Common questions

Questions

The things people ask before they get in touch. If yours is not here, ask it directly — it is a better use of both our time than guessing.

Working together

  • What happens in a first consultation, and is there a charge?

    The first consultation is free. It is a chance to get to know each other: you describe your situation and what you are dealing with, and I tell you what is involved and whether you need me at all. You can ask a question or two and get a straight answer, with nothing committed.

  • What does it cost to work with you?
    • Personal tax return, from $175
    • Self-employed return, from $250
    • Corporate year end and T2, from $1,200
    • Bookkeeping, from $250 a month
    • Payroll, from $75 a month

    Fees depend on the work involved. You get a written quote after the free consultation, before anything begins.

  • Do I have to be in Vancouver to work with you?

    No. I am based in the Dunbar area of Vancouver and work with clients across Canada. We can meet in person, by phone, or by video call, whichever suits you, and you send your documents through a secure client portal.

  • Can you take over from my current accountant?

    Yes, and it is more straightforward than people expect. I review your recent returns and records, request what is needed, and take over from there. You do not need to explain or justify the change to anyone.

  • Can I ask you questions in Ukrainian or Russian?

    Yes. I work in English, Ukrainian and Russian. Tax is difficult enough in a first language, so ask in whichever one you think in.

  • Do you take on work partway through a year?

    Yes. Most new clients arrive mid-year, often with something already in progress. Where another accountant has been involved, I will ask for the prior year's filings so nothing is duplicated or missed.

Corporations

  • Do you work with small corporations?

    Yes. Owner-managed corporations are a large part of the practice — T2 returns and schedules, payroll and T4s, instalments, and the salary-versus-dividend decision behind them.

  • When is my T2 corporate return due?

    Six months after your fiscal year end. Any balance owing is due earlier — two months after year end, or three months for most Canadian-controlled private corporations claiming the small business deduction. The payment date comes before the filing date, which catches people out.

  • My corporation had no activity. Do I still file?

    Yes. A corporation files a T2 for every year it exists, including years with no income and no expenses. A nil return is straightforward; missing ones are not.

  • Should I pay myself salary or dividends?

    It depends on your other income, whether you want RRSP room and CPP contributions, and what the corporation needs to retain. It is worth modelling rather than guessing — over a few years the difference is usually material.

Individuals and self-employment

  • When is my personal return due?

    April 30 for most people. If you or your spouse were self-employed, the filing deadline is June 15 — but any balance owing is still due April 30, and interest runs from May 1 either way.

  • What can I deduct as a self-employed person?

    Expenses incurred to earn business income: a reasonable portion of home and vehicle costs, tools and equipment, professional fees, insurance and supplies. The test is not whether an expense is common but whether it was incurred to earn income, and whether you can show it.

  • When do I have to register for GST/HST?

    Once your worldwide taxable revenue passes $30,000 over four consecutive calendar quarters you are no longer a small supplier and registration is mandatory. Registering voluntarily before that can be worthwhile if you have significant input tax credits.

  • I moved to Canada this year. Do I need to file a return?

    Usually yes, and it is worth doing even if you earned little. Your first return establishes your residency for tax purposes and opens access to credits and benefits. If you still have income or property abroad, that may need reporting too, and we go through it together.

  • My income is low. Is it still worth filing?

    TO BE WRITTEN

Records and the CRA

  • Can you handle bookkeeping on an ongoing basis?

    Yes — full-cycle bookkeeping, reconciliation and month-end close, either as the ongoing arrangement or as a clean-up of records that are behind. I also work alongside an in-house bookkeeper where one already exists.

  • I received a letter from the CRA. Can you help?

    Yes. Bring the letter exactly as it arrived. Most notices are requests for information or adjustments rather than audits, and responding properly and on time is usually the whole job.

  • I have not filed for a few years. Is that a problem?

    It is a common starting point, not an unusual one. We file the missing years in order and deal with the CRA from there. The situation stops getting more expensive the day the returns go in.

  • How long do I need to keep my records?

    Generally six years from the end of the tax year they relate to. The CRA can ask for them within that window, and \u201cthe bookkeeper had them\u201d is not an answer that helps.

  • I owe money to the CRA and cannot pay it. What now?

    TO BE WRITTEN

  • Do you need authorization for my CRA account?

    TO BE WRITTEN

Still not sure?

Ask the question directly — it is a better use of both our time than guessing.

Book a Consultation

Or call (604) 722-3736