The 2017 income tax deadline is looming on April 30, 2018 and with it the consequences of not paying a tax debt in full. One such consequence if you fail to pay a tax debt is Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) garnishment.

A CRA garnishment is just one of several scary collections tactics that can happen if you fail to pay your taxes. CRA can garnish up to 50% of your employment income and 100% of your other income, such as contracts or pensions, simply by sending a letter to your employer, or your clients if you are self-employed. The person who receives this letter is legally obligated to send your money straight to CRA or they could face court action.

Unlike other creditors, the CRA doesn’t need a court order to obtain a wage garnishment. And, scarier still, you may not even know when a CRA wage garnishment will start.

A CRA garnishment can start any time after the 2017 income tax deadline once CRA has processed your income tax return and provided you with a notice of assessment. This is where you will see the exact amount that you owe.

If you can’t pay the tax debt in full, that’s when wage garnishment and other collection tactics can begin. You may be able to make a payment arrangement with CRA, but this is nearly impossible for an individual to do on their own. And even if you are sending payments to CRA, they may still garnish.

If you don’t pay your tax debt and CRA finds out where your income comes from, you are at risk for a wage garnishment.

CRA can find out your income source in many different ways, such as:

• You tell CRA or name your employer on a budget or disclosure forms given to CRA.
• Tax filings by your employer(s).
• Your client or supplier is audited.
• And many more.

There are options to stop a CRA wage garnishment depending on your income, assets, and debt. Some of these options will immediately stop a wage garnishment. Debt consulting companies, such as DebtCare Canada, can assess personal circumstances and arrange whatever solution is the right one.

Don’t wait – call DebtCare today. We can walk you through the various options and help you avoid a CRA garnishment. 1-888-890-0888.