Volunteer Firefighter Tax Credit wording Changed!

[vmackenzie]

Hey

This looks good, take a look at the official website from CRA on eligibility. Looks like our avocacy of the changes have worked!

http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/gncy/bdgt/2011/qa03-eng.html

It seems the on call issue is now been clarified.


From the CRA site: 3. What are eligible volunteer firefighter services?

Eligible volunteer firefighter services include the services you provided as a volunteer firefighter to a fire department, which must consist primarily of the following (primary services):

•responding to and being on call for firefighting and related emergency calls as a firefighter;
•attending meetings held by the fire department; and
•participating in required training related to the prevention or suppression of fire.
Other services you provided as a volunteer firefighter to a fire department are also eligible, such as, the maintenance of vehicles and equipment used by the fire department and the delivery of educational sessions undertaken by the fire department.

For the purpose of counting the number of hours of eligible volunteer firefighter services, the number of hours devoted to the primary services described above must exceed the number of hours devoted to other services for a particular fire department.

For example: A volunteer firefighter completes 110 hours of primary services and 200 hours of other services for a fire department. The total number of hours of eligible services is 110 hours of primary services plus 109 hours of other services for a total of 219 hours. The volunteer firefighter meets the 200-hour threshold.

4. How are my hours of eligible volunteer firefighter services determined for my on call duty?

In general, you should rely on the fire department to determine the number of hours of eligible volunteer firefighter services that you have completed in the year. The applicable policies and procedures of a fire department would be applied in determining the number of hours that you were on call for firefighting and related emergency calls as a firefighter.

[jerome bennett]

This is the tale of two vol.firefighters.Firefighter # 1is very active,at the station every chance he gets.Firefighter # 2 is meeting the requirements of being a vol.on the Dept.but far from having full attendance.The Feds.and the Province bring down their budgets giving vol.firefighters nonrefundable tax credits for min.200 hrs of service.This is good.Hopefully it's going to boost interest in the Dept.We'll never see another dust ball floating around the station or a spot on the pumper.Standby counts as part of the core required hrs.The Dept.sets up a standby chart.Firefighter # 2 puts himself on standby 10 hrs.per night for 15 or 20 nights.Doesn't cost him anything,he's at home sleeping as most all the other firefighters are.It's perfectly legal.The only thing that has changed since bringing in the tax credit is firefighter # 1 is becoming so contrary he's of not of much use to the Dept.either.

[jerome bennett]

Can someone explain to me how the CRA can leave it to individual Depts to determine what is stand by and what is not.If i'm in the response area and notify the Dept.of that fact how can't i be on standby.Plus,it's a fed.and prov.tax credit.One would think they would have a say on who is qualified to receive it.All depts. would have to be the same.

[kwalters]

We had a discussion in our fire dept, what do they consider other hours? Can it be Secretary, Treasurer work, taking SCBA's to be hydro testing and filled up, doing maintentance on fire equipment in and outside of the fire hall, shovelling out the baydoors to get the trucks out, picking up supplies like flashlights, gas, cleaning the fire hall, etc. Can somebody let us know.

Thanks
Kelly

[iamfiredepartment]

just wondering if any other fire fighters in any departments have claimed this credit and how did they go about it?

[vmackenzie]

Have a look at this page for more information on the tax credit and filing.

http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/tx/ndvdls/tpcs ... 2-eng.html

[jerome bennett]

I compiled all the hrs.our firefighters served this past yr.on call or standby,alarms,meetings,practices etc and had our firechief sign of on the page.One of our firefighter's tax man says this is not enough.What he requires is a letter from the Town on their letter head signed by the chief.

[ivanjwhite]

Essentially Jerome you are correct... you tallied up the hours and did everything right. But the people filing MY tax return are requesting a letter written on either the Town, or the Fire Dept.'s, stationary and they do not need, or want apparently, the breakdown of hours you provided.

However, it says right their on the CRA site "do not send any documents."

Why the people, who are charging me to do my taxes, are asking for a paper that I do not need is beyond me?

[fjh720]

Just to help keep the topic interesting, here is a link to an article that posted on Yahoo.
It is a bit confusing, but it does put that frown of concern on your face.
Good luck with it.

FJH

http://ca.finance.yahoo.com/news/7-tax- ... 35855.html

[HowleyFireDept]

Our local MHA did some leg work for the departments in his district and supplied us with a form letter that stated:

1. Firefighter ?? was an active member
2. Firefighter ?? was on call for "X" number of days for 24 hours a day during the year.
3. Firefighter ?? was present for "X" number of hours training during the year
4. Firefighter ?? attended "X" number of meetings out of a possible "X" number of meetings held.

This form letter was then signed by the Fire Chief and mayor