Section 78 — Income Tax Act: Unpaid amounts

Where an amount in respect of a deductible outlay or expense that was owing by a taxpayer to a person with whom the taxpayer was not dealing at arm’s length at the time the outlay or expense was incurred and at the end of the second taxation year following the taxation year in which the outlay or expense was incurred, is unpaid at the end of that second taxation year, either the amount so unpaid shall be included in computing the taxpayer’s income for the third taxation year following the taxation year in which the outlay or expense was incurred, or where the taxpayer and that person have filed an agreement in prescribed form on or before the day on or before which the taxpayer is required by section 150 to file the taxpayer’s return of income for the third succeeding taxation year, for the purposes of this Act the following rules apply: the amount so unpaid shall be deemed to have been paid by the taxpayer and received by that person on the first day of that third taxation year, and section 153, except subsection 153(3), is applicable to the extent that it would apply if that amount were being paid to that person by the taxpayer, and that person shall be deemed to have made a loan to the taxpayer on the first day of that third taxation year in an amount equal to the amount so unpaid minus the amount, if any, deducted or withheld therefrom by the taxpayer on account of that person’s tax for that third taxation year. Where an amount in respect of a deductible outlay or expense that was owing by a taxpayer that is a corporation to a person with whom the taxpayer was not dealing at arm’s length is unpaid at the time when the taxpayer is wound up, and the taxpayer is wound up before the end of the second taxation year following the taxation year in which the outlay or expense was incurred, the amount so unpaid shall be included in computing the taxpayer’s income for the taxation year in which it was wound up. Where, in respect of an amount described in subsection 78(1) that was owing by a taxpayer to a person, an agreement in a form prescribed for the purposes of this section is filed after the day on or before which the agreement is required to be filed for the purposes of paragraph 78(1)(b), both paragraphs 78(1)(a) and (b) apply in respect of the said amount, except that paragraph 78(1)(a) shall be read and construed as requiring 25% only of the said amount to be included in computing the taxpayer’s income. Where an amount in respect of a taxpayer’s expense that is a superannuation or pension benefit, a retiring allowance, salary, wages or other remuneration (other than reasonable vacation or holiday pay or a deferred amount under a salary deferral arrangement) in respect of an office or employment is unpaid on the day that is 180 days after the end of the taxation year in which the expense was incurred, for the purposes of this Act other than this subsection, the amount shall be deemed not to have been incurred as an expense in the year and shall be deemed to be incurred as an expense in the taxation year in which the amount is paid. Subsection 78(1) does not apply in any case where subsection (4) applies.