The other member of your family, your pet does need some special care and attention when you are moving.  With all the busy preparation of the move, it is easy to overlook your furry friend.  Make time to meet with your veterinarian to make sure you have updated vaccinations and records.  This will be very important when transporting your pet.

On the day of your move, you want to make sure you have made arrangements for your  pet.  You want to have them either at a friend’s house or kenneled for their own safety.  With all of the activity and doors left open, you want to make sure  that your pet does not get out or stepped on.  Therefore, if you are transporting your pet, you may want to consider transporting them ahead of time.  You can transport your pet yourself with an airline carrier or you could hire a pet transport company to do it for you but it can be costly.  If needed, you will have to ensure a safe place to board your pet at your new location, which will also require additional research.  Depending on where you are moving, you will want to do your research ahead of time to see what will work best.  If you are moving abroad, it may be in your best interest to hire a company to help.  If it is in your budget, they will help you navigate the rules and regulations that govern pet transport and entry.  A little due diligence ahead of time will help ensure a safe transport and transition for your pet.  Looking for more information?  Your professionals at Highland have put together more great tips on moving your pet.

Moving rules not so simple
By Jamie Golombek, Financial Post October 16, 2010

If you move to start a new job, don't assume that your moving expenses will be tax deductible.

Under the tax rules, to be entitled to deduct moving expenses, the distance between your old residence and your new work location must be 40 kilometres greater than the distance between your new residence and the new work location.

While this rule may seem straightforward, it has been the subject of some dispute between taxpayers and the Canada Revenue Agency as to how the 40 kilometres is measured.

In the most recent case decided earlier this month, the issue wasn't how the distance was to be measured, but where Lisa Moreland, an employee of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police since 2005, was actually employed at a "new work location" for purposes of the moving deduction.

Prior to February 2007, Ms. Moreland worked at an office complex at 255 Attwell Drive in Etobicoke, Ont. In February 2007, she was assigned new employment duties, which she still performed at the same location, but in a different area within it.

In June 2007, she moved from Cambridge, Ont. to Milton, Ont., which was indeed 40 kilometres closer to work. She testified that she made the change of residence "for the sole purpose of being closer to [work] and, consequently, of shortening her commuting time."

In filing her 2007 tax return for the year of the move, she claimed $26,000 in moving expenses, which the CRA denied. The tax agency claimed that since Ms. Moreland did not have a "new work location," within the meaning of the Income Tax Act, she was not entitled to deduct any of her moving expenses.

Ms. Moreland disagreed, claiming that she moved from the old residence to the new residence to enable herself to be employed at a "new work location." She argued she "changed physical locations [offices] of work to start a new job within the same office complex at 255 Attwell Drive, Etobicoke."

The Tax Court judge, citing an earlier case, said there are four separate elements required to claim a moving expense: an old work location, a new work location, old and new residences and the comparison of two distances -- the 40 kilometre test.

The judge concluded that Ms. Moreland did indeed change physical work locations -- she moved offices -- to perform her new duties, even though she was assigned by the same employer. But, since she moved within the same office complex -- 255 Attwell Drive -- this did not constitute a "new work location."

In denying Ms. Moreland's expenses, the judge explained: "I cannot imagine that Parliament's intent was to permit a taxpayer who goes from a job on the seventh floor of a building to a new job [with the same employer] on the sixth floor of the same building to deduct moving expenses."

Jamie.Golombek@cibc.com

-Jamie Golombek, CA, CPA, CFP, CLU, TEP is the managing director, tax and estate planning, with CIBC Private Wealth Management in Toronto.
© Copyright (c) The Calgary Herald

Before you make your decision on which moving company you want transporting your goods find out what different companies are doing to reduce their carbon footprint.

MOVING OUT

Ask questions to make sure your mover is doing their part to be an eco-friendly company - helping you to make your move a Green Move.

Highland Moving & Storage holds a FAIM certification which requires that the company maintains certain environmental standard. Below are just a few of the policies Highland Moving & Storage has implemented to Move their company on Greener path:

• Use only remanufactured printer toner

• Use  filtrated tap water to purify rather than bottled water

• Recycle all drinking cartons.

• Recycling program for all drinking cartons has been implemented.

• No styrofoam cups or plates are used in the office.

• Recycle bins at every work station.

• All cardboard/paper material is recycled in the warehouse.

• All oil/filters etc. are collected and recycled.

• Building temperatures adjusted nightly to save energy.

• HVAC system uses outside air to cool the building when appropriate.

• All lights in the building are shut off nightly.

• All light fixtures and bulbs are being replaced with new energy efficient technology.

• All cleaning agents used within the office are eco-friendly.

• No idling policy cuts fuel emissions.

• Shortest route possible policy and speed monitoring cuts fuel consumption.

• Recyled stationary and packing materials are purchased whenever possible. Lower grade material is produced using less processing/manufacturing.

• Supply delivery is done utilizing a 48 hour schedule to put efficiency route into place.

For more information on the FAIM certification please click on the following link. FAIM