6 Langley 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 Langley and its provincial tax regime, not a general example.
Case Study 1 · Deadline rescue
Filed On Time From A Standing Start, $81,000 Penalty Avoided — Gallery and Art Dealer, Langley
Client: A gallery and art dealer · Where: Langley, British Columbia · Engagement: 5 weeks, fixed fee
Penalty avoided$81,000
Turnaround5 weeks
FiledOn time
The situation
A gallery and art dealer in Langley, British Columbia came to us 5 weeks before its filing deadline with instalments still calculated on a year the business had long outgrown. A late filing would have triggered a penalty of roughly $81,000 before interest.
What we did
We worked backwards from the deadline. We separated the federal GST and BC provincial sales tax streams, reconciled both to the sales ledger, and filed the corrected provincial returns, prioritising the items that actually gated the filing and deferring everything that did not.
The result
The return was filed on time and complete. The $81,000 penalty never arose, and the compliance calendar we set means the next deadline is scheduled rather than discovered.
Case Study 2 · Cash and remittance control
Instalments Rebased, $29,500 Of Cash Returned To The Business — Dance Studio, Langley
Client: A dance studio · Where: Langley, British Columbia · Engagement: 10 weeks, fixed fee
Cash returned$29,500
Instalment basisCurrent year
ReviewedQuarterly
The situation
A dance studio in Langley, British Columbia was paying instalments calculated on a prior year that no longer reflected the business. A provincial payroll levy that had never been registered for or remitted was tying up $29,500 of cash.
What we did
We rebased the instalments on the current-year estimate rather than the prior-year default, and assessed and claimed BC Small Business Venture Capital Tax Credit alongside the federal return.
The result
$29,500 of cash stayed in the business, the penalty cycle ended, and the instalment position is reviewed each quarter against actual results.
Case Study 3 · Scaling without breaking
Second-Province Expansion Handled, $91,000 Of Cash Released — Music School, Langley
Client: A music school · Where: Langley, British Columbia · Engagement: 5 weeks, fixed fee
Cash released$91,000
New registrationsComplete on day one
Compliance gapsNone
The situation
Revenue at a music school in Langley, British Columbia was up sharply and cash was tighter than ever. Underneath it sat provincial sales tax collected but never remitted on the separate BC return.
What we did
We recalculated the corporate tax at the 11% combined small business rate and rebased the instalments on the current year. Every new obligation — registration, remittance frequency, provincial filing — was set up before it was triggered, not after.
The result
$91,000 of cash was released from the working capital cycle, and the expansion completed with every registration and filing obligation covered from day one.
Case Study 4 · Missed incentive claimed
$19,500 Credit Claim Filed And Accepted Without Adjustment — Talent Management Agency, Langley
Client: A talent management agency · Where: Langley, British Columbia · Engagement: 7 weeks, fixed fee
Claim value$19,500
AcceptedWithout adjustment
RepeatableAnnually
The situation
A talent management agency in Langley, British Columbia assumed the credits did not apply to a business its size. BC Scientific Research and Experimental Development Tax Credit eligibility that had never been assessed meant they had applied all along.
What we did
We identified the qualifying activity, built the documentation to support it, and assessed and claimed BC Scientific Research and Experimental Development Tax Credit alongside the federal return.
The result
$19,500 recovered. Because the eligibility analysis is on file, the same claim can be repeated each year with a fraction of the effort.
Case Study 5 · Backlog brought current
Collections Halted And $113,000 Cut From A 5-Year Backlog — Live Events Production Company, Langley
Client: A live events production company · Where: Langley, British Columbia · Engagement: 4 weeks, fixed fee
Balance reduced by$113,000
Backlog cleared5 years
CollectionsHalted
The situation
By the time a live events production company in Langley, British Columbia called, 5 years were outstanding and the CRA had assessed on estimates. Underneath it sat input tax credits claimed against BC provincial tax, which is not recoverable the way GST is.
What we did
We reconstructed the records year by year and registered the provincial payroll account, caught up the outstanding remittances, and applied for relief on the penalty. 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 $113,000, and a relief application addressed part of the accumulated interest.
Case Study 6 · Objection and relief
Notice Of Objection Allowed In Full, $111,000 Reversed — Bar and Live-Music Venue, Langley
Client: A bar and live-music venue · Where: Langley, British Columbia · Engagement: 8 weeks, fixed fee
Amount reversed$111,000
ObjectionAllowed in full
Account balanceNil
The situation
A bar and live-music venue in Langley, British Columbia had been reassessed for $111,000 and had 15 days left on the objection deadline. The reassessment rested on instalments still calculated on a year the business had long outgrown.
What we did
We filed the objection inside the deadline with a complete submission rather than a placeholder, and separated the federal GST and BC provincial sales tax streams, reconciled both to the sales ledger, and filed the corrected provincial returns.
The result
The appeals officer allowed the objection in full. $111,000 was reversed and the account returned to a nil balance.
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.
