Lawyer fined $3,000 for not filing tax returns

Brampton, Ontario, February 13, 2013, 2013… The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) announced today that on February 8, 2013, Peter Neilson, of Etobicoke, Ontario, pleaded guilty in Ontario Court of Justice in Brampton, Ontario, to two counts of failing to file personal tax returns. The court ruled that Mr. Neilson, a self-employed lawyer, failed to file his T1 income tax returns for the 2009 and 2010 tax years. Mr. Neilson was fined $1,500 per count, for a total of $3,000. He has six months to pay the fine.

The preceding information was obtained from the court records.

When individuals or corporations are convicted of failing to file tax returns, in addition to any fines imposed by the courts, they are still obligated to file the tax return and pay the full amount of taxes owing, plus interest, as well as any civil penalties that may be assessed by the CRA.

Taxpayers who have not filed returns for previous years, or who have not reported all of their income, can still voluntarily correct their tax affairs. They may not be penalized or prosecuted if they make a valid disclosure before they become aware of any compliance action being initiated by the CRA against them. These taxpayers may only have to pay the taxes owing, plus interest. More information on the Voluntary Disclosures Program (VDP) can be found on the CRA's website at www.cra.gc.ca/voluntarydisclosures.

Further information on convictions can be found in the Media Room on the CRA website at www.cra.gc.ca/convictions.


Canada Revenue Agency

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