From: AlanBaggett@volcanomail.com   
      
   $100K tax bill caused by error alleges family : CRA SOTW   
      
   Canada Revenue Agency trying to seize Ottawa family's home   
   CBC News Posted: Oct 18, 2012 6:18 PM ET   
      
   An Ottawa family says it could lose its home after a series of alleged   
   accounting blunders by the Canada Revenue Agency.   
      
   Zahid and Korasha Ali, who live in the Riverside Village area, were assessed   
   for nearly $100,000 in income tax for three years when the couple said it had   
   very little income.   
      
   "They’re asking for $93,000 … $93,290.14 and that’s accumulated with   
   interest," said Zahid, while holding the bill he received from the CRA.   
      
   The Alis said attempts to reason with the revenue agency were largely ignored   
   while the CRA proceeded with legal steps to seize their property.   
      
   Until 2007, Zahid Ali ran a computer training school that garnered federal   
   government contracts but his business ground to a halt when those contracts   
   disappeared. For the next three years, the family lived on its line of credit,   
   borrowing to pay bills.   
      
   But documents from the CRA audit detail how money borrowed by the Alis was   
   considered income, as were Zahid’s credit card purchases. Because Zahid   
   settled his credit card debts using his line of credit, those funds were   
   counted twice toward his income.   
      
   Steven Novoselac, head of tax dispute resolution with the law firm Gowlings,   
   said borrowed money is not considered taxable income.   
      
   "In Canadian tax law, money borrowed by an individual from a personal line of   
   credit is not taxable income," Novoselac told CBC News. "I can say that we   
   have seen situations certainly where mistakes have been made by CRA auditors   
   that were ultimately    
   reversed."   
      
   Punctuation error   
      
   The CRA's alleged error in assessing Zahid’s income was not the only mistake,   
   according to tax documents. When adding up Zahid’s credit card spending, an   
   $88.19 purchase at Canadian Tire turned into $8,819.   
      
   The revenue agency is also trying to recover child benefit payments made to   
   Korasha Ali. According to the family, the CRA wants the Ali family to repay   
   $11,000 in previous payments because the couple's supposed income over the   
   three years is in question.   
      
   “It took a big toll on me health-wise,” said Korasha. “Where am I going to   
   come up with this money to give them? Basically, I don’t know what to do.”   
   CBC News contacted the CRA for comment on tax policies but to date the agency   
   has not responded to the requests.   
      
      
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