Avoiding a CRA Audit When Self-Employed

Tax audits can be a stressful ordeal.

The CRA conducts audits based on risk assessments and considers self-employed individuals to be risky when it comes to filing taxes.

Rest assured that many self-employed individuals who experience audits have done nothing wrong – they simply caught the attention of the CRA, who wants to ensure that tax legislation and compliance are maintained.

However, there are ways that your small business can properly file its taxes and avoid a CRA audit!

Reasons Self-Employed Individuals Get Audited

As someone who is self-employed, there are things that can trigger an audit with the CRA.

Before we look at how to avoid an audit, let’s look at these common audit triggers:

You’re Self-Employed

Sometimes being self-employed is enough to trigger an audit!

When you don’t receive a T4 slip from an employer, the CRA cannot check your income against an official document to look for mistakes and accuracy.

Because you are reporting your income, the CRA may assume that the records are not accurate and will audit your income to check for errors.

Your Tax Return Has Changed Significantly

If you claim way more or way less than you did in previous years, the CRA may flag your account and conduct an audit.

There are many reasons a self-employed income can vary (COVID, supply chain issues, more time to dedicate to your business, etc.), but if you know you are filing a significantly different amount, then be prepared for an audit.

Your Claims Seem Excessive

Being self-employed means you can claim various expenses on your tax return, such as your home office or vehicle.

However, if the CRA thinks you are claiming more than you are eligible for, they will conduct an audit to review your expenditures.

For example, it’s unlikely that you would use your vehicle solely for business, so claiming the entire cost of your car is going to raise eyebrows at the CRA.

You Continually Claim Business Losses

If you are continually claiming business losses each year and reducing income from other sources, the CRA will conduct an audit to verify whether or not your business is actually a commercial enterprise.

How to Keep Proper Tax Records

The first step in avoiding a CRA audit when self-employed is to keep proper tax records!

This includes organizing your records, invoices, receipts, and other financial documents for at least six years.

You can use record-keeping software such as QuickBooks to help manage your tax records, but here are some other self-employed tax tips for organizing your documents:

Keep your business and personal accounts separate to keep things simple and efficient.
Use spreadsheets to log claims such as mileage on your vehicle and purchases for your business.
Use a file folder to organize your receipts. If the receipt doesn’t fully describe your purchases, make a note.
Make backups of any digital information. If using paper copies, make digital backups.
Dedicate time each week to work on your bookkeeping. Don’t leave your tax preparation to the last minute!

By improving your financial record-keeping, you can avoid a CRA audit, and if you do get audited, you will have all the necessary information organized and ready to go!

Incorporated Business vs. Non-Incorporated

Even as a self-employed individual, you can incorporate your business in order to separate your business from your personal finances.

Otherwise, when you run a non-incorporated business, you are personally responsible for the results of the business – good and bad.

However, when you incorporate your business, you are responsible for preparing quarterly and annual reports for the CRA.

This can involve extensive paperwork, so keeping good records as an incorporated business is essential.

Non-incorporated businesses don’t require such a heavy load when it comes to preparing taxes, and your business and personal taxes can be filed in one individual tax return.

Get to Know your Tax Deductions

Earlier, we mentioned how excessive deductions can trigger an audit. To avoid a CRA audit when self-employed, let’s look at the type of tax deductions you are eligible for:

Business Operating Expenses

Start-up costs
Delivery and shipping costs
Accounting fees
Advertising costs
Tax preparation services

Home Office Expenses

Home office cost (the percentage of your home your office space occupies compared to your rent/mortgage, utility costs, etc.)
Telephone and internet (the percentage of hours used for business versus personal)
Cleaning supplies
Office supplies

Vehicle Expenses

Gas
Insurance
Repair Costs
Parking Fees

(Keep in mind that if you use your vehicle for both business and personal use, you will have to calculate the deduction costs based on how often you use your car for business and how many kilometers you use for business.)

Other Deductions

Don’t miss out on these additional tax deductions for self-employed individuals!

Bank fees on your business bank account
Private health plans

Keep a Backup Fund (Just in Case)

As a self-employed worker, you do not get to enjoy having a regular income like waged and salaried workers.

For this reason, it’s important to keep a backup fund just in case!

Start by establishing an emergency fund by looking at your budget and seeing how much you can afford to put aside.

Not only will an emergency fund help you in a pinch, but it may come in handy for paying your taxes.

You should keep any balances on your credit cards below their limits and consider applying for a personal line of credit. These can be great buffers should you run into any financial hardships.

When it comes to being self-employed, financial hardships can occur for many reasons, such as:

Irregular income
Tech breakdowns
Late payments from clients
Burnout (you don’t get paid vacation, sick leave, or mental health days when you’re self-employed!)

Ultimately, having a backup means you can address any sudden financial issues in your business and avoid a CRA audit.

Accounting Services in Edmonton For Self-Employed Individuals

Avoiding a CRA audit when self-employed is considerably easier when you have a professional and knowledgeable accountant by your side!

Get in touch with Liu & Associates today to learn more about how our team can support your small business and help you organize your taxes to avoid a stressful audit.

Let’s talk!

Common Audit Triggers in Canada

Here at Liu & Associates, we know that audits are no fun. Whether you are an individual or run a business, this can be a stressful situation.

The CRA does not select audit candidates at random. Instead, they use a system of risk assessment that flags returns considered to be “high risk.”

Fortunately, there are certain audit triggers you can avoid in order to circumvent a tax audit. Here are the most common ones in Canada:

Unusual Deductions or Changes

When you file your taxes with the CRA, they will look for consistencies in your return compared to other years.

If they notice a dramatic change in your income, credits, or deductions, your return could be flagged for an audit.

When it comes to avoiding a tax audit involving significant changes, be sure to document all activity so you can justify these changes to the CRA.

Excessive Claims

While being able to write off expenses on your taxes can be a relief, you have to be careful about ensuring that you are making claims you are actually eligible for.

For example, if you have a home office, you can’t claim that your office takes up half of your six-bedroom home. This is unrealistic and may trigger a CRA audit.

Likewise, unless you own a snowplow or other vehicle used strictly for business, you can’t write off 100% of your family car. The CRA will take notice of this claim and question why you are writing off an entire vehicle used for personal reasons.

When it comes to claiming deductions on your personal tax return, speak to a professional accountant to find out what you are eligible for. As long as you only claim what you are entitled to, you’ll have nothing to worry about if you are audited.

Unreported Income

When you’re employer issues you a T4 slip stating your earnings, they also send one to the CRA. Therefore, the CRA will know if you don’t report your total income.

This can get tricky if you receive transactions that involve cash. Be sure to keep a record of all cash transactions and claim this income when you file your taxes.

Being Self-Employed

When you work for yourself and do not receive a T4 statement of income, the CRA may consider you a high-risk taxpayer because your income is not officially documented and automatically taxed.

The CRA looks at it this way: If you do not have taxes taken from your income, there is an increased chance that your taxes could be incorrectly reported.

As long as you keep detailed records of your income as a self-employed individual, you simply have to provide these documents to the CRA if you face an audit.

Repeat Losses

If your business shows repeat losses, especially those that occur to offset other gains or earnings, you can expect an audit by the CRA.

Avoiding an audit, in this case, involves your ability to demonstrate that you had a “reasonable expectation of profit.” Otherwise, you could be denied all of your expenses.

Prior Tax Audits

Unfortunately, if you have faced a tax audit in the past, the CRA will likely audit you again because they consider you a risk factor.

While there’s no set-in-stone rule when it comes to auditing individuals who have been previously audited, the CRA will typically re-audit individuals who routinely make errors and omissions on their tax returns.

Plus, if you didn’t pass your previous audit with flying colors or owed/undeclared a lot of money, the CRA will come back and audit you again.

Tips for Avoiding a Tax Audit

No one wants to face a tax audit. This ordeal can be stressful, but if you are careful with your tax return, you can avoid one altogether.

Here are some tips for avoiding a tax audit:

Keep accurate records. The audit process typically begins when the CRA notices an error or incongruency. By keeping accurate records, either by hiring an accountant or using accounting software, you can ensure that your taxes are accurate and filed properly.
File your taxes on time. Although filing late taxes doesn’t necessarily trigger an audit, creating a history of compliance can help you avoid one.
Use your CRA My Account. You can register for a CRA My Account and keep all of your tax information and account balances in one place. This will greatly help you avoid an audit!
Amend your return. If you file your taxes and then realize you have made a mistake, amend your return immediately. It can help you steer clear of an audit but just don’t amend your taxes too frequently – you want to maintain that history of compliance.
Fill in all information. Even if you have to put in $0, make sure you fill out everything on your tax return. An honest mistake or omission may draw the attention of the CRA.

What Should I Do If I’ve Been Selected for a Tax Audit?

If you have been selected for a tax audit, you must comply with your auditor. You will receive an initial notice that indicates what types of records the CRA requires during the process.

This is why keeping good records is essential when it comes to your taxes. Hopefully, you can easily fill any holes noticed by the CRA with the proper documentation.

However, if they are asking for information you do not have or you are confused by the process, it would be beneficial to seek the professional services of an expert accountant.

They can help you organize your records, obtain missing information, and file for an audit appeal if applicable.

An Ounce of Prevention is Worth a Pound of Cure

Let our experts at Liu & Associates take care of all your tax needs.

Whether you are an individual or own a business, we can help you stay organized, understand taxation laws, and avoid a tax audit altogether!

What Business Expenses Are Tax-Deductible?

Do you know what tax deductions your business is eligible for?

When tax season comes around, it’s important to make the most out of eligible deductions to save you money and help your business grow!

However, before you start claiming whatever you can for your business, be sure that all deductions are supported by original invoices and paperwork.

Doing so is the best way to avoid an audit or any issues if you are audited.

Eligible Expenses to Claim

As a general rule, businesses can claim expenses that maintain the business and ensure that it is operational.

And there is a lot you can claim! To maximize your business tax return, be sure to take advantage of these tax-deductible business expenses:

Advertising

You can deduct costs for advertising on Canadian radio and television, in Canadian newspapers, and digital advertising.

Bad Debts

If you have already included an accounts receivable as income during the year, you can claim it as a bad debt if it won’t be paid.

Business Start-Up Costs

Tax-deductible business expenses include those that preceded the operation of your business as long as you operated your business in the fiscal period in which the expense was incurred.

Business and Property Taxes

Be sure to deduct any business taxes incurred while running your business as well as property taxes for the building and land where your business is located.

Business Fees and Licenses

Fees, licenses, and dues related to your business are deductible unless the main purpose of the fees is dining, recreation, and entertainment.

Business-Use-Of-Home

If you run your business from your home, you can claim use-of-home expenses such as heat, electricity, insurance, maintenance, and other expenses.

However, you can only claim a percentage that is dependent on the size of your office compared to the rest of your home.

Capital Costs and Allowance

When you acquire a depreciable property (such as equipment, a motor vehicle, a building, etc.), you cannot deduct the cost of the property because its value decreases over time.

Instead, you can deduct the cost over a period of several years

Delivery

If your business is involved in delivery, freight, and express, you can claim certain expenses on your taxes.

Insurance

All ordinary commercial insurance premiums can be deducted as a business expense including any amounts incurred on buildings, equipment, and machinery.

Auto insurance claims are made under vehicle expenses.

Interest

When it comes to tax-deductible business expenses, you can deduct interest on money borrowed for business purposes.

Professional Fees

If you employ the services of an accountant, lawyer, or other eligible professional, you can claim those fees.

Maintenance and Repairs

You can deduct the cost of labor and materials when it comes to minor repairs or maintenance done to your business property.

Meals and Entertainment

This business tax deduction applies to meals and entertainment during business-related travel or events. It also applies to long-haul truck drivers who can deduct 80% of their food costs.

Motor Vehicle Expenses

If your business utilizes a motor vehicle to earn income, you can deduct related expenses.

Office Expenses and Supplies

When you run a business, you can claim the costs of office supplies such as pens, paper, and any supplies required to provide your goods and services.

Office expenses do not include capital expenditures.

Prepaid Expenses

Under the accrual method of accounting, you can claim expenses you paid ahead of time such as warranty, contracts, taxes, and workers’ compensation liability.

Rent

If you rent your business property, you can deduct rent for the land and building.

However, if you are claiming rent as a home business expense sense, this is done under business-use-of-home.

Salaries and Benefits

As a business with employees, you can deduct gross salaries and other benefits such as CPP (Canada Pension plan) and EI (Employment Insurance) premiums.

Utilities

Tax-deductible business expenses for utilities include telephone, gas, oil, electricity, water, and internet – as long as you incurred the expense to earn an income.

Ineligible Expenses You Cannot Claim

While there are many tax-deductible business expenses, there are some that you cannot claim on your business taxes:

Clothing purchases including special gear
Reimbursed maintenance and repair costs
Political contributions
Governmental penalties and fines
Personal purchases

Recent Changes to Deductions (If applicable)

One recent change made by the CRA in 2017 eliminates the ability to claim allowance on eligible capital property.

Property that would have been considered eligible capital property is now considered to be depreciable property and can be claimed under “capital cost allowance.”

FAQs

How do I claim items and services that I use for both home and work, like my cell phone or vehicle?

You will have to figure out the portion that is used for business, create a percentage using the total use, and deduct that from your business taxes.

For example, if you use your cell phone for 25 hours per week for business and 90 hours total for the household, this would equal 27% so you would deduct that percentage of your cell phone bill.

I do all of my business taxes and invoicing online. Do I need to keep paper copies?

While you don’t necessarily need physical copies of this information, you will need to have access to them for at least six years in case you are audited.

How do I deduct business equipment I bought for my staff?

Depreciable equipment, such as laptops, is considered capital costs. You can deduct the value of the equipment over a number of years – this is known as a capital cost allowance (CCA).

I have an office at both my business and my home. How do I claim this?

Typically, you would claim your main office on your business taxes but this would be a great question for a professional accountant who can give you an answer based on your unique situation.

Need More Help Understanding Business Tax Deductions?

Liu and Associates are here to help?

Our team of professional and knowledgeable accountants can guide you through filing your business taxes to ensure you get the best return possible and avoid any inconvenient audits.

Let’s chat today!

Tax Guide for Small Businesses

Paying your taxes as an individual is one thing but once you start running a small business, it’s a whole different game!

There are many aspects of a small business to take into consideration when it comes to filing your taxes from what you can deduct to how to manage employee payroll.

But don’t worry, we have you covered! Liu & Associates is a knowledgeable accounting firm with years of experience filing small business taxes.

Let our expertise guide you through the process with this tax guide for small businesses:

Common Deductions for Small Businesses

While there are many deductions you can take advantage of as a small business, there are the common ones you should take into consideration.

Keep in mind that a small business accountant can help you explore all possible deductions for your small business and maximize your tax return!

Rent and Property Taxes

You can claim property taxes that you pay on your business building. However, if you work from home, your property taxes need to be claimed under home office or business-use-of-home expenses.

Likewise, if you rent your business property or home, you can claim this amount as well. Keep in mind for at-home business situations, you can only claim a percentage of your home office compared to the total space of your home.

It’s important to keep a record of rent receipts, lease agreements, and property tax receipts in case you are audited by the Canada Revenue Agency.

Repairs and Maintenance

As a small business, you can also claim expenses related to repairs and maintenance but these need to be carried out in order to increase your business earnings.

Labor costs related to repairs and maintenance are capitalized expenses, meaning that you can only claim a percentage of those costs over a period of time via amortization or depreciation.

Repairs reimbursed through your insurance company cannot be claimed on your small business taxes.

Salaries and Wages

You can deduct the salary and wages you pay to your employees as well as other payroll-related expenses. A small business accountant in Edmonton, such as Liu & Associates, can help you ensure these amounts are properly claimed.

Vehicles

If your small business makes use of a company vehicle, you can write off expenses related to the vehicle such as fuel, oil, insurance, lease payments, parking fees, repairs, maintenance, and registration fees.

These are considered capital cost allowances (CCA) because a vehicle is considered depreciable property.

When you claim expenses related to your company vehicle, the amount your claim is proportional to the amount of business mileage compared to total mileage throughout the year. For this reason, you will have to keep a log detailing both business and personal use of the vehicle.

Home Office Costs

When you run your small business from your home, you can claim deductions on expenses related to your home office space including mortgage interest, utilities, property taxes, home insurance, repairs, and maintenance.

The amount you can write off depends on the size of your office compared to the size of your home.

Accounting Expenses

Fortunately, you can also claim accounting expenses when it comes to your small business taxes.

Having a small business accountant in Edmonton is beneficial since you can claim accounting-related fees on your income tax while ensuring your finances are properly handled!

Important Tax Dates and Deadlines for Canada

If you are self-employed, you do not have to submit your taxes by April 30, which applies to individual tax returns. Instead, you have until June 15th.

For sole-proprietors or partnerships, you must have your taxes submitted by the beginning of May if your fiscal year matches the calender year. Otherwise, your small business taxes are due six months after the end of your fiscal year.

Responsibilities for Payroll and Employees

If your small business has employees, you are required to collect and remit deductions from your employee’s pay as well as make contributions in addition to employee deductions.

You must also report your employees’ earnings and pay tax on the income you earn.

Deducting Employee Tax from Payroll

As an employer, you are required to deduct income tax as well as CPP (Canada Pension Plan) contributions and EI (Employment Insurance) premiums. You must also match the CPP amounts deducted and contribute to your employees’ EI premiums.

The amount of deductions and contributions depends on the employee’s income. To find out how much you have to contribute or deduct, you can always refer to a small business accountant in Edmonton to help you with corporate tax planning or contact the CRA.

Reporting Employee Earnings

When reporting employee earnings, you are required to fill out special forms to report salaries, wages, and taxable benefits. You must also fill out a T4 to provide to your employees by the end of February for their individual tax returns.

Deadlines

When remitting income tax that has been deducted from your employees’ pay, the deadline is generally the 15th of the following month. If the 15th falls on a weekend, payment is due by the next business day.

If you do not remit these deductions on time, penalties may apply.

However, some small businesses are allowed to do this on a quarterly basis but you have to apply for this program through the CRA.

Getting Help From an Accountant or Bookkeeper

When it comes to corporate tax preparation for small businesses, there are a lot of moving parts and not filing your taxes correctly can result in penalties and interest.

This is why it’s important to have a small business accountant in Edmonton by your side! Our team at Liu & Associates can help you prepare your small business taxes from start to finish.

Our expertise means that your finances will remain in order throughout the year, ensuring that tax time is a breeze!

If you’re ready to get started, feel free to contact us today. Our dedicated team is ready to answer all of your questions regarding small business taxes.

We look forward to hearing from you!

When To Consider Corporate Restructuring

Corporate restructuring is a great opportunity to examine your business models and create a plan that will facilitate growth and optimize your business for the long term.

Corporate restructuring is a process that significantly modifies the financial and operational aspects of a company.

While this action is typically taken when a company is facing financial hardships, a company doesn’t have to be in distress to benefit from a restructuring plan.

A corporate restructure even when your business is successful can have major benefits!

Overall, corporate restructuring is done to modify a company’s operation, structure, or debt to limit financial harm or facilitate growth.

What Does Corporate Restructuring Involve?

During a corporate restructuring, the operations, departments, processes, or even ownership may change. However, this can enable a business to become more integrated and profitable.

The results of a corporate restructuring vary according to how the business operates and the reasons for making a change.

It could result in changes to procedures, networks, locations, and computer systems. It’s possible that jobs may be eliminated or employees laid off.

Corporate restructuring is a long and detailed process as both the internal and external structures of a business are altered and adjusted.

Once completed, however, business operations will become smoother and more economically sound putting the company in a better position to attain its goals.

4 Reasons Why You Should Consider Corporate Restructuring For Your Business:

Corporate structuring should not be undertaken lighting. To give you an idea of when it is necessary, here are some situations in which you should consider corporate restructuring:

1. Your Business is Expanding or Refocusing

The business world is dynamic and there’s no predicting when external factors can negatively impact a business or inspire it to change.

Changing the way a business operates through a corporate restructuring can help the business adapt to change.

For instance, the COVID-19 pandemic enforced the need for better telecommunication, improved working systems, revised employee policies, and the accommodation of remote working.

Many companies sought corporate restructuring to ensure that their business continued to thrive during this time.

Likewise, an expansion of a business requires a certain degree of reorganization. As a business grows, it may require setting up new departments, appointing new management, and developing different leadership styles – all of which can be achieved through corporate restructuring.

2. New Shareholders Are Being Brought In

When new shareholders are brought into your business, a company restructuring is necessary to ensure you retain total control of your business.

Restructuring can help you manage the way that dividends are allocated as well as protect your capital contribution to the company.

During the restructuring, you may want to consider issuing different classes to new investors so that voting rights are tailored in a way so that important decisions remain with you.

3. The Company is Becoming Publicly Traded

Companies can become publicly traded through two channels: IPO and Direct Listings.

During the IPO process, new shares of the company are brought to market by an investment bank. Direct listings involve employees selling their shares directly to the general public with no involvement from an investment bank.

Becoming a publicly-traded company is exciting but you don’t want to get too caught up in that excitement.

Instead, it’s important to consider how a corporate restructuring in this situation can help you optimize your stock decisions as you make a successful entrance into the public market.

4. Your Business is Under Corporate Financial Distress

Corporate restructuring can also be beneficial when your company is experiencing financial distress.

Seeking expert advice can help save your company when faced with the following challenges:

Poor Competitiveness
Stagnated Growth
Significant Revenue Drop
Shortage of Cash-Flow
Poor Management
Untethered Expenses
Dependence on Debt
Inefficient Business Structure
Diminishing Customer Base
Decline in Sales

When you can recognize the signs that your business is heading toward financial hardship, you can act quickly and implement a business restructuring that will allow you to restrategize and regain profitability.

Professional Corporate Restructuring Services

Restructuring an entire company is no easy task. However, our experts at Liu & Associates can help you create a customized path to help your business evolve and succeed.

By going over your current financial structure, our team can help you determine the best course of action, whether you are looking to downsize or expand.

Our corporate restructuring service includes changing legal ownership of a company, switching corporate tax structures, strengthening capital structures, and more!

Let us take care of planning and implementing your corporate restructuring plan.

Get in touch with our experienced and knowledgeable team for more information or book an appointment to get started today.

Corporate Tax Planning: 5 Things To Know

When you own a corporation, proper tax planning plays an essential role when it comes to making strategic decisions.

The main goal is to increase your business’s tax efficiency and remain competitive in your industry.

Incorporating proper tax planning into your regular operations ensures that your company is run legitimately. It also allows you to reduce your tax costs and benefit from higher earnings.

Unlike personal tax returns, which are relatively simple to prepare, corporate taxes are complex, and not planning them properly, or trying to do them yourself, could result in costly mistakes.

What is Corporate Tax Planning?

When it comes to planning your corporate taxes, it involves more than estimating your end-of-year tax liability to know how much you should budget to pay your taxes.

Proper planning involves looking at your entire financial situation so that you can pay the least amount of taxes possible.

It takes into account expense planning, the timing of purchases, and how you pay yourself as well as dedication and credit opportunities.

Corporate tax planning also helps you choose the best investment and retirement plans to complement your business’s financial strategy and filing status.

1. You Can Take Advantage of Grants and Subsidies

The government offers grants and subsidies to help corporations receive rebates when buying depreciable property. This allows you to subtract the amount of the grant or subsidy from your property’s capital costs.

For instance, there is the “input tax credit” which is a form of government assistance that allows you to deduct the amount of the credit from the cost of a company vehicle.

There are other incentives you can apply for from non-government agencies when it comes to purchasing a depreciable property.

You can always contact our team of professional accountants at Liu & Associates for more information about grants and subsidies for corporations.

2. You Can Save Money and Grow Your Company

As we mentioned above, one of the main objectives of corporate tax planning is to reduce the amount of tax your business pays by taking advantage of as many deductibles as possible.

When you know your tax liabilities, you can then reinvest your savings back into your business to facilitate its growth!

Corporate tax planning also provides insights into your business so you can assess the bigger picture such as whether or not the structure of your business needs to change and where your potential profit areas are.

3. How You Pay Yourself Can Save You On Taxes

When you own an incorporated business, you need to determine the optimal mix of dividends and salary to pay yourself.

In some cases, dividends may receive preferential tax treatments or allow you to pay yourself tax-free.

In others, it could be more beneficial to pay yourself a salary.

There are many factors that affect this decision that is based on your business’s unique operations. Again, an expert accountant can help guide you when making this decision.

4. There Are COVID-19 Relief Funds You Can Tap Into

While many COVID-19 relief programs offered by the government have ended, there are still others available that you can take advantage of when planning your corporate taxes:

THRP (Tourism and Hospitality Recovery Program): This program provides support to businesses in the tourism industry when it comes to wages and rent.
HBRP (Hardest Hit Business Recovery Program): The HBRP provides up to 50% of rent and wage support for eligible businesses.
Lockdown Support: If your business has to close due to a public health lockdown and causes significant revenue loss, you can apply for this subsidy.

If you do take advantage of COVID-19 relief funds, keep in mind that some of these benefits are considered to be taxable income.

5. An Expert Accountant Can Make the Process Easier

The process of filing a corporate income tax return is significantly more complicated than filing a personal tax return. Hiring an accounting firm will give you peace of mind that the process is handled correctly.

Accountants do more than simply handle money. They are professionally trained in tax preparation and have a full understanding of tax laws and how to organize your corporate income.

Plus, accounting experts know what additional tax credits your business can take advantage of in order to secure you a larger return!

So when it comes to planning your corporate taxes, there are innumerable benefits to having a professional accountant organize your finances to help your business save and grow.

Plan Your Corporate Taxes With a Tax Professional

Investing in a professional accountant can help you save money and avoid costly mistakes including penalties and tax audits.

For more information on how you can get started with your corporate tax planning, contact our expert team at Liu & Associates.

The CEWS Subsidy + Tax Audits: How to Prepare For an Audit

The Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS) was introduced by the Canadian government in March of 2020 to help employers who were adversely impacted by COVID-19.

This subsidy covers up to 75% of a business’s employees’ eligible earnings and encourages employers to retain their workers despite a drop in revenue due to closures.

However, the CRA will audit employers who received the CEWS subsidy to ensure that they did not receive more money than they were eligible for.

The process can be arduous and require a copious amount of documentation.

Although claiming the CEWS does not guarantee that your business will be audited, it is best to prepare so the process goes smoothly.

To help you to better understand what to expect when it comes to a CEWS audit and how to best prepare, check out the guide below:

CEWS Repayments and Audits

In April of 2020, an amendment was made to Canada’s Income Tax Act to include the CEWS along with some new tax rules.

These new rules allow the Minister power to determine if an employer was overpaid and issue a notice of repayment if necessary.

Those who received the CEWS may have to repay the subsidy if they canceled their application, made a calculation error in the application, or if the application was reduced or denied.

In order to determine if any of these situations have occurred, the CRA is at liberty to perform an audit. This process can result in the CRA requesting access to your company’s details such as corporate and financial records.

What Is the CRA Looking For When It Comes to the CEWS?

For the most part, when it comes to a CEWS audit, the CRA is looking to review the following documentation and information:

Corporate Records: These records include any documents related to the CEWS claim as well as any changes related to the type and status of the business since 2019.
Revenues for 2019 and 2020: The CRA will seek information regarding the business’s revenue prior to the pandemic such as sales reports and qualifying revenue for the CEWS.
Payroll Information: The CRA also wants to see payroll journals, timesheets, employment contracts, and proofs of payments to employees.

The CRA may also request additional information related to other subsidies and other government programs that could impact the application for the CEWS.

How Can I Prepare for an Audit?

Just because the CRA is audited CEWS applications and payments doesn’t mean your business is guaranteed to experience one.

However, preparing for an audit can be a stressful task, so we suggest you take the time to prepare in the following manner:

Document Everything

As soon as you prepare your CEWS claim, keep track of everything. Because the CEWS was pushed out in a hurry, it’s possible that the rules surrounding it may be modified at any time.

Keep copies of all the documentation you referred to when completing the CEWS application as well as a hard copy of the instructions provided to you by the CRA at the time you filed for the subsidy.

Keep Aside Confidential Information

The CRA does not have the authority to access documents that are protected by client privilege.

This means that any sensitive and private information regarding your clients is off the table when it comes to a CRA audit. For example, if you are a lawyer this would include any communication between you and your client, the client’s case file, etc.

Because these documents are private and not required during an audit, ensure they are stored separately to avoid any mistakes.

Have One Point of Contact With the CRA

To ensure the audit process goes smoothly without inconsistencies or misinformation, appoint one person from your business to communicate with the CRA.

Additionally, all exchanges with the CRA should be in writing since the process can take a year or more to complete.

How Long Do I Have to Provide the Necessary Information?

Gathering the required documentation can be complex and extensive with the CRA not giving you much time to do so. In fact, the CRA generally requires the necessary information within 10 business days.

While you can request an extension, the CRA is merely looking for information you already have. If you have it prepared and organized, meeting this deadline is completely realistic.

Failure to comply with the CRA during the audit process can result in a “gross negligence penalty” that could amount to 50% of the difference between the amount of CEWS you claimed and the amount of CEWS you were entitled to.

Conclusion

If you have received an audit letter in relation to the CEWS subsidy, it’s important to consult an expert accountant to ensure the proper organization of documentation.

For more information on CEWS audits, don’t hesitate to contact our team of professionals at Liu & Associates.

The Connection Between Corporate Finances and Individual Finances

They say that you should never mix business with pleasure – but when it comes to finances, the two are connected in a number of ways.

Because of the connection between corporate finances and individual finances, it’s important to understand that, while you can approach both in very similar ways, it’s not always a good idea to allow the two to mix.

Before we talk about how to keep your corporate and individual finances separate, let’s first look at their similarities and differences:

Similarities Between Corporate Finances and Individual Finances

The similarities between corporate finances and individual finances all come down to money management. No matter the amount sitting in your accounts, how you handle it determines your overall financial success!

Discipline

When it comes to managing finances, both corporate and individual, discipline is important. In order to be successful, you need to focus on spending only when necessary.

If you’re running a company, it can be tempting to spend on unnecessary assets but you need to limit your spending to expenses that are pertinent to running and growing your business.

For personal finances, it’s important to curb spending in order to build up savings.

Investment

Whether you are looking to expand your business or your bank account, you need to make investments in order to grow your funds. In your personal life, this could mean purchasing a home. In business, investing could involve hiring new staff or purchasing new equipment.

Budgeting

Both personal and business finances require budgeting. This involves laying out how much money comes in versus how much goes out and seeing what is left over.

Budgeting takes time and effort – even more so for businesses and companies. In order to effectively budget, you need to involve formal documentation such as income statements and balance statements.

Overall, budgeting requires you to set a spending limit and stick to it so you can achieve your financial goals over time.

Differences Between Corporate Finances and Individual Finances

It’s great that you can approach both corporate finances and individual finances in the same way when it comes to budgeting and investment, but there are some ways that business finances are handled that can be detrimental to an individual.

Temptation

We talked about how corporate finances and individual finances both involve a degree of discipline but one notable difference between the two is that managing personal finances comes with significantly more temptations.

Business finances tend to be more impersonal and purchases are made in the best interest of growth and success.

However, individuals tend to struggle with the temptation to make unwise or extravagant purchases.

Corporate financial decisions are usually made more rationally than personal financial decisions

Collaboration

When a business makes financial decisions, it usually comes as the result of collaborating with staff members, co-owners, financial offers, and accountants. This is to ensure that spending solutions make sense for the company.

Individuals, however, are often not required to confer with family members or any other person to make financial choices.

Leverage

One benefit corporate finances have over individual finances is the use of leverage. Businesses can use leverage as an investment strategy and borrow money to invest in the company’s future.

When done right, leverage is a practice that can help support small businesses by accessing capital in order to expand.

Using leverage when it comes to individual finances is extremely risky and result in devastating losses such as losing your car or your home.

Keeping Corporate and Individual Finances Separate

Even though there are similarities between corporate and individual finances, it’s important to keep them separate.

It’s important to remember that a corporation is an independent entity that should be free-standing from your personal finances.

Here are some reasons why you should keep your corporate and individual finances separate:

Leverage: As we mentioned above, leverage can be highly beneficial for a company but potentially devastating for an individual.
Taxes: You can take advantage of tax deductions and write off business expenses when you keep your business finances separate from your personal finances.
Business Credit: Obtaining working capital for your business and business credit is key to securing larger business loans.
Professional Image: Keeping your company and personal finances separate makes you look like a serious business owner and not just someone who monetized a hobby.
Time and Money: When you keep your corporate finances separate, you can utilize the skills of a professional accountant to streamline your financial process, save you time, and save you money.

How to Keep Your Corporate Finances and Your Individual Finances Apart

When it comes to corporate and individual finances, the “how” is probably just as important as the “why”.

Here are some tips for keeping your finances apart:

Hire an Accountant: A Certified Personal Accountant (CPA) can ensure your company’s bookkeeping is done properly and that your finances remain separated.
Open Separate Accounts: Creating individual accounts for yourself and your business will help you distinguish between your finances.
Business Credit Card: A business credit will allow you to make company-related purchases without using your personal card. It will also help you build credit for your business.
Separate Your Receipts: Ensure that your business receipts and your personal receipts are organized and stored separately so you can easily access them without confusing the two.
Structure Your Business: Establish a legal structure for your business in order to disentangle your personal finances from your business finances.
Pay Yourself: Instead of randomly pulling money from your business to take care of your personal finances, pay yourself a salary to help your company stay on budget.

Let’s Grow Your Business!

Our expert team of accountants at Liu & Associates is proud to offer you the accounting services you need to grow your business and achieve success!

From taxes to bookkeeping, we have you covered! Check out our Corporate Accounting Services or contact us for more information.

Changing Corporate Accountants: How to Start

What do you do if you want to change your corporate accountant but feel stuck with your current one because they have been with you for so long?

While you may be fiercely loyal to your current accountant, you should focus on putting your company’s needs first!

Switching accountants is not an overly complicated process. In fact, most of the steps are taken by your new accounting firm and regulations ensure that file and information transfers are done efficiently.

In this article, we’re going to outline those steps and show you how easy it is!

But because we don’t recommend changing your corporate accountant on a whim, let’s start with some reasons why it could be time for a change:

Reasons to Change Accountants

It’s important that you don’t simply change your corporate accountant on a whim. Here are some main reasons why business owners may seek accounting help elsewhere:

They Aren’t Available

It can be frustrating if you can’t reach your accountant when necessary. In order to make informed business decisions, you need to be able to communicate with your accountant in a timely manner.

They’re Not Easy to Talk To

Even if you can get in touch with your accountant when needed, they may be difficult to communicate with.

Between accounting jargon you don’t understand to feeling like you are not understood, it may be time to change corporate accountants if you find your current ones are not approachable.

They Don’t Understand Your Business

Unless an accountant is industry-specific, they may lack the necessary knowledge to fully understand what you need.

While many accounts are not industry-specific and can perform amazingly, you may consider switching if your current firm doesn’t “get it” when it comes to your business needs.

They Are Not Proactive

The reason you’ve hired an accounting firm for your business needs is that you don’t have the time or know-how to do it yourself.

But if your accountants aren’t being proactive and offering better services or even reminders, it may be time to choose a firm that will offer you guidance throughout the year.

They Don’t Keep Up With Technology

When it comes to running a business, technology is key to being more productive and efficient. An accounting firm that embraces technology can better serve your business needs.

You’re Paying Too Much For Their Services

Especially if they are not meeting your expectations! When you pay for accounting services, you want to make sure you are receiving value and understanding.

It’s All About Timing

Now that you have a better understanding of why you should change corporate accountants, it’s important not to jump ship right away!

Switching accountants should happen during times where your business is experiencing little to no financial activity. This could be during a slow period or even after your year-end tax return has been filed.

The last thing you want is to have files transferred between the old and new accountants during times of high financial activity. Waiting until the right time will help to reduce the stress of switching between accountants.

You’ll also want to tie up any loose ends such as ensuring that any pending payments and transactions are complete. This way, you can avoid disputes over unpaid fees that can get in the way of a smooth transition to the new accountant.

Steps to Changing Corporate Accountants

1. Notify Your Current Accountant

It’s important that you notify your current accountant as soon as possible that you are switching to a new firm. They may be willing to correct the issues you have with their services and prevent the hassle of switching to a new accountant.

However, if you cannot be swayed, it’s important to notify your current firm and end the relationship on good terms. This will help facilitate an efficient transition.

Your new accountant can help you notify your current accountant by drafting a letter of notice.

2. Have Your Files Sent to the New Accountant

By law, your current accountant must turn over your company’s files to the new firm of your choosing.

This begins with a letter of disengagement that requires your previous accountant to provide all relevant information to the new accountant.

Your new accountant will also send your previous accountant a professional clearance letter so that they can accept all necessary files and information during the transition.

3. Confirm That the Files Have Been Transferred

It’s important that you confirm with your new accounting firm that all files have been transferred by your previous accountant.

If not, you can file a complaint with your former firm’s regulatory board if an amicable file transfer is denied.

4. Approve Your New Accountant

The last step in this process is to assign authority to your new accountant. This allows them to perform tax duties on your behalf, such as filing returns.

This step also includes changing the passwords to your relevant accounts so that your former accountant no longer has access.

Questions to Ask a New Accountant

Of course, before you switch to a new accounting firm, you’ll want to make sure you are choosing an accountant that will meet your company’s needs.

Here are some questions you can ask to ensure that they are the right fit:

Who do you normally work with?
What services do you offer?
What do you specialize in?
How do you charge for your services?
What is your response time?
What is your turnaround time?
What technology do you use?
How do you communicate with your clients? (Phone, email, Skype, etc.)
How often do you communicate with your clients?
Are you a Chartered Accountant or part of an association?

Plus, asking these questions beforehand holds them accountable for their answers!

Ready for a Change?

If you’re thinking about leaving your current accounting firm, this information will give you a better understanding of how it works so that you can make your decision with confidence!

At Liu & Associates, our goal is to provide companies with expert accounting services that offer the support you need as well as help you maximize your business’s finances.

If you’re ready for a change, get in touch with us today!

What Happens to Unused Tuition Tax Credits?

Tuition tax credits are non-refundable credits, meaning that they will work toward lowering the amount of taxes you owe but they will not be contributed to any refunds.

This means that they will help keep your owing taxes low but will not increase the amount you get back on your taxes.

Sometimes, however, it works out that the tuition you are claiming exceeds the amount you owe. So what happens to the rest of the tuition tax credit? Does it disappear into obscurity?

It doesn’t and the good news is that you can carry forward or transfer any unused credits!

Before we discuss how transferring and carrying forward works, let’s look at how you can go about claiming your tuition tax credits – and don’t forget to read to the end for some important considerations you should know about.

Claiming Tuition Tax Credits

Any student over the age of 16 who is enrolled in a post-secondary designated educational institution in Canada can claim tuition credits on their tax return. If you are studying abroad, you are eligible as long as you are studying full-time for at least three weeks.

However, if your employer pays or reimburses your tuition, you are not eligible to claim the tuition credit unless the tuition amount is included in your earnings. Or, if the employer pays tuition to your parent on your behalf.

In order to claim the tuition tax credit, you will need a T2202 (Tuition and Enrolment Certificate) issued by your school to certify that you qualify for the tax credit as well as provide you with the amount to claim on your taxes.

Unused Tuition Tax Credit Options

In order to find out how much you have in unused tuition, log in to your CRA My Account. From there, click “Go to Tax Returns” in the Tax Returns section.

Scroll down on that page and look for the “Carryover Amounts” section and click “View Carryover Amounts”.

Keep scrolling until you find the “Federal Tuition Amounts” and the “Provincial Tuition Amounts”. This is where you’ll see if you have any unused amounts in the first column for last year’s row.

If that row is blank, you don’t have any unused amounts that you can carry forward or transfer.

You can also find this information on your Notice of Assessment from last year or on your federal and provincial Schedule 11 from last year’s tax return.

Carrying Forward Tuition

If you have unused tuition tax credits for the current tax year (that you have not transferred), you can carry them forward to claim in future years – but you have to claim your carry forward in the first year that you pay income tax.

In order to calculate the amount you are carrying forward, you have to file a tax return and fill out federal Schedule 11.

As far as carrying forward your unused tuition tax credits, this is done automatically by the CRA. They will apply the available tuition amount to your taxes every year until it has been all used.

Transferring Tuition

Another option you have for unused tuition tax credits is to transfer the amount to qualifying relatives such as parents, grandparents, spouses, and common-law partners.

In order to do so, you must designate the individual receiving the transfer, as well as the amount of the transfer, with form T2202 and Schedule 11.

It’s important to note that your parents or grandparents are not qualified recipients if your spouse or partner claims an amount for you on lines 30300 or 32600 on their tax return.

If you do choose a parent or grandparent to receive your unused tuition tax credits, they will claim the transfer amount on line 32400 of their tax return. Transfers to your spouse or partner can be claimed on line 36000 of Schedule 2.

When it comes to transferring your tuition tax credits, you can only transfer up to $5,000 of the current year’s tuition. You can only transfer your provincial tuition from this year – carry-forward amounts from a past year cannot be transferred.

Why Would I Transfer My Unused Tuition Tax Credits?

While you can certainly carry over your unused tax credits to benefit future tax returns, there are some benefits to transferring the amount to a spouse or family member:

You get the money earlier.
If there is a change in tax law, tuition tax rates will likely go down meaning that they will be worth less on your tax return.
You have to use your tuition credits until you reduce your taxes to zero, regardless of any applicable tax credits (based on your income). For this reason, you would be simply wasting your tuition tax credits when other income-based benefits would reduce your amount owing anyway.

Important Considerations for Tuition Tax Credits

Before you carry forward or transfer your tuition tax credits, here are some important considerations to keep in mind:

For 2018 and later years, there is no tuition transfer available in New Brunswick, Ontario, or Saskatchewan because these provinces no longer have the tuition-education tax credits.
If you move to another province after carrying forward your tuition, you have to use the federal unused tuition amounts from your Notice of Assessment (or CRA account) when completing the provincial Schedule 11 for your new province of residence (unless you moved to Ontario, Québed or PEI).
Students must have taxable income in order to claim tuition tax credits.
There is a Federal tax credit as well as a Provincial tax credit for tuition, so to claim or transfer these amounts you have to complete both the Federal Schedule 11 and the Provincial Schedule 11.

Get the Most Out of Your Tuition Tax Credits

Instead of attempting to navigate through the process of transferring or carrying forward your unused tuition tax credits, why not let the professionals do the work for you?

Our professional team at Liu & Associates has years of experience providing expert personal accounting services to clients in Edmonton and Calgary.