income as a sole proprietor or as a partner.
Commencing in 2006, family members of doctors and dentists may hold non-voting shares of the professional corporation. Other professional corporations may not have family members as shareholders.
Non-voting shares may include both non-voting common and non-voting special shares. Common shares participate in the value of the corporation, preferred or special shares do not. The advantage in having family members as shareholders is that the corporation may pay your parents, adult children and spouse, dividends taxed at lower tax rates to finance tuition and other personal expenditures as opposed to you receiving the income and having to pay more tax at your marginal tax rate to finance the same expenditure. Dividends are not paid to minor children because they will be subject to tax at 32.57% (ie., kiddie tax). Read More
Recent Comments