6 worked Optometrists case studies — the position a client typically comes to us with, what we do, and what it is worth. Each is an illustrative example built on the rules that apply to optometrists work, not a specific client's file.
Case Study 1 · Backlog brought current
7 Years Filed, $27,000 Removed From The Assessed Balance — Family Medicine Clinic, Kelowna
Client: A family medicine clinic · Where: Kelowna, British Columbia · Engagement: 5 weeks, fixed fee
Years filed7
Assessed balance removed$27,000
CollectionsStopped
The situation — A family medicine clinic, Kelowna, British Columbia
A family medicine clinic in Kelowna, British Columbia had not filed for 7 years. The CRA had issued arbitrary assessments, and the business was carrying equipment and asset classes assigned by guesswork rather than the CCA schedule on top of a growing interest balance.
What we did for A family medicine clinic, Kelowna, British Columbia
We started with the oldest year and worked forward so each year's closing balances fed the next. We aligned the reporting calendar with the sector’s own seasonal cycle rather than a generic year-end, filing the years in sequence rather than all at once.
The result — A family medicine clinic, Kelowna, British Columbia
Every year is now filed and assessed on actual figures. The notional assessments were vacated and $27,000 of the estimated balance came off, with a payment arrangement covering the rest.
Case Study 2 · Deadline rescue
9-Week Turnaround Beat The Deadline And Saved $94,000 — Physiotherapy Group, Saskatoon
Client: A physiotherapy group · Where: Saskatoon, Saskatchewan · Engagement: 9 weeks, fixed fee
Late-filing penalty avoided$94,000
Filed with23 days to spare
Next yearPapers ready
The situation — A physiotherapy group, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
With the deadline for optometrists accounting and tax weeks away, a physiotherapy group in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan was carrying a previous accountant with no experience of this sector. The exposure if the date slipped was around $94,000.
What we did for A physiotherapy group, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
We documented the positions to the standard the CRA applies to this sector specifically. The filing went in complete rather than provisional, so there was no amended return to follow.
The result — A physiotherapy group, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
Filed with 23 days to spare. $94,000 in late-filing penalties avoided, and the working papers are ready for the following year.
Case Study 3 · Planning that cut the bill
$27,000 Cut From The Annual Tax Bill — Optometry Practice, Lethbridge
Client: An optometry practice · Where: Lethbridge, Alberta · Engagement: 5 weeks, fixed fee
First-year saving$27,000
RepeatsAnnually
Filing positionUnchanged in risk
The situation — An optometry practice, Lethbridge, Alberta
An optometry practice in Lethbridge, Alberta was compliant but paying more than it needed to. The prior year had been filed correctly and still left a chart of accounts that told the owner nothing about optometrists margin on the table.
What we did for An optometry practice, Lethbridge, Alberta
We modelled the current position against the alternatives before changing anything, then reviewed every sector-specific deduction against the current rules and claimed the ones that had been missed.
The result — An optometry practice, Lethbridge, Alberta
The change saved $27,000 in the first year and repeats annually. Nothing about the filings became more aggressive; the position is simply the one the rules already allowed.
Case Study 4 · Missed incentive claimed
$16,500 In Credits Claimed That Prior Filings Had Missed — Veterinary Hospital, Burnaby
Client: A veterinary hospital · Where: Burnaby, British Columbia · Engagement: 7 weeks, fixed fee
Credits claimed$16,500
Years adjusted3
Review outcomeNo adjustment
The situation — A veterinary hospital, Burnaby, British Columbia
A veterinary hospital in Burnaby, British Columbia had been filing for 3 years without ever claiming the incentives its activity qualified for. Behind that sat sector incentives that had never been tested against optometrists activity.
What we did for A veterinary hospital, Burnaby, British Columbia
We tested each activity against the eligibility criteria rather than the description on the invoice, then rebuilt the chart of accounts around how a optometrists business actually earns and spends.
The result — A veterinary hospital, Burnaby, British Columbia
$16,500 in credits claimed, with the open prior years adjusted as well. The claim passed review without adjustment.
Case Study 5 · Structure rebuilt
Reorganisation Completed Tax-Deferred, $49,000 Saved Each Year — Psychology Practice, Calgary
Client: A psychology practice · Where: Calgary, Alberta · Engagement: 5 weeks, fixed fee
Annual saving$49,000
Tax on reorganisationDeferred
Elections filedOn time
The situation — A psychology practice, Calgary, Alberta
A psychology practice in Calgary, Alberta had outgrown the structure it started with. Sector deductions claimed on a general-business basis rather than the optometrists rules was the immediate problem; the longer-term one was that the structure blocked the next step.
What we did for A psychology practice, Calgary, Alberta
We mapped the current structure, modelled the target, and reassigned the asset classes on the CCA schedule and corrected the opening balances — with the tax-deferred elections filed on time and the supporting valuations documented.
The result — A psychology practice, Calgary, Alberta
The reorganisation completed without triggering tax, and the new structure saves approximately $49,000 a year while removing the exposure the old one carried.
Case Study 6 · Records and systems rebuilt
Month-End Close Cut From 9 Weeks To 9 Days — Chiropractic Clinic, Regina
The situation — A chiropractic clinic, Regina, Saskatchewan
The accounting file at a chiropractic clinic in Regina, Saskatchewan was built on industry-specific reporting obligations nobody had flagged. The year-end had taken 9 weeks each of the last three years.
What we did for A chiropractic clinic, Regina, Saskatchewan
We aligned the reporting calendar with the sector’s own seasonal cycle rather than a generic year-end and moved the reconciliations into the monthly cycle, so the year-end stopped being a rebuild.
The result — A chiropractic clinic, Regina, Saskatchewan
The file reconciles. Month-end closes in 9 days instead of 9 weeks, and the year-end is a review rather than a reconstruction.
Reviewed for the 2025 tax year by Udit Gupta, Founder and Tax Accountant. These case studies are illustrative worked examples composed from the CRA rules that apply to this type of work, not specific client files; figures are representative and outcomes depend on your own facts.
