6 Social Services tax and accounting engagements in full — what the client came to us with, what we did, and what it was worth. Each one is specific to social services work, not a general example.
Case Study 1 · Missed incentive claimed
$116,000 In Credits Claimed That Prior Filings Had Missed — Arts and Culture Organisation, Saskatoon
Client: An arts and culture organisation · Where: Saskatoon, Saskatchewan · Engagement: 11 weeks, fixed fee
Credits claimed$116,000
Years adjusted7
Review outcomeNo adjustment
The situation
An arts and culture organisation in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan had been filing for 7 years without ever claiming the incentives its activity qualified for. Behind that sat development and improvement work written off as ordinary overhead.
What we did
We tested each activity against the eligibility criteria rather than the description on the invoice, then reassigned the asset classes on the CCA schedule and corrected the opening balances.
The result
$116,000 in credits claimed, with the open prior years adjusted as well. The claim passed review without adjustment.
Case Study 2 · Records and systems rebuilt
Month-End Close Cut From 10 Weeks To 4 Days — Community Services Charity, Hamilton
Client: A community services charity · Where: Hamilton, Ontario · Engagement: 6 weeks, fixed fee
Close time before10 weeks
Close time after4 days
Year-endReview, not rebuild
The situation
The accounting file at a community services charity in Hamilton, Ontario was built on industry-specific reporting obligations nobody had flagged. The year-end had taken 10 weeks each of the last three years.
What we did
We rebuilt the chart of accounts around how a social services business actually earns and spends and moved the reconciliations into the monthly cycle, so the year-end stopped being a rebuild.
The result
The file reconciles. Month-end closes in 4 days instead of 10 weeks, and the year-end is a review rather than a reconstruction.
Case Study 3 · Sale and succession
Share Sale Restructured, $555,000 Less Tax On Closing — Faith-Based Organisation, Edmonton
Client: A faith-based organisation · Where: Edmonton, Alberta · Engagement: 7 weeks, fixed fee
Tax saved on closing$555,000
PriceAs agreed
Post-closing adjustmentsNone
The situation
A faith-based organisation in Edmonton, Alberta was preparing to sell. Due diligence surfaced no valuation on file to support the price the parties had agreed, which would have reduced the price or killed the deal outright.
What we did
We cleaned up the historical file, reviewed every sector-specific deduction against the current rules and claimed the ones that had been missed, and prepared the due-diligence package the buyer's advisers actually asked for.
The result
The deal closed at the agreed price. $555,000 of tax was saved against the structure originally proposed, with no post-closing adjustment.
Case Study 4 · Cash and remittance control
$67,000 Of Working Capital Freed From The Tax Cycle — Food Security Charity, Calgary
Client: A food security charity · Where: Calgary, Alberta · Engagement: 3 weeks, fixed fee
Working capital freed$67,000
On-time remittancesEvery period since
Forecast horizon13 weeks
The situation
A food security charity in Calgary, Alberta was profitable on paper and short of cash every month. Sector deductions claimed on a general-business basis rather than the social services rules explained most of the gap.
What we did
We documented the positions to the standard the CRA applies to this sector specifically and built a thirteen-week cash view so tax payments stopped competing with payroll for the same dollars.
The result
$67,000 was released back into working capital. Remittances have been on time every period since, and the forecast shows the tax outflow before it lands.
Case Study 5 · Backlog brought current
Collections Halted And $17,500 Cut From A 3-Year Backlog — Foundation Making Grants, Guelph
Client: A foundation making grants · Where: Guelph, Ontario · Engagement: 3 weeks, fixed fee
Balance reduced by$17,500
Backlog cleared3 years
CollectionsHalted
The situation
By the time a foundation making grants in Guelph, Ontario called, 3 years were outstanding and the CRA had assessed on estimates. Underneath it sat equipment and asset classes assigned by guesswork rather than the CCA schedule.
What we did
We reconstructed the records year by year and aligned the reporting calendar with the sector’s own seasonal cycle rather than a generic year-end. Each filing replaced an arbitrary assessment with a real one.
The result
The account is current. Filing on real numbers rather than CRA estimates reduced the balance by $17,500, and a relief application addressed part of the accumulated interest.
Case Study 6 · Planning that cut the bill
Remuneration Review Saved $9,000 Across Corporate And Personal Returns — Housing Non-Profit, Moncton
Client: A housing non-profit · Where: Moncton, New Brunswick · Engagement: 5 weeks, fixed fee
Combined saving$9,000
ScopeCorporate + personal
Future yearsNo rework needed
The situation
Nothing was wrong at a housing non-profit in Moncton, New Brunswick — the filings were on time and accurate. What they were not was planned. Seasonal revenue reported without matching the costs that produced it had never been reviewed.
What we did
We reassigned the asset classes on the CCA schedule and corrected the opening balances, and ran the numbers across both the corporate and personal returns so the saving was real rather than deferred into someone else's hands.
The result
$9,000 came off the combined corporate and personal tax bill, and the structure holds for future years without further work.
Reviewed for the 2025 tax year by Udit Gupta, Certified Tax Accountant. Figures describe representative engagements of this type; outcomes depend on your own facts. Client names and identifying details are omitted for confidentiality.
