CM Autumn Template - Institute of Chartered Accountants of Ontario

that regular health insurance plans do; rather it provides
protection for the much more expensive treatments and
expenses where those plans will abandon you. As such,
catastrophic coverage kicks in above high deductible levels:
$4,500 for annual drug costs, and $7,500 for things like
nursing care or medical equipment. Once you obtain the
coverage, you can have it for life, and you can extend it to
your spouse, dependents, and adult children and their
dependents.
Visit icao.on.ca/CASelect for more details and to apply.
2009 CA Compensation Survey
If you participated in this year's Compensation Survey
conducted by the CICA, you received an advance copy of
the summary results in mid-September. Results were
released to the public on a regional and summary basis in
mid-October. For further details, visit Compensation Survey
in the CA section of the Institute's website.
VIA Rail preferred rate doubled
VIA Rail increased our preferred discount rate from 5 per
cent to 10 per cent on all VIA rail train tickets and routes,
effective September 23, 2009. The rate applies to the best
regular pre-tax fare available to the public offered by VIA
Rail when the ticket is purchased. For more information,
please visit Member Benefits in the CA section of the
Institute's website.
New Certified Financial Planner
Certification Program Guidelines
There are new Certified Financial Planner (CFP)
Certification Program Guidelines that become effective on
July 1, 2010. The program changes represent important
news for those contemplating earning CFP certification
under the Approved Prior Credential (APC) policy.
Candidates who are qualifying under the APC policy must
successfully complete both new exams and the Capstone
Course, but do not need to complete an approved Core
Curriculum education. There are two examination sittings
remaining in the current six-hour, multiple choice format:
November 14, 2009 and June 12, 2010. If candidates do
not successfully pass one of these exams by July 1, 2010,
they will be required to comply with the new certification
program policies. More information regarding the new CFP
certification requirements can be found on the Financial
Planners Standards Council’s website at www.fpsc.ca.
Networking opportunities
Reminder! Opportunities to network with your colleagues
are posted online in the following areas of the CA section
of the Institute's website:
• CA Sports Leagues - Some of these leagues fill up a
year in advance, so plan ahead.
• District Associations [log-in required] - Attend a District
Association meeting close to your work or to your
home. The technical sessions offered may qualify as
verifiable continuing professional development (CPD).
• Networking events - Periodically we are notified of
other events, such as tax practitioner breakfasts or CA
firm challenge events for good causes, such as to
raise funds for not-for-profit organizations.
• Volunteer Opportunities: Free CA Tax Clinics - Join
your colleagues and volunteer at a Free CA Tax Clinic.
More information is provided below.
FREE CA TAX CLINICS
Thank you to the 2009 volunteers!
We would like to take this opportunity to again thank
everyone who participated in making the 2009 Free CA Tax
Clinic Program a great success. Record levels of support
were provided by volunteers and staff, and over 11,500
returns were completed by 1,600 volunteers!
As in prior years, we posted the names of the volunteers
who gave us permission to do so in the Free CA Tax Clinic
section of the Serving the Public area of the Institute's
website. These names are also included in this issue of
CheckMark on pages 28 and 29. Thank you again!
See your name here next year!
Planning for the 2010 Free CA Tax Clinics has already
begun and we need your help to continue to make this
program a success.
If you have not previously volunteered, we would like to
remind you that volunteers come from all sectors –
including industry, public practice, government, academe
and retirees. All we ask is that you volunteer three to four
hours of your time to prepare tax returns for low-income
Ontarians. The tax returns are not complicated and the
Institute provides resources (including TaxPrep software
donated by CCH) and training. If you are a CA student,
you need to have successfully completed a tax course as
a pre-requisite to volunteering.
Attention CA Firms
All firms, large or small, are encouraged to take part in the
2010 Tax Clinics. You can be involved in a number of ways,
including:
• Sponsor a clinic in your community. Your firm
(whether a national firm or a sole practitioner) can take
on a coordination role by providing volunteers at a
clinic co-sponsored with an agency at their location. If
you are interested in this option, you may already have
an existing association with an agency in your
community, or this may be the opportunity to develop
a new relationship.
• Encourage your CAs and CA students to volunteer.
Please encourage CAs and CA students at all levels
CheckMark • Autumn 2009
(Please see page 21)
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