The TC $55 medical renewal tax

[Carrier]

Are any pilots refusing to pay the Transport Canada $55 medical renewal tax? If so, what happened as a consequence? I vaguely recall hearing that if it was not paid Revenue Canada would deduct it from any income tax refund owing. If this is correct what happens regarding pilots who always have to pay in at income tax time? The reason I ask is that I have again just received an invoice for “processing of medical certificate” although I have not received a new medical certificate! The doctor did the processing, stamping and signing the square on the old certificate.

Whatever it is called (fee, levy, duty, charge, impost, excise, rate or some other term) it is still a compulsory government extraction from the pockets of a section of taxpayers who have already paid for it through their general taxes and have received nothing additional in return - a tax grab! Even if one puts it in the tax return as a business cost there is only a 15% tax credit, meaning one still pays 85% of it.

Does the FAA have a medical renewal tax for American pilots?

I would really like to know if others are fed up with the continual tax predation and have refused to pay this particular tax.

[gearuplightup]

How much is a medical renewal in Canada? It costs about 300c$ over in the U.K. where the stealth tax is everywhere.
Know how you feel though as we have been ripped off for years, and I mean RRRRRRRRRIPPPPPPPPPPED OFF!

[justcurious]

I really really meant to pay, but honestly, I forgot! Especially when I got old and they added the "you stupid old bastard !" surcharge.

Sadly, this past year they nicked cash from my tax refund, with a brief "take that - so there!" missive.

Too bad they only got me for the one year, and not the last decade!:cool:

[ipanema]

In Canada - one of the highest taxed countries in the world, in my opinion - it has become ingrained that you just open your pockets and accounts to government, banks and companies, and let them withdraw whatever they demand.

Personally, I refuse to allow direct withdrawal by anyone for ANY reason.

From being a pilot in foreign climes I thought that $55 was the cost of processing the paperwork...

On the same topic, my accountant tells me there is an underground movement afoot to stop paying taxes altogether. He has a bundle of papers (proof of no tax laws requiring payment of taxes, legal precedents, etc.) he files for such clients who refuse to pay taxes, but he has never told me what the consequences are of such actions.

[smile]

Worth asking your tax preparer about, huh? If you need the name of my accountant, just pop the question - I'll need your email address to send it direct, not publicly here...

[Chuck Ellsworth]

Canadians are programmed by the system to bend over and willingly accept any demand made by our dictators.

To complain or question the system is un Canadian.

I will not willingly pay an extra tax of $55.00 to TC for notifying me that yes, the medical performed by the TC approved doctor was in fact valid.

F..> TC and their surcharges.

The secret is do not get into a situation where they " owe " you a tax rebate.

So all together now....F..> TC and their medical surcharge... :D :D


Cat Driver:

[JoeCo]

Don't hold back Chuck, tell us how you really feel!!! :D :D :D

How'd that go, .....F something or other Transport??;)

I'm with you all!!! To pay the doctor to do the exam is one thing. For Transport to charge the same and, if I understand this correctly, it's going to add an additional $55 to approve the doctor completed paperwork????? That is out of control?!?!?! :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:

I'd be interested in the address of that tax man mentioned above!!!!

[wde]

I haven't paid in 2 years with no consequence yet that I can see. I'll pay for it once my employer does!! ;)

[MLS-12D]

Personally I just pay it. $55 every five years is not a lot of money, and I don't need the aggravation of fighting with the feds.

Obviously I'm NOT suggesting that the $55 provides value for money; it's just that my time is worth more than the amount involved. It's kind of like the time I got a $20 ticket for parking in front of a hydrant, when the only hydrant on the street was 100 yards away and on the other side of the street (!) :mad:. Clearly I could have won that case but I decided that it was not worth all the time and aggravation of going to court twice (once to schedule a trial date, and the second time for the trial itself).

Of course, the bureaucrats count on people like me wanting to avoid potential hassles and simply paying the tax / penalty. If you want to stand up to them, more power to you, I wish you well ... but they have more resources than you or I do! :(

MLS-12D

P.S. wde et al., I hope that your failure to pay this fee hasn't resulted in a suspension of your licence. the provincial governments usually do that (without notice) when you don't pay traffic fines on time, and then if you have an accident, SURPRISE!, you have no valid insurance.

[JoeCo]

MLS-12D,

That is EXCATLY what the problem with Canada is!! That the people DO NOT stand up for what is right and fight for what is wrong. Typical, "Roll Over And Play Dead" answer from a fellow Canadian. We, the people, put these people into power, they abuse it, and we say, "Well I don't want to rock the boat" OR "Well my time isn't worth the hassle". Your time SHOULD be worth the hassle. People SHOULD stand up and fight for what is right and speak up!! I can't belive that you actually PAID the parking ticket!! Hell, I'd love to have your job! You must be paid so well because you obviously have money to spare. This might be a bit extreme, but the principle is the same. I wonder where the hell we would be if our relatives, loved ones, grandfathers, uncles, brothers, sisters, didn't pay the ultimate price by standing together to fight for what was right during BOTH of the World Wars?? The point is that they stood up and fought what was wrong to preserve what was right which is more than what it sounds like you are willing to do, especially when you run zero risk of paying any sort of ultimate price.

[Always Moving]

I am still too new in canada and yes there is no VALUE on the taxes.
Why do I have to pay 10 cents more for the can of the beer but not for the one of soda? they are made from the same material!
Anyone that do not complain when they see something wrong should not complain later. Is like talk about politics and not voting.
Sure If you alwayas follow this rule you would not ge anywhere, you have to pick your fights, but Lobbying against some taxes I found it a very worthy causes, specially when they "seem" to get it out of there axs.
You wanna pick a good figt! try lobby against HIDDEN cost en EVERYTHING and misleading advertisement,seems it is OK to tell half truths. WORLD WIDE!!
and we could go on and on and on.......
I STILL think one person can change things!!

[MLS-12D]

JoeCo,

I do not disagree with your point - see my original post - but my current hourly rate is $225, and dealing with that $20 parking ticket would have taken at least 3 hours, including travel back and forth from traffic court.

MLS-12D