Pick Your Battles

I am sure that you will agree with me when I tell you that I don’t want to give the CRA (or anyone else) more money than I have to.  I also don’t want to pay someone if I don’t actually owe them.  That said you have to pick your battles.

I recently got a call from a bookkeeper who told me that the CRA had charged her client $9 of interest.  She went on to tell me that all the installments had been made on time or early.  I asked to see the NOA from the CRA so that I could read it for myself.  At this point the bookkeeper proceeded to read it to me and reiterate that the CRA was wrong.  Maybe the CRA is wrong, maybe they are right.  Regardless there are a couple of problems.

The first problem is that I still have not seen the assessment notice therefore I don’t know what the interest is for and thus cannot tell who is right and who is wrong.  The next problem is that the amount is $9.  I know it’s the principle.  You should not have to pay if you don’t owe.  Problem is it is $9.  I charge $100 to file an objection plus $250/hour if I have to meet with the CRA or do a bunch of work to prove the facts.  Hopefully the rest of you see the third problem now.  Right or wrong is irrelevant if you have to pay $100 to save $9.  If you have to spend time to find documents, and then pay me $350 or more to fight over $9 then irrelevance is way in the rearview mirror.  Before someone asks I will play psychic and nip the next few question in the butt.

Answer 1:  No the CRA or Court will not reimburse you for the expenses to fight.  NOT even if you are correct and it is obvious the CRA was wrong.

Answers 2-4:  No it is NOT fair.   NO! it is NOT fair.  NO!  IT IS NOT FAIR!!!

Answer 5:  There are no “buts”.  This is the way it is.   Please review answers 1 through 4 above.

Now that you are thoroughly pissed off, relax.  It is $9.  Principles be damned.  You would have to be an idiot to spend even $5 to fight over this.  The amount of time and effort is NOT worth it to save $9.  I could do this myself, but honestly I would not waste my time even if it was my taxes.  The stress, frustration, and lost time are not worth the effort.  I have better things to do with my time, and can make way more money working for an hour than $9.  I can also do good things like spend time with my family, go for a run, or anything else other than fight the CRA for $9.  Life is too short to sweat the small things. 

And before you start up again please see answers 1-5 above!!!!  Enough said now please move along and get a life.