From: 1revenuecanada@canada.com   
      
   Tax agency says she's dead and a horror story ensues : CRA SOTW    
      
   JESSICA FLOWER    
   Published July 29, 2015 - 6:51pm    
   Last Updated July 29, 2015 - 7:   
      
      
   First they tried to kill her and then they tried to tax her to death.   
      
   Or something to that effect.   
      
   Despite what the Canada Revenue Agency thinks, Anna Zahorski of Halifax is   
   still very much alive.   
      
   On Oct. 7, 2014, the Zahorskis received a T4A, a statement of Old Age   
   Security, from the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) addressed to "The Estate of   
   Anna Zahorski." The letter stated, much to Anna and her husband Victor's   
   surprise, that since she had passed    
   away her OAS benefits would stop and were to total $4,985.37 for 2014.   
      
   Perplexed, Victor took the letter to Service Canada on Quinpool Road and,   
   after presenting Anna to show that she was indeed alive, was told to disregard   
   that T4A, he explained in an interview. No apology was made.   
      
   A new one was later issued for $6,676.59, the correct amount, and it seemed as   
   though the problem was fixed. Victor said the couple went away for their   
   winter vacation, thinking the mix-up was behind them.   
      
   When it came time for the Zahorskis to file their taxes for 2014, Service   
   Canada totalled and submitted two T4As -- both the "Estate of" and the correct   
   T4A -- to the CRA, Victor said. That made it seem as though Anna had received   
   $11,662.96 in OAS    
   benefits, instead of the actual $6,676.59.   
      
   In a reassessment, the CRA levied more tax, incorrectly reducing her return by   
   over $2,000 from what they had expected, he said.   
      
   The CRA had earlier -- still acting as though Anna was dead -- stopped   
   pre-authorized tax instalment payments.   
      
   Victor, acting on behalf of Anna, has been trying for the past couple of   
   months to rectify the situation but has been getting "the rigmarole" from the   
   various agencies.   
      
   "Mistakes happen! I've made many mistakes in my life. But I expected them to   
   take action and issue an apology, but nothing!" said Victor.   
      
   Since the beginning of July, Victor has been going into Service Canada in   
   person, calling the CRA on the phone, filing both a formal complaint online to   
   CRA and sending a letter to the tax centre in Newfoundland. He has received no   
   acknowledgement of    
   either complaint, he said.   
      
   The Canada Revenue Agency said Wednesday it updates deceased information to an   
   individual's account when confirmation of the death has been received from   
   other government departments, lawyers, executors, representatives,   
   beneficiaries, or family members.   
      
   "Despite safeguards to ensure accuracy of our files, occasionally information   
   we receive is incorrect or misinterpreted. Whenever there is any indication   
   the information we have is incorrect, immediate steps are taken to correct our   
   records. Those steps    
   include ensuring that affected individuals receive all the benefits and   
   credits to which they are entitled," the agency said in an email responding to   
   questions about the Zahorski file.   
   "The confidentiality provisions of the Income Tax Act prevent the CRA from   
   commenting on specific cases."   
      
   The Zahorskis have been married for 67 years and have lived in Halifax for   
   over 40 years. Victor worked at an engineering firm and Anna in the library at   
   Saint Mary's University.   
      
   Despite neither of them looking their age, Anna and Victor are nearing 90, and   
   life is catching up. In 2014, Anna had close to $14,000 in medical expenses,   
   they said.   
      
   "We'd like this issue resolved as quickly as possible or as quickly as the   
   system will allow," said Victor, who had originally contacted The Chronicle   
   Herald's financial columnist Roger Taylor for advice on how to proceed. "We   
   only went to the media    
   because we were frustrated and disappointed. We understand everyone makes   
   mistakes but there should be a more human response."   
      
   They received a duplicate of the correct T4A last week but are confused as to   
   what it means: "Why would I be blessed with a duplicate?" Victor said laughing.   
      
   The two are able to laugh at Anna's premature death, but are eager for a   
   solution.   
      
   Just before they sat down with The Chronicle Herald, an official had called to   
   say that he was sending off the new duplicate to the CRA.   
      
   "But, who knows?" said Victor.   
      
   The two are looking for an apology from the CRA and a correction to their tax   
   statement to properly reflect the old-age benefit received.   
      
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