British Columbia renter's tax credit

[J Hlina]

I have been unable to get the BC Renter's tax credit form BC479 fo show up in the tax return. It is for my son who is a student/dependent. I must be missing something in the interview setup but I can't find it. Any help would be appreciated.

[YVRTax]

[mimiahfa]

From my account, I don’t have these forms BC428 & BC479 that you show above 

[Geo123]

Hello mimiahfa,

BC Renter's Tax Credit will only appear for the Family Head and Spouse file, it appears you are in the Dependant file.

[Mahogany Bomber]

But there are situations where the dependent can apply for the BC Renter's Tax Credit themselves. I have an disabled adult client that lives with their parent 3 days a week. The parent owns their own home. The other 4 days each week they live at a group home that the client pays rent for. The parent (Family Head) cannot claim the credit but her child can.

Your program should be changed so that the BC Renter's Tax Credit appears in the Dependent file as well.

[Geo123]

Hello Mahogany Bomber,

You can create a separate account for the Dependant and claim the renter’s tax credit as Family Head in that account AND keep the Dependant in the current file (but do not file) for the credits.

FYI -B.C. renter's tax credit

Who's eligible for the credit

For the 2023 and subsequent tax years, you can claim the renter’s tax credit if you meet the following criteria:

    During the year:
        You occupied an eligible rental unit in B.C. under a tenancy agreement, licence, sublease agreement or similar arrangement for at least 6 one-month periods
        Rent was paid for that rental unit
    On December 31 of the tax year, you were a resident of B.C. and you were:
        19 years of age or older, or
        A parent, or
        Cohabiting with a spouse or common-law partner

Note: Eligible tenants who rent and occupy an eligible rental unit under a rental or tenancy agreement together but are not married or in a common-law relationship with each other (roommates) may each claim their own renter's tax credit if all other criteria are met. 

You cannot claim the renter’s tax credit if you:

    Are the cohabitating spouse or common-law partner of a renter who has already claimed the credit for the tax year
    Were confined to a prison or similar institution on December 31 of the tax year and were confined for periods totalling more than 6 months during the year
    Were an employee of a foreign country or resided with a family member or a servant of the employee of a foreign country in Canada
    Die before the end of the year
 

https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/taxes/income-taxes/personal/credits/renters-tax-credit#whos-eligible-for-credit

[alembic.bass]

1) I have added an entry for the BC Renter's tax credit (BC479) but line 60576 does not appear in my provincial tax reduction section; nor is it checked in the General Checklist as expected. How do I get this credit amount recognized by UFile?

2) If necessary, how do I amend the BC return? I see a Re-file option for the federal return but not for the provincial. Do I simply re-submit the entire UFile return with the addition of the provincial renter's credit?

[Geo123]

Hello alembic.bass,

1) BC Renter's tax credit

(BC479) Line 60576 has conditions eg. Income

Starting in the 2023 tax year, a renter's tax credit based on annual income has been introduced. For 2023 this tax credit will give $400 to low- and moderate-income renter individuals and families with an adjusted income of $60,000 or less. Individuals and families with an adjusted income greater than $60,000 and less than $80,000 may receive a reduced amount.

https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/taxes/income-taxes/personal/credits/renters-tax-credit

2) Refile with UFile ONLINE for Tax Year 2022 AND Tax Year 2023 
---------------------
UFile allows to ReFILE  your 2022 (and 2023 tax return) . 
Note for the prior tax years you should make the adjustment: T1-ADJ
1)    If you tax return was successfully submitted, please go to « NetFile  » tab [5]. 
-    - - > Federal  [ ] File accepted
Click on "Federal submission" section. On the bottom right hand side of the page, click "Re-FILE".
“If you need to electronically submit a modified federal return, please return to the left side menu under the interview and select CRA ReFILE.”  < - - - CLICK ReFile

 
NOTE: A new page "CRA ReFile" will appear in the left menu of the "Interview" tab.
2)    Select the section from the Left-side menu, then click "Federal ReFILE Mode".
Follow the instructions on the page.
NOTE: A new page "CRA ReFile" will appear in the left menu of the "Interview" tab.
Select the section from the Left-side menu, then click "Federal ReFILE Mode".
(on the left hand side of the page above Interview setup)
Identification
Current address
CRA questions
 NetFile
 CRA ReFILE   < - - --HERE
 CRA Auto-fill my return
 CRA Express NOA

3)    Make the appropriate changes to your file.(same as in “normal” UFile)
**VERY IMPORTANT! ** You cannot update your marital status, address, direct deposit or email address by using the service ReFILE.  If you have split-pension you must mail it in using a T1 - ADJ.  
4)    Click "Review" tab, then click "NETFILE" tab.
Tick the box "I agree with the ReFILE Terms and Conditions and Private Notice".
Click "ReFILE my return now!".
(is displayed at bottom right of NetFile screen "Select CRA REfile)
-For Revenu Quebec same process applies but for Revenu Quebec ReFile
Note that cannot refile with Quebec until you have received your assessment
**prior years via CRA T1-ADJ
NOTE : You can not ReFile if you did not originally NetFile.  You must do a T1-Adjustment
 

[alembic.bass]

Thank you, Geo123. I failed to read the details about the credit. My income makes me ineligible.

[Geo123]

Hello alembic.bass,

You are welcome.

[Craig99]

On 3/10/2024 at 12:55 PM, Geo123 said:

Hello Mahogany Bomber,

You can create a separate account for the Dependant and claim the renter’s tax credit as Family Head in that account AND keep the Dependant in the current file (but do not file) for the credits.

FYI -B.C. renter's tax credit

Who's eligible for the credit

For the 2023 and subsequent tax years, you can claim the renter’s tax credit if you meet the following criteria:

    During the year:
        You occupied an eligible rental unit in B.C. under a tenancy agreement, licence, sublease agreement or similar arrangement for at least 6 one-month periods
        Rent was paid for that rental unit
    On December 31 of the tax year, you were a resident of B.C. and you were:
        19 years of age or older, or
        A parent, or
        Cohabiting with a spouse or common-law partner

Note: Eligible tenants who rent and occupy an eligible rental unit under a rental or tenancy agreement together but are not married or in a common-law relationship with each other (roommates) may each claim their own renter's tax credit if all other criteria are met. 

You cannot claim the renter’s tax credit if you:

    Are the cohabitating spouse or common-law partner of a renter who has already claimed the credit for the tax year
    Were confined to a prison or similar institution on December 31 of the tax year and were confined for periods totalling more than 6 months during the year
    Were an employee of a foreign country or resided with a family member or a servant of the employee of a foreign country in Canada
    Die before the end of the year
 

https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/taxes/income-taxes/personal/credits/renters-tax-credit#whos-eligible-for-credit

BUT this is a lot of work for the user-creating separate account, duplicating entry, and ensuring carryover amounts etc are entered. This would not be necessary if UFILE would make the simple fix to allow Dependents to use BC Renter's Tax Credit. It was a mistake for UFILE programmers to think that a dependent could NOT claim the BC Renter's tax Credit -as others have mentioned it is possible for a dependent adult child to be renting an apartment BUT the Family Head can still claim the Canada Caregiver amount, or Disability credit, for the dependent. Therefore, the program should allow those credits to be claimed by the simple change of allowing a dependent to view/claim the BC 479 form to claim BC Renter's tax Credit. I have raised this issue with email support and asked for it to be escalated to senior management.

[Craig99]

UFile management has responded to my issue. They don't intend to change the program to allow dependents to use for BC 479 and claim BC Renter's Tax Credit. They also said they would consider, for next year, providing an automated feature to convert dependent data to an Independent Family Head account to allow simpler workarounds on this issue (and allow customers to convert data for children growing up to be independent adults in future tax return filing). However, as this feature has been requested by other customers for several years, I am not too optimistic.

[Trojan]

I use Ufile to prepare tax returns for myself, my wife and my 40+ year old son, who has mental disabilities. My son lives semi-independently in a housing development for persons with disabilities, where he pays rent from his own small earned income & BC disability pension. Ufile does not allow my son to claim the BC renters tax credit because it treats him as a dependent. Unless this can be fixed, I will have to abandon Ufile for my son's return and file manually.

[JR Racer]

This is ridiculous.  Create a way so that we can claim this benefit for our children who qualify for this credit or we will leave you!  And fix this now so we can refile for our kids for their 2023 credit.

[Geo123]

Hello,

This suggestion has been submitted to the QA / DEV team for review.  The development team will decide if a suggestion is implemented for a future release.  Thank you.