Provider does not want to give me my receipts

[Crayola kiddies]

I applied for a business liscence ($60 for 5years) and so I put my business liscence number on my receipts cause I don't like giving out my sin number

[Inspired by Reggio]

I applied for a business liscence ($60 for 5years) and so I put my business liscence number on my receipts cause I don't like giving out my sin number

This was me as well - I called CRA when I started out to clarify this stupid rule as well when I read about it online - because every other piece of government propoganda tells you to protect your SIN at all costs against identity theft and there is this branch telling you it is LAW that you provide it on a piece of paper going out to every Tom Dick and Harry each year who than does lord knows what with it and if you do not you risk a fine -

I told them that does not make any sense and inquired what my other options were because I refuse to provide this and was told I could register my business name and put the BIN on my receipts - $60 for 5 years works out to $1 a month ... best investment in my piece of mind I ever made - beside because I operate my business under a name other than my legal name I was required to register my business name here in Ontario anyway - so win win!

As for a provider refusing to GIVE receipts - yes it is the law to do this but sadly many people perpetrate fraud in this world - the best thing we can do is be alert and take precautions to protect ourselves - both as service providers and as clients!

Being able to claim your childcare costs on your taxes can offer you significant refund or reduction in taxes paid - as a parent you want to protect that investment!

My advice to parents is:

A) if you are entering into an agreement with someone who is a CASH only provider - negotiate a receipt at the TIME the cash is given into your contract so you have proof of payment - and than make sure not to LOOSE your receipts between then and tax time if the provider is not willing to do this than my advice is do not sign a contract with them because that is red flag behaviour that they are not CLAIMING their income for some reason and well you need to be cautious because chance are if they are trying to hide their income than they likely are operating without business liability insurance and a number of other best practice things in place designed to protect you as the client as well as themselves

B) if you are paying by cheque with the promise of a 'annual receipt' than I would make sure that in the memo part of the cheque to write 'for childcare during the week of X-Y 2012) and than keep a copy of all cheques paid to the person as your memo will serve as 'proof' it was for childcare and for what time frame it covered - most online banking offer the option to view 'cashed' cheques now and you can save this to your computer and print these out as 'record' of your payment to this person....than if they do not give you the receipt as planned you still have 'returned cheque' as proof for taxes and you can than REPORT them to the CRA that they refused to provide the receipt as required - because as someone mentioned early you would be doing the profession a favor because if we do not stand up and demand that EVERYONE follow the rules of the business than these people will continue to take advantage of others and well give those of us trying to operate high quality legal programs a bad name!