6 worked Finance Department Outsourcing 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 finance department outsourcing work, not a specific client's file.
Case Study 1 · Sale and succession
Share Sale Restructured, $745,000 Less Tax On Closing — Fast-Growing E-Commerce Brand, Edmonton
Client: A fast-growing e-commerce brand · Where: Edmonton, Alberta · Engagement: 7 weeks, fixed fee
Tax saved on closing$745,000
PriceAs agreed
Post-closing adjustmentsNone
The situation — A fast-growing e-commerce brand, Edmonton, Alberta
A fast-growing e-commerce brand in Edmonton, Alberta was preparing to sell. Due diligence surfaced passive assets sitting inside the operating company, disqualifying the shares. That would have reduced the price or killed the deal outright.
What we did for A fast-growing e-commerce brand, Edmonton, Alberta
We cleaned up the historical file. We modelled the covenant ratios monthly and restructured the debt before the next test date rather than after it. Then we prepared the due-diligence package the buyer's advisers actually asked for.
The result — A fast-growing e-commerce brand, Edmonton, Alberta
The deal closed at the agreed price. $745,000 of tax was saved against the structure originally proposed, with no post-closing adjustment.
Case Study 2 · Planning that cut the bill
Remuneration Review Saved $42,000 Across Corporate And Personal Returns — Multi-Line Service Business, Guelph
Client: A business whose margin varies by service line · Where: Guelph, Ontario · Engagement: 6 weeks, fixed fee
Combined saving$42,000
ScopeCorporate + personal
Future yearsNo rework needed
The situation — A business whose margin varies by service line, Guelph, Ontario
Nothing was wrong at a business whose margin varies by service line in Guelph, Ontario. The filings were on time and accurate. What they were not was planned. An owner making hiring decisions on last quarter’s bank balance had never been reviewed.
What we did for A business whose margin varies by service line, Guelph, Ontario
We traced each borrowing to what it actually funded and kept the interest deduction on the portion used to earn business income. We 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 — A business whose margin varies by service line, Guelph, Ontario
$42,000 came off the combined corporate and personal tax bill, and the structure holds for future years without further work.
Case Study 3 · Objection and relief
$65,000 Of Penalties And Interest Cancelled On Relief — Second-Province Distributor, Red Deer
Client: A distributor entering a second province · Where: Red Deer, Alberta · Engagement: 5 weeks, fixed fee
Penalties and interest cancelled$65,000
Relief groundsAccepted
AssessmentAdjusted to filed position
The situation — A distributor entering a second province, Red Deer, Alberta
An assessment of $65,000 landed at a distributor entering a second province in Red Deer, Alberta following a desk review. It turned on a growth plan with no forecast behind it and no financing lined up. The auditor had not seen the records behind it.
What we did for A distributor entering a second province, Red Deer, Alberta
We built a rolling thirteen-week cash-flow model, tightened collections, and renegotiated supplier terms so the growth stopped consuming the bank balance. We then set out the legislative basis for the position alongside the documents supporting it.
The result — A distributor entering a second province, Red Deer, Alberta
$65,000 of penalties and interest was cancelled under the taxpayer relief provisions, and the underlying assessment was adjusted to match the filed position.
Case Study 4 · Missed incentive claimed
$129,000 In Credits Claimed That Prior Filings Had Missed — Expanding Manufacturer, Saskatoon
Client: A manufacturer planning a plant expansion · Where: Saskatoon, Saskatchewan · Engagement: 8 weeks, fixed fee
Credits claimed$129,000
Years adjusted6
Review outcomeNo adjustment
The situation — A manufacturer planning a plant expansion, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
A manufacturer planning a plant expansion in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan had been filing for 6 years. In that time, the incentives its activity qualified for were never claimed. Behind that sat a healthy bank balance made up almost entirely of deposits for work not yet performed.
What we did for A manufacturer planning a plant expansion, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
We tested each activity against the eligibility criteria rather than the description on the invoice. Then we produced a board-ready monthly package — cash, margin, pipeline and covenant headroom — that replaced a spreadsheet nobody trusted.
The result — A manufacturer planning a plant expansion, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
$129,000 in credits claimed, with the open prior years adjusted as well. The claim passed review without adjustment.
Case Study 5 · Cash and remittance control
Instalments Rebased, $20,500 Of Cash Returned To The Business — Owner Without a Forecast, Ottawa
Client: An owner running the business without a cash-flow forecast · Where: Ottawa, Ontario · Engagement: 7 weeks, fixed fee
Cash returned$20,500
Instalment basisCurrent year
ReviewedQuarterly
The situation — An owner running the business without a cash-flow forecast, Ottawa, Ontario
An owner running the business without a cash-flow forecast in Ottawa, Ontario was paying instalments calculated on a prior year. That year no longer reflected the business. A borrowing drawn for an unrelated personal purchase with the interest claimed against the business was tying up $20,500 of cash.
What we did for An owner running the business without a cash-flow forecast, Ottawa, Ontario
We rebased the instalments on the current-year estimate rather than the prior-year default. Alongside that, we added the balance sheet and a cash view to the monthly package, so the owner saw working capital move rather than only profit.
The result — An owner running the business without a cash-flow forecast, Ottawa, Ontario
$20,500 of cash stayed in the business, the penalty cycle ended, and the instalment position is reviewed each quarter against actual results.
Case Study 6 · Structure rebuilt
Corporate Structure Rebuilt For $13,500 Of Annual Savings — Subscription Business, Lethbridge
Client: A subscription business tracking churn · Where: Lethbridge, Alberta · Engagement: 3 weeks, fixed fee
Saving per year$13,500
DocumentationComplete
Transfer basisRollover
The situation — A subscription business tracking churn, Lethbridge, Alberta
The structure at a subscription business tracking churn in Lethbridge, Alberta dated from years earlier. It had been set up for a business that no longer existed. A monthly report that stopped at the income statement, with no balance sheet and no cash view had become expensive.
What we did for A subscription business tracking churn, Lethbridge, Alberta
We rebuilt the reporting around gross margin by service line, which showed two of five offerings were losing money at the current price. The reorganisation used the rollover provisions rather than a taxable transfer, so no tax fell due on the restructuring itself.
The result — A subscription business tracking churn, Lethbridge, Alberta
$13,500 of annual saving, achieved on a tax-deferred basis. The minute book, elections and valuations are all in the file.
Reviewed by Udit Gupta, Founder and Tax Accountant for the 2025 tax year. 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.
