Posts

Don’t be fooled: HR law compliance is a finance issue, too

Virtually every CEO would agree that employment law non-compliance, a failure to take workplace harassment seriously, and the general flouting of accepted human resources standards, is unacceptable. Building workplaces free of anti-social behaviour isn’t just an aspirational goal, it’s a basic legal requirement in every province in Canada. That’s especially so in Ontario, which has […]

AI will revolutionize accounting, but not in the ways you might expect

Artificial intelligence (AI) is everywhere. In the news, on the minds of CEOs, in blogs such as this one. Canadian entrepreneurs are actively working to determine to what degree this burgeoning technology will impact their organizations and industries—and how they should be responding. That answer will vary depending on the sector, but in finance, we’re […]

Updated–The great entrepreneurial debate: whether to buy or lease a company vehicle

As Chartered Professional Accountants, the most common two questions we’re asked by clients is whether they should buy or lease a car, and whether they should buy personally or under their company name. Inevitably our answer has been, “It all depends.”  How long do you plan to hold on to the car?  Do you have […]

Tax efficient ways to make a difference this holiday season

This is the most wonderful time of the year—not to mention the season of giving. That’s why many organizations and individuals are taking the opportunity to give back to their community or their favourite charities over the festive season. Recently, the trend is for organizations to involve their employees and create team events where everyone […]

CRA employs aggressive new laws designed to catch terrorists in crackdown on tax evaders

The days of the Canada Revenue Agency taking a kinder, gentler approach to its relations with taxpaying business owners are long gone. From employing sophisticated algorithms to tightening rules around its own Voluntary Disclosure Program, Ottawa has become accustomed to using increasingly aggressive tactics to collect overdue taxes and punish alleged tax cheats. In some […]

What’s the difference between tax avoidance and tax evasion?

In recent weeks we saw the publication of a landmark investigation into U.S. President Donald Trump’s business dealings surrounding the sweeping real estate empire built by family patriarch Fred Trump, all the way up to the present-day management of the business under Trump scions Donald Jr. and Eric. Indeed, the venerable New York Times declared […]

Why business owners should think twice before shredding old tax records

There are a few questions that chartered accountants get asked all the time. They include (but are in no way limited to): What’s the key to growing a successful business? What’s the most tax-efficient way to draw profits from a corporation? Should I lease or buy my company car? What’s the minimum amount of time […]

You’ve been audited by CRA. Now what?

If there’s one letter that entrepreneurs dread receiving in the mail, it’s the one from the Canada Revenue Agency informing them that their business or personal returns are the subject of a tax audit. Audits can take weeks, months, even years to complete in extreme cases, and can be emotionally and financially draining for business […]

Morneau’s new ‘simplified’ income sprinkling rules not so simple, tax changes still poised to negatively impact certain SMEs

Shortly after the release of the report by the Standing Senate Committee on National Finance, which is highly critical of the Department of Finance’s proposals on the taxation of private corporations, Finance Minister Bill Morneau released what he referred to as clarified rules around income sprinkling. Unfortunately, the release came with the same rhetoric used […]

Auditor General’s report on CRA call centre issues should come as no surprise

If you’ve had reason to phone the Canada Revenue Agency of late, you may have experienced a long wait to speak to an agent—if anyone bothered to take your call. The anecdotal experiences of our accountants and clients has been confirmed in a new Auditor General’s report that sheds light on communication shortcomings at the […]