# HST relief cheques are in



## Jungle (Feb 17, 2010)

Got mine direct deposited today. $335. Going right on the mortgage. What are you doing with yours?


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## HaroldCrump (Jun 10, 2009)

Jungle said:


> Got mine direct deposited today. $335. Going right on the mortgage. What are you doing with yours?


Umm....paying the HST
And the hydro bill


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## Jon_Snow (May 20, 2009)

Jungle said:


> Got mine direct deposited today. $335. Going right on the mortgage. What are you doing with yours?


Umm... how do we get these cheques?


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## Xander (Apr 3, 2009)

I guess I am a second class citizen because the government says I am not entitled to an HST cheque.
F***King thieves. I bet most of the MP's & MPP's still get a refund cheque.


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## CanadianCapitalist (Mar 31, 2009)

Our DaltonBucks were direct deposited today. Me? I'm paying the Hydro bill! )


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## MoneyGal (Apr 24, 2009)

There is a strong negative correlation between those posting numbers in the "what is your net worth on retirement" thread and eligibility for the HST relief cheque. 

From the Ontario Ministry of Revenue:

_*How much can I receive?*

The benefit payments to single people will be reduced if their adjusted net income is greater than $80,000. The benefit payments to families will be reduced if their adjusted family net income is greater than $160,000._


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## Four Pillars (Apr 5, 2009)

From my online bank statement:

Dec. 10, 2010 Electronic Funds Transfer Deposit $335.00 

Yay! We're going to have a Christmas after all....


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## Sustainable PF (Nov 5, 2010)

Four Pillars said:


> From my online bank statement:
> 
> Dec. 10, 2010 Electronic Funds Transfer Deposit $335.00
> 
> Yay! We're going to have a Christmas after all....


LOL. Us too FP!

Seriously ... I am not sure what we'll do with ours. Likely put it toward our annual donations before year end.


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## jamesbe (May 8, 2010)

Do we have to pay tax on this? I assume so, so really it's $335/2 ?


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## the-royal-mail (Dec 11, 2009)

I received a windfall roughly similar to this, just this week in fact. It was deposited yesterday and it merely increased my savings. I now have my TFSA for 2011 saved up so this is just gravy, extra money for the tier 1/2 savings. I don't think I'll spend it on anything specific. It will just go in general revenue. That's usually what happens.


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## MoneyGal (Apr 24, 2009)

jamesbe said:


> Do we have to pay tax on this? I assume so, so really it's $335/2 ?


(1) it's not taxable. 

(2) even if it was, is your marginal tax rate really 50%? If yes, you are likely not eligible for the cheque in the first place.


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## the-royal-mail (Dec 11, 2009)

I don't believe Mike Harris' $200 cheque was taxable either.


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## MoneyGal (Apr 24, 2009)

Virtually every one of these kinds of direct transfers (excluding transfers to seniors) are not taxable: the energy cost benefit (or whatever it was called), GST rebate cheques, CCTB, NCB, etc. The single glaring exception to that most recently was the UCCB.


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## jamesbe (May 8, 2010)

MoneyGal said:


> (1) it's not taxable.
> 
> (2) even if it was, is your marginal tax rate really 50%? If yes, you are likely not eligible for the cheque in the first place.


1) Awesome not taxable!

2) Close enough to 50% (46.41%)I'm in the highest bracket but my wife doesn't work so our family income is low enough to make it!


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## Jungle (Feb 17, 2010)

$335 deposted to our chequing account this morning. ALready borrowed it last wed and invested into our TFSA, TDB900. 

What did you do with the money?


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## Karen (Jul 24, 2010)

Is this an Ontario thing? I think in BC, we have to have a very low income before we're eligible for the HST rebate.

Edit: I don't know where my mind was when I wrote this post. I've corrected it by adding the word "low" which I had omitted, and I changed GST to HST, which is what I meant to say in the first place!


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## the-royal-mail (Dec 11, 2009)

I only ever got GST cheques in the years when I had a LOW income.


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## Jungle (Feb 17, 2010)

Yes this is only Ontario. It has nothing to do with the current GST, this was a new thing because of the HST> We got $1000 for filing common law as "relief" from the HST.


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## I'm Howard (Oct 13, 2010)

I am confused, Friends received their $300 cheque, we have not, are all the bribes already in??


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## lost_investor (Feb 13, 2011)

I got a direct deposit for 100. But I've already maxed out the RRSP and TFSA. I'll have to think of somewhere to use this money...


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## the-royal-mail (Dec 11, 2009)

Beer and popcorn?


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## kcowan (Jul 1, 2010)

We got a carbon tax refund in BC and I saved it to pay for gas.

HST will have to await the outcome of the referendum this month.


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## KaeJS (Sep 28, 2010)

Got $100 cheque.

It just got swallowed up in the amount of time it takes to:

A) Put $65 worth of Gas in the car, and
B) Pay your Rogers Bill

And much like the gasoline that will be turned into fumes and vanish into thin air, my $100 cheque has done the same.


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## the-royal-mail (Dec 11, 2009)

As bribes go, it is still better in your pocket than mcliar's. Otherwise that rogers and gas bill would have come out of your pocket.


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## financialnoob (Feb 26, 2011)

Karen: Yes, in BC they are mailing out HST cheques for lower-income families, similar to the GST credit. But the HST rebates for Ontario are different, a one-time credit (split up into multiple payments) to compensate for the introduction of HST.

BC is holding a referendum on whether to keep HST so I don't think they're eligible for this type of rebate (yet). I'd imagine if the referendum keeps HST, you should get a similar credit. But if I lived in BC, I'd be happier just defeating the HST.


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## KaeJS (Sep 28, 2010)

the-royal-mail said:


> As bribes go, it is still better in your pocket than mcliar's. Otherwise that rogers and gas bill would have come out of your pocket.


Exactly. 

You are 100% correct. It's nice to know I get some of my money back.

...Sick of watching cops have "pow-wows" in parking lots.


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## andrewf (Mar 1, 2010)

financialnoob said:


> Karen: Yes, in BC they are mailing out HST cheques for lower-income families, similar to the GST credit. But the HST rebates for Ontario are different, a one-time credit (split up into multiple payments) to compensate for the introduction of HST.
> 
> BC is holding a referendum on whether to keep HST so I don't think they're eligible for this type of rebate (yet). I'd imagine if the referendum keeps HST, you should get a similar credit. But if I lived in BC, I'd be happier just defeating the HST.


No one ever likes the taxes they pay. This line of thinking is an excellent argument against direct democracy through the sort of referendum BC is now undertaking. Direct democracy requires a mature electorate who take the time to understand issues beyond the surface and think about the ramifications. When you don't, you get astonishing train-wrecks like California, where the government can't govern, and the state is perennially bankrupt. Switzerland is the exception, not the rule.


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## financialnoob (Feb 26, 2011)

andrewf: Fair enough. I mean there are definite benefits to the HST. Various studies have shown it will be cost neutral or even lower in overall taxes collected. I just don't like the thought of handing over more money to McGuinty.

Taxes aren't liked by anyone, but so long as they have a purpose and fill that purpose, I'm okay with it. I just have a serious distrust of the existing Ontario government.


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## HaroldCrump (Jun 10, 2009)

financialnoob said:


> Taxes aren't liked by anyone, but so long as they have a purpose and fill that purpose, I'm okay with it. I just have a serious distrust of the existing Ontario government.


A recent opinion poll placed McGuinty among the 3 worst all time politicians.
I think this approval rating came in at around 19%.

Whatever the theoretical merits of the HST may have been, all that extra money has simply been squandered away by the govt.
Once you consider the huge raises, bonuses and COLA benefits that the govt. has given itself and the public sector workers, the whole situation is appalling.


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## nathan79 (Feb 21, 2011)

andrewf said:


> No one ever likes the taxes they pay. This line of thinking is an excellent argument against direct democracy through the sort of referendum BC is now undertaking. Direct democracy requires a mature electorate who take the time to understand issues beyond the surface and think about the ramifications. When you don't, you get astonishing train-wrecks like California, where the government can't govern, and the state is perennially bankrupt. Switzerland is the exception, not the rule.


The BC government introduced the HST after promising they wouldn't in order to get re-elected. I'd say that fact alone warrants a referendum.

When the HST was introduced they claimed it would be offset by rebates making it revenue neutral, but they later admitted they're pulling in half a billion more dollars a year under the HST, even after the rebates.

They lied because they knew full well that the HST would cost people more.

The HST may be a fundamentally sound idea, had it been introduced correctly, and was truly revenue neutral. But the average family in BC is spending $350 more per year under the HST.


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## Karen (Jul 24, 2010)

financialnoob said:


> Karen: Yes, in BC they are mailing out HST cheques for lower-income families, similar to the GST credit. But the HST rebates for Ontario are different, a one-time credit (split up into multiple payments) to compensate for the introduction of HST.
> 
> BC is holding a referendum on whether to keep HST so I don't think they're eligible for this type of rebate (yet). I'd imagine if the referendum keeps HST, you should get a similar credit. But if I lived in BC, I'd be happier just defeating the HST.


I asked the wrong question and confused you - I said "GST" when I meant "HST." Sorry about that.

Just for your information, yes our referendum in BC will be held starting later this month, but it's already been in effect since July 1 of last year, and low-income people have been getting HST rebates every three months since then. That's why it's going to be such a nightmare if the anti-HST voters win the referendum. It will apparently cost over $3 billion and take at least two years to revert to the provincial sales tax. I don't see how anyone with any brains could vote to do that, but that's what I fear is going to happen.

But back to my original question - it appears from what you and others have said, that everyone in Ontario gets an HST rebate whereas only very low income people receive it in BC.

I'm going to vote to retain the HST, but I'll be surprised if my side wins. I agree that our Liberal government did a very poor job of introducing it, but I think that's a separate issue. I wish people would realize the difference; they can vote in favour of the HST and then register their anger at the way it was brought in by voting against the Liberals in the next election, if they wish. But I'm afraid most people are going to allow their anger to overrule their common sense.


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## nathan79 (Feb 21, 2011)

The referendum is needed to hold this corrupt government accountable to the people who voted for their lying asses. I will be voting to keep the HST, but that's not without huge reservations. The tax in its present state is bad policy. It's terrible for families, middle income individuals, the restaurant industry, and many other service industries. It could be very easily fixed by reinstating exemptions that were present under the PST, but they would rather bribe us with a 2% decrease three years down the road.

Needless to say I will be not be voting Lieberal in the next election (I never voted for those clowns in the first place). I'm no fan of the NDP but the Liberals make them look good. I just wish there was a viable third option.


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## andrewf (Mar 1, 2010)

Is it really terrible for the restaurant industry? The industry will adjust. Restaurants in Ontario, Quebec, NS, NB, PEI, etc. all labour under a 13-ish % consumption tax with no apparent ill effects. The whole point of a value added tax is that there are no exemptions, to spread the burden as wide as possible and thus keep the rate as low as possible.

Middle income families have been the recipients of significant tax breaks in the last 10 years. Just suck this one up--it's good for our economy.

I'm not defending how the BC Liberal government implemented the policy. It has been a PR disaster, certainly. But a referendum to abolish a tax without concomitant spending cuts is insanity. It seems to me that this referendum is more about Vander Zalm than anything else.


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## financialnoob (Feb 26, 2011)

Karen: I think you were clear and I was unclear. I blame the lack of coffee on my part when posting sometimes  The terminology is close and I screwed it up.

The HST "Credit" is like the old GST credit with low to mid-income families getting a credit to help pay for the tax. This is what BC has been getting, as well as Ontario.

Ontario also got what is called an Ontario Sales Tax "Transition Benefit" which basically works like a bribe 

http://www.rev.gov.on.ca/en/credit/sttb/index.html

It will not be available next year, just a one-time thing (split up into 3 payments) to help people adjust to the new HST. Individuals with income under $80K are eligible for $300, while families with incomes under $160K are eligible for $1,000. 

I don't know all the ins and outs about the BC situation, but in Ontario, there was a personal income tax cut that was also introduced with the HST to help further offset the cost, as well as corporate tax cuts to make the province more competitive. So overall, it was a pretty cost-neutral package that may prove to be very good. If similar cuts are being introduced, perhaps the government could promote those aspects, or perhaps include them if they aren't a part of the package.


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## I'm Howard (Oct 13, 2010)

The only major country in the world that does not have a consumption tax is the U.S, but it will in the future.

The reality is that all major nations face financial crisis, much caused by their own structure and most fail to cut the expenses for fear of losing an election , so they treat the public like an ATM and take more of their cash.

Air Canada will go on strike because the management want to eliminate their overly generous pension plan, something all governments must do, but most are afraid to.

Why do we pay a bonus to a Federal employee who speaks French but not to one who speaks Spanish, should not all Canadians receive equal treatment?

I am not much affected by HST, our consumption is low, we rarely dine out, majority of needs purchased down South with a 7% tax..


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## HaroldCrump (Jun 10, 2009)

Karen said:


> But back to my original question - it appears from what you and others have said, that everyone in Ontario gets an HST rebate whereas only very low income people receive it in BC.


Karen, it is not entirely correct that everyone in Ontario gets HST rebate all the time -- that would defeat the tax grabbing purpose of the HST in the first place.
The so-called "HST rebate" was a one-time concession made by the McGuinty govt. to suppress the huge public hue and cry that resulted from the introduction of the HST in June 2010.
Under this one-time scheme, households will get $1,000 back in three installments of approx. $330 each.
The first cheques came out last June (when this thread was started I suppose), the second installment was December 2010 (nice Christmas bonus, eh) and the final installment was sent out this month.
This is the end of the "HST rebate".
Also, I believe there is an upper income limit eligibility for the HST rebate.
I recall seeing $160,000 or so.

This whole rebate thing was no more than a vote grabbing attempt.
So the provincial govt. wanted to grab the tax and keep the votes.

In Ontario, we are not going to have a referrendum on HST, but there will be provincial elections in Oct.
That will clearly be a referrendum for the McGuinty Liberal govt.

Voters will either drink the kool-aid or they won't...we'll see.


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## andrewf (Mar 1, 2010)

^ I don't think it's so clear cut. It depends on what lies Hudak is spinning. Some of his platform doesn't sound very plausible, so we'll see. There's lots about McGuinty I don't like, but we have a choice of two people, one who has already broken our hearts and one who will, if elected.


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## HaroldCrump (Jun 10, 2009)

So it's the known evil vs. the unknown evil.
As evidenced by the 19% approval ratings, a lot of folks aren't buying his BS anymore.
We had an opportunity in 2006 to change this, but we didn't (and I admit John Tory botched up his campaign royally).
So we got more of the same, and this time it came thick and fast.
In the end, as the saying goes, we all have the govt. we deserve.


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## andrewf (Mar 1, 2010)

Well, let's go into it with our eyes open. Any promises that are too good to be true, probably are.

Full income splitting for couples will cost billions. We are in a deep, deep hole. He's promising not to cut from 70%+ of the provincial budget. Someone is going to be disappointed. Bet your bottom dollar.


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