BC man fights $140,000 tax nightmare with CRA after wife’s death

A B.C. man is sharing his tax filing nightmare after the Canada Revenue Agency claimed he owed over $139,000 in taxes.
“It terrified me. I mean this is government. What’s the next step?” Brian Kirkham told Global BC's Consumer Matters.
In 2016, Kirkham’s wife passed away.
Her RRSPs were transferred to Kirkham’s RRSPs as spouse and beneficiary. The transfer of funds results in a neutral tax situation where no tax is payable, but Kirkham says the CRA insisted he owed income tax on those transferred funds which were approximately $240,000.
The retired banker says the CRA claimed he owed over $139,000 in tax. “I was shocked. I was in finance for 38 years. I dealt with this all the time. It’s a routine transaction,” Kirkham added.
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[@mikenapier3598]

As a banker in BC, I know that if he wasn't an expert he would have struggled even more. Good for him to standing up and making some noise to bring light to his and other issues. They are busy chasing the little guy while letting millionaires hide money overseas without consequences.

[@tessietesoro7407]

Yes, there are many Pandorans from Canada, 😂 😂 😂

[@ianpatrick3589]

Yup. CRA behavior is revolting. Maybe that is what we all should be.

[@user-vn7ce5ig1z]

If he wasn't an expert, he wouldn't even have known it was a mistake and just assumed it's legit and he just doesn't know better and gotten bent over by the government. 😒 People assume the government doesn't make mistakes. Ha! Right. _Nobody_ does their jobs correctly anymore, I've seen DOCTORS do sloppy work. 🤦

[@12345678hgjghjvg]

as a good citizen of Canada. i want to say shut up, CRA is part of the government. They gave us vaccine for free. what more do you want? everything the government do is good. i trust them

[@tedpoplawski1462]

@@12345678hgjghjvg clueless, get informed.

[@livesmart9481]

He should sue them. Poor guy, he lost his wife, and had to go through extra stress just because someone was too lazy to do a simple job, that someone getting paid by the tax payers.

[@lostmoose7352]

He wont get old enough to wait for a court date

[@kierandevine9499]

crownagents are lawless terrorists with no moral, ethical or even legal standards!

[@slayerguitar]

@Marty Gene true go back to europe then you clown

[@fangslaughter1198]

I bet they can’t be sued. We in Canada can’t sue our employer for injury. Can’t sue worker’s compensation for insult on top of injury. Can’t sue our mandated provincial vehicle insurance company. In Saskatchewan. Gee. I wonder if they ever break the law?? Pretty much constantly.

[@richardbrophy4120]

The government and the cra are unsueable

[@dangrather1280]

Everyone responsible should be fired. He should sue them for it. I would.

[@francoisbouvier7861]

Sure sue, as if that's an option. CRA are tyrants with very little recourse.

[@HalifaxComputersRepair]

@@francoisbouvier7861 THEY ONLY GO AFTER SMALL FISH , EASY TARGET , THEY WILL NEVER GO AFTER MILLION DOLLAR RICH PEOPLE , BECAUSE THEY WOULD LOSE LOL, CRA ISNT THAT RICH , THEY HAVE LESS MONEY THEN ALL LARGE COMPANIES COMBINE LOL

[@MINI-ME666]

i agree with yo because small mistake when you file tax may amount in month-es and month-es phone calls corrections///

[@alelectric2767]

@@HalifaxComputersRepair so very true. It’s a lot more work going after the wealthy.

[@johndoe-oc6gr]

fire the whole fucken works ye

[@Itsurecanglitchsomemore]

So when in trouble call The news! Thanking you for help the people!

[@homer30]

If he didn't go to the media, he would have been crushed. Global News saved him.

[@kennethgraham6113]

The CRA makes mistakes all the time and trying to resolve the problem is a nightmare. I know first hand.

[@kierandevine9499]

crownagents are lawless terrorists with no moral, ethical or even legal standards!

[@theoneandonlycaptaincanada6915]

same here. my attorney said, CRA does this all the time and they make it so expensive to get your money back, it comes out with you getting no money back and years of stress.

[@francoisbouvier7861]

Me too.

[@williambrass6936]

They don’t make mistakes. They know exactly what they are doing

[@miguelneet3438]

CRA = #1 reason why people go homeless in Canada 🤷👎

[@Darkhorse393]

Problem is that there is no one responsible or accountable at CRA. They make a mistake and ruin your life and its "Oh well" This isn't the first time I've heard of them screwing up bad but it is the first I've heard of them fixing the problem before taking the money by force.

[@user-vn7ce5ig1z]

The CRA is like every other company, they have a bunch of cheap phone-monkeys rotate in and out of the call-centers and automated systems handle the points of contact. Getting an actual human is nigh on impossible these days because of overpopulation.

[@12345678hgjghjvg]

shut up, CRA is part of the government. they gave us vaccine for free. what more do you want? everything the government do is good. i trust them

[@XantinovaX]

No government EVER gives something for free, do people honestly believe we are getting that for free?? We pay for it through the nose with our taxes!! I pay as much in tax per month as rent. Think about it. Insane.

[@qasimparekh9175]

Well pandora paper and Panama paper clearly showed where CRA is really efficient in collecting taxes!

[@bobcaygeon6799]

Would it be a shocker that many C R A executives are included in these 'papers' but of course are omitted!

[@daveinyk1]

EXACT same thing happened to us, the transfer was non taxable and we got a bill for 120,000. We fought it for years and when they finally saw the error, we got no apology. It took years off our lives.

[@Denise-bcg]

Despicable and shameful. Putting this man through additional stress after losing his wife. This is a routine and standard transfer of funds. Incompetent idiots.

[@makeupjunkie4059]

They don’t care they are mafia.

[@woody3590]

hey... hes a retired banker prolly filthy rich and he is finally getting a taste of what the banks have done to us for the last century ...poor baby 🖕

[@macbitz]

All too often large organisations will wilfully mistreat customers, only backing down at the prospect of serious negative publicity.

[@user-vn7ce5ig1z]

Forsooth, viz KZbin. The only way to get anything done is to get big and famous people with clout to contact a company's "customer service center" (read Twitter 🙄) and blackmail them with bad publicity. 🤦

[@meganwalker27]

This makes me so frckn mad, glad it's cleared up now but for those years of stress and mental damage - there is no resolution!!

[@user-vn7ce5ig1z]

That's what God invented punitive damages for. 😉

[@12345678hgjghjvg]

as a good citizen of Canada. i want to say shut up, CRA is part of the government. They gave us vaccine for free. what more do you want? everything the government do is good. i trust them

[@incipidsigninsetup]

I've had issues with CRA. They don't listen because they know they don't have to listen. Where are you going to go to get help after all? Not everyone can get a news agency to play advocate.

[@tylerboss]

Right

[@woody3590]

it has to be a lot of money involved before a newes agency gets involved..they are the same as everyone else..if its not hundreds of thousands screw it..thats their attitude as well

[@Samuella133]

5 years! thank you consumer matters for resolving this issue for this man, he is obviously still grieving his wife's passing...I wish him and his family all the best. God bless.

[@Black_beauty]

They have no respect at all. Money mongering crooks.

[@SelfLoveACommunity13]

I was crying with this man. He's still grieving his wife and the put him through hell 😔

[@helenapawl1049]

Who is responsible for this and who will be held accountable?

[@nedrawmit]

The Liberal government and JT charges to the tax system.

[@1942__Flowz]

Basically no one

[@pabloXL]

haha good one.. accountable.

[@kierandevine9499]

crownagents are lawless terrorists with no moral, ethical or even legal standards!

[@delphi-moochymaker62]

They are unionized, working under a ratified agreement. No one is accountable.

[@TRexOne]

It's mind blowing how a government agency can get away with 4 (5?) years of harassments.

[@woody3590]

just imagine the interest he lost over it

[@sp1pilot]

Income tax was supposed to be a temporary measure implemented in 1917. Over a 100 years later, and the Gorvernment is still screwing the little guy.

[@missblink4611]

Just like your vax pass

[@Hyperpandas]

Well, you continue to benefit from the existence of an income tax. So be glad it wasn't.

[@annaanonymous7337]

The tyranny we are living is like that too. Temporary like taxes

[@sp1pilot]

@@Hyperpandas I don't see the value for the amount of tax I pay. I'd be better off paying my own way vs carry all the free loaders.

[@jsloilfield]

@@Hyperpandas ya we really benefit from long lines pre covid in hospitals to oh no our health care system is on the verge of collapse, but wait there’s more…. We get to support the liberals and their friends, so blessed.

[@tombryant4518]

Trying to deal with the CRA is ridiculous. They never answer the phone, yet get pissy when I miss their call while driving

[@frankcastle2045]

Leave it to the government to kick you when your down

[@alexpearson8481]

Specifically the Canadian government.

[@nopcshere6097]

And then they have the audacity to resent it if you try to hold them accountable!

[@karenacton3854]

…..for privacy reasons? That is laughable, they don’t give a rats a$$ about your privacy!

[@jags7132]

Unbelievable that you had to contact for his issue to end!

[@NeotericBedlam]

I've been going thru a similar issue since 2007. They seized all Funds, Returns, GST, Bank Account and Passport. I cannot work as they take my pay, leaving me less than what Welfare provides. There were no errors on my side and have been forced to live in utter poverty for nearly 13 Years. Thanks Revenue Canada.

[@FirstLast-nt5ui]

What occupation were you in? They tried to screw me too, but I shoved it right back down their gullet hole... took me 8 years to find the forms to validate my claims...

[@carriesmith7165]

If you haven't already, you should contact the lady doing this report, her email is at the end. Sounds like they helped this poor man, maybe they could help you too. Good luck 🤞

[@carriesmith7165]

You could also plead the help of a well known accounting firm, look up the top 10 in Canada and choose one of them. They DO have clout with CRA and may take on your case.

[@ianpatrick3589]

The CRA needs more skills, starting with real people who know what they are doing, and who actually can answer a telephone. Maybe taxing the super rich is long overdue.

[@darky4555]

Taxing the rich doesn't cure a corrupt tax system.

[@abedislami7419]

Skills ain't going to help bud, when they're crooked. They'll just use those skills to be better-crooked. Haven't you learned that by now?

[@samroe4554]

More skills? More heart yes!

[@egocrusher8]

the rich pay their fair share of taxes. The top 10% pay 47.1% of all taxes collected in canada.

[@KayJay940]

You can't tax the rich. They have NO income. They already made their money and stopped working. That's the goal. Think about it if you were rich would you work. Of course not, who would except the exception(s) which is like 0.0001% of the 1%. That's like 3 people in all of Canada lol. What do you do plan on doing, going back a decade and re taxing people. Stupid.

[@jimmysee1234]

Why does it take media exposure for the CRA to do their job. I think a total attitude adjustment is required. The CRA needs to come to the realization that they work for us, we don't work for them.

[@WorkB24]

It's sad right? The cra makes so much money off of the backs of Canadians and we have to go crawling to the corrupt press to get some reprieve.

[@av2060]

Yeah right, so do the politicians and police 🙄

[@TKassa]

As It is well known CRA goes after ordinary Canadians like this poor guy who abide by the law not the big corporations and the super rich that dodge paying their fair share.

[@Ont785]

The rich and the super rich pay “their fair share”. I’m not sure about you, but paying 50% income tax, 23% corporate tax, plus GST etc. on businesses, is paying “their fair share” But let me guess, you paid $25,000 in total taxes, and you feel the world owes you more

[@KayJay940]

You realize like half the population of BC lives directly off welfare and EI right. Who is not paying their fair share again?

[@kenblank9892]

Let’s gets guns and go hunt the super rich

[@KayJay940]

@@kenblank9892 that's exactly what tax the rich means. They don't want cash they want a Bloody Sunday.

[@KayJay940]

@TheBendablespoons ya do realize that's exactly what Hitler said yes?

[@toxicslix]

In the meantime..the rich owes way more than the average joe...CRA is like "meh - whatever.."

[@bobcaygeon6799]

They're on the list too, so, yeah...

[@scalpsquadron4008]

Generally I don’t like main stream media but good for you guys for helping this gentleman out!

[@alexpearson8481]

Agreed. One a side not that’s a heck of a name.

[@scalpsquadron4008]

@@alexpearson8481 when you work at an ice cream factory in the packaging department what is your job title lol

[@alexpearson8481]

@@scalpsquadron4008 thank goodness. I was genuinely hoping you would say this. All the best pal!

[@immortal5sky]

So the moral of the story is that unless you have a big media story covering your issue, you're screwed.

[@captgrant]

Sue them for at Least half a million for the stress.

[@shecat1964]

WTH? They wanted half the money? What kind of tax is that? Im glad it was fixed.

[@charlesyeates1989]

for me, the amount is five times what his is .and over 30 years trying to get it back, my attorney said they do it all the time and make it so hard to get your money back, that it coast you as much as they ow you and much stress and anguish. unfair and forcing hardship is illegal? as per the charter of rights and freedoms. undo stress is a hardship.

[@morninboy]

I lived in Ottawa for ten years and had friends that worked for the government. They could spend an hour explaining their job and still leave one baffled as to what they do. Now I will explain my job in two seconds. I build houses

[@HelTra91]

Bless him, this is how our country is trying to make up for its financial deficits -_-

[@mrfish3961]

THE RICH PAY HOW MUCH ????????😬

[@MrBlack31695]

No one in customer service ever know what the hell is going on. They just pass the problem to the next person to deal with.

[@cristinaordeig7]

We Canadians think that all the people that were responsible of the 5 years of nightmare should be out off work and never work in this industry again and pay some kind of retribution. And for GLOBAL GREAT WORK !

[@12345678hgjghjvg]

as a good citizen of Canada. i want to say shut up, CRA is part of the government. They gave us vaccine for free. what more do you want? everything the government do is good. i trust them

[@12345678hgjghjvg]

@Harry the third what!!!??? trusting the vaccine is not smart!!! Great anti - vax spotted

[@doubledown8250]

The same people saying the QR code is "temporary".... not going to end well

[@user-vn7ce5ig1z]

Go live in a cave. 🙄

[@lynnmckibbon9150]

This is amazing! Great job. Impossible to speak to anyone at CRA and getting info from their horribly constructed website is nearly impossible

[@TowManDave00]

I truly feel for this guy...I hate dealing with the CRA.

[@cherifbar]

Someone has to pay for Trudeau’s wasteful spending!

[@LINERIC44]

Grief is hard enough without this nightmare hanging over you. Glad it's resolved.

[@fangslaughter1198]

My god. If he had been infirm and paid. It would’ve never been noted. How many older people have fallen victim to this scam. We should demand a forensic audit of the results of all similar cases. I’m thankful he is officially off the hook. Disrespected till the end. No apologies no explanation of mistakes made. Shame!!!!!

[@christinevictoria4725]

Thank You for sharing!

[@alienlatino2945]

I know a guy who makes $300,00/yr under the table as a contractor and doesn't pay a penny in taxes to the CRA, he laughs at them. It's only the honest fools that get dinged and grilled. Why would you have your own money on an RRSP only for the government to control it? Hide it away like I do.

[@littleitaliano4792]

Hiding your money is also considered stealing. People on here are saying the rich hide their money and now your hiding money? Your no better then the rich. The system is fraud 100% but that's not the answer to steal and to hide.

[@alienlatino2945]

@@littleitaliano4792 Yeah okay, hiding my own hard-earned money is now stealing? Don't let the government brain-wash you with their fake morals. I still pay taxes and my wages are dinged 40%, now you want me to give my savings to the government too?

[@BigShinyTubes]

It’s going to get worse. The CRA is about to be tasked in recovering the CERB benefits.

[@1942__Flowz]

So glad that he got this resolved

[@GlueNotGlitter]

I hope people at the cra loose their job(s) for this undue and unnecessary harassment and harm he sustained for years!!

[@curtislondon4642]

I for am really happy to see a major news channels using the power to make the public aware and help people who need it.

[@peterdaniellewestpare1333]

Well Done Consumer Matters, well done! Thank you for shining a light on the dark CRA!

[@onesilike9838]

Disgusting! I had a similar problem years ago….three years of rude agents, and people who didn’t know what they were talking about. Finally, when they realized they were wrong….they just dropped it. No apology or explanation. Canadians deserve better.

[@user-mf9od9hg3q]

Our government is a sad little joke 😂

[@FM-jo1jh]

CRA always going after the little guys....I despise them!

[@RK-dh6vc]

In 2004 CRA sent me a letter sayin my then 14 year old daughter was my spouse . She was not eligible for child tax and also my taxes were reviewed and I owed more money. After 17 years ... yes 17 years of fighting with this genius pool , CRA finally removed her as my spouse in 2021. But CRA says I still have to pay the roughly $85,000.00 in penalties and fines for not paying the original penalties in 2004. Amazing bunch of people. No one is accountable or even cares. I am sick of hearing the CRA famous quote just before they hang up on you That's not my problem.

[@happyislandman]

Nothing more soulless than the CRA.

[@JasonLeaman]

And they wonder why people work under the table and do as little as they can..

[@vernshein5430]

Change your last name to Bronfman and the CRA will ignore everything regarding your tax returns.

[@thewayiseeit2069]

Cra should be closed down fire all the management and rebuild it , the worst service you can get !

[@eddiewheeler449]

How about this. We haven’t got child tax in 10 years and have 6 kids under 13. I make less then 80k a year. They owe us around 120k. But want proof of every house we’ve lived in during that time. Can’t prove it. They won’t pay

[@ilovecookiesization]

Incompetence needs to be punished

[@Auxfyt]

It’s terrifying they are so incompetent and stupid … with so much power to ruin your life .. poor guy.. I’ve dealt with collections and they do not listen at all .. luckily we were being audited 😳 and they had to give back the 5k they stole from my account

[@albertongoogle]

Consumer Matters - great report. Keep it up!

[@fila6243]

stop filing tax returns. i say this with a smile.

[@christinedor4482]

Hope he gets a compensation

[@merleawe_]

it looks like they tried to unlawfully extort him, since it was so much money.

[@daskritter3018]

l had 3 instances where CRA demanded taxes l did NOT owe. 1st time they claimed cancelled cheques showing 'rent for month such-and-such' made out to property owner, same amount did NOT constitute RENT. l beat them. next time they claimed self employment income was 'income under contract' kinda like regular teachers wages. then promptly ADDED the earnings in the wages box instead of MOVING it from self employed category. l finally threatened to take all the documentation to the Hamilton Spectator RIGHT AFTER a huge scandal about unwritten 'quotas'. next time l was in construction with a bizarre situation general contractor did not issue a single pay slip to anyone (was told par for the course, dont push it) AND no T4. CRA agent attempted to claim it was ALL gross wages and l had to ante up the taxes out of me NET pay. l beat that too. CRA is run by gubbamint mafia enforcers. and they wonder why once in a while someone 'goes postal' and THAT gets in the news. key phrase in this vid "they just dont care" and they really really dont. they hate bad publicity far more than paying attention to individual citizens. on top of it all the whole thing happened because his wife passed away. insensitve BASTARDS

[@northernpike56]

Oh Canada....

[@JulianneLove]

Time to dismantle the government and all its agencies!

[@jeffpribyl6488]

Had a problem with cra when my mom passed fought with them for 4 years finally sent a change of address notice to her cemetery. I guess they got the message. We need a flat tax no exceptions refund under an acceptable minimum and FIRE everyone at cra time to get a real job get off the taxpayers teat

[@funeralman23]

They have to get the money back some how since CRA will not go after the Rich people on the Pandora Papers.

[@CB-ob5vh]

Man should be compensated. Absolutely despicable.

[@Lickymaballs]

I'm just glad this poor old man can put this nightmare behind him

[@user-vn7ce5ig1z]

I wonder if having to deal with this mess helped take the edge off of the loss since he couldn't really sit in the grief. 🤔

[@callumc6134]

the cra is extremely disorganized they dont even have a building you can go talk to someone.

[@69drin]

Sue that department! You'll get more from your troubles.

[@suzannecuerrier279]

Who is accountable! The CRA need to take accountability for this inept behaviour. How can Canadians protect themselves when no one is accountable when errors are made.

[@agentorange7602]

The CRA is worst run government agency in Canada; and, it's almost disgraceful to be obligated to pay for services that don't seem to exist...

[@Adee_j___]

Cra is sleeping when needed...

[@ashleypettigrew7933]

He should sue the CRA.

[@turbo6mtawd]

More of this garbage will happen when we as a society keep putting more value on "diversity and inclusion" instead of merit and competence.

[@hmac163]

Why not get a tax lawyer? Mine was amazing and worth every penny.

[@ib9511]

Could you give his or her name?

[@mightypaws2645]

@ H Mac I am looking for one, could you forward his/her name to me?

[@kevinsanders2136]

Hey itd really appreciate if you let me know who your lawyer was? Thanks

[@ageofanomaly3874]

We should all just stop paying.

[@garthwicks1105]

This man’s story is identical to my recent experience with CRA. Not as large of an amount but same experience. What should have been a simple matter turned into a 14-month nightmare of phone calls to many CRA agents, Collections calls, and finally a written submission to Service Canada with copies also sent to our MP and to Cdn Taxpayers Federation.

[@taradeleeuw2344]

These people like picking on the vulnerable

[@whiskyo]

This is awful. What a bunch of corrupt incompetent fools at CRA

[@runwitscissors00]

Sickening .

[@louiskwaku8879]

This CRA Is something else. They made my life a nightmare some years ago. They don't play.

[@forgetmenot224420032]

No human reviewed his complaint before going to collections? Appalling

[@piethermanus8777]

Useless CRA

[@grjohnstone]

Sounds like the Financial institution (FI) that handled the transfer made a typo on the tax receipts. The automated system would snag the over contribution and additions and the CRA doesn't usually to to FIs and say "is this right - it looks really wrong". If the tax receipt is wrong, get your FI to send in an amendment and ask for a review.

[@mocabey3308]

I'm glad he won and didn't end up in the poor house. Theoretically, if he had paid, would they ever realize their "mistake", and refund him, with interest?

[@CountNadir]

The CRA sent me covid benefits but not my tax returns citing my address needs to be verified. Go figure.

[@greathelmm]

Disgusting. I mean is this what gov't does to honest tax paying average Canadians? What would have happend if he didn't contact the media?

[@robertdobie2544]

And then the CRA apologized. Right?

[@davidandrews8007]

He is not the only one. I have delt with my parents investments and it is a nightmare. Stay away from RRSP

[@Shello58]

That poor man! 😢 Lose his spouse AND have to deal with all that runaround too!

[@MsKimmy1234]

That poor man. My heart goes out to him 💕

[@theoldschoolconnoisseur2991]

Funny how they charge you intrest. But if they owe you money not a chance

[@lukekuty8119]

So every big company needs big media for something to be done? Because lately that's what's been going on.

[@see5840]

😔 God bless you man! Such a nightmare you had! It seems living in our lovely land is getting harder and harder with all different expensive expenses and different stuff from different organizations + variety of shocking news ...

[@taradeleeuw2344]

Grief is their weapon of opportunities

[@denisemcrae5361]

The law is 7 years to come after for a debt, the debt was CMH CRA took ten of my taxes, I never filled taxes to resolve this issue, I file a complaint to the commisser bob Hamilton CRA say no complaint ever was filled, CRA ignore to this day