Canadian Art-For-Taxes Scheme Disallowed

A Canadian court has disallowed a scheme whereby investors could buy art at a low price, then claim an inflated value by donating it to museums and universities. “It’s been estimated that the scheme, called Art for Education, resulted in tax-credit claims of more than $65-million. In December last year, Canada Customs and Revenue announced it was eliminating the tax shelter, saying that henceforth, purchase price would be considered for donations being made for tax purposes.”