The most bizarre things you can claim on your taxes

Extra food for couriers
If you’re a bike or foot courier, you need extra fuel to keep up with all that physical activity, right? Well, the Canada Revenue Agency agrees and they consider it a legitimate work expense.
According to Golden Girl Finance, “The Federal Court of Appeal ruled the additional food required by a foot and transit courier because of the extra energy he expended could be claimed as a business expense.”
So be sure to save all those Cliff Bar receipts!
(Mashable)

Toys in cereal boxes
Everyone remembers that awesome feeling you get as a kid when you fish that toy from the bottom of a box of cereal. That is, unless your sibling gets to it first.
What many may not know is that for the cereal companies, those toys are great for another reason: the tax benefit.
According to CNBC, “Cereals sold in Canada that include toys in the box are exempt from an extra tax. The catch is that the toys can’t qualify as ‘beer, liquor, or wine.'”
If we remember our childhoods correctly, that shouldn’t be an issue.
(Twitter/Biffo183)

Dog and cat food
Now, we’re not talking about food for the average household pet. The dog or cat has to be playing an active role in your business. According to the experts at H&R Block, “The Tax Court decided a farmer was allowed to claim cat and dog food because they were outdoor pets meant to keep wildlife away from their blueberries. Dog food is also deductible if it is for a service dog.”
(Women’s Day)

Money earned from illegal sources
Now, obviously we’re not recommending that you go out and make money by breaking the law. However, if you do, don’t think that the taxman won’t come calling. According to H&R Block, “If you fail to claim income earned illegally, if you are convicted of the crime, you can expect to hear from the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) about unpaid income taxes.”
Just another reason why crime doesn’t pay.
(Time)

Golf, but only if you hate it
Many companies have memberships to exclusive golf courses, and sometimes employees may be required to pay a portion of the membership fees. But what if golf just isn’t your cup of tea? Well, according to The Globe and Mail, “A Canadian executive successfully argued that the golf membership paid by his company was not a taxable benefit because he hated playing golf.”
The employer must have been teed off (sorry).
(AP Photo/Christian Palma)

Bonus: Ransom paid to kidnappers
This one isn’t actually a deduction in Canada, although in the U.S., it is. South of the border, ransoms are considered losses from theft and are thus deductable.
However, a tax expert answering a question in The Globe and Mail wrote, “In Canada, I don’t see any way to deduct a ransom personally, but in this case, the ransom was paid by a business, arguably for the purpose of earning income from the business (since the partner was crucial to the success of the business). So, I’m giving a thumbs up to this deduction.”
So that’s good news! Except for the part about the kidnapping…
(Photo by Daily Echo/Solent News/Rex Features)